SLIDE 1
Im Implementing the Legislative Strategy: Accessible Dig igit ital Publishing wit ithin and beyond the le legal threshold
Baseline for Born Accessible EPUB
George Kerscher 9th European e-Accessibility Forum
SLIDE 2 In Inclusive Publishing In Industry
- trade and educational publishers
- journal and magazine publishers
- comics and Manga industry
- disability-focused organizations
- educational institutions
- governmental organizations
- tech companies
- standards organizations
SLIDE 3 Publishers ask: “What do I I need to do to make my publications accessible to persons wit ith dis isabilities?”
Agreement needs to be reached on the baseline features.
- It is not easy
- We must push the bar higher
- We must be practical
SLIDE 4
- Publication must provide accessible content in EPUB 3
(or future version)
- Reading system used must support EPUB 3 content
- Publication, in the context of the reading system,
must be useable with Assistive Technology (AT) Consensus: All three components must be working or it is impractical to include a given feature as a requirement for accessibility in published documents. EPUB 3 Designed for Everybody
Requirements
SLIDE 5 Today
- Using EPUB 3 publishers can deliver the text of their publication in a
well-structured, logical reading order, even if images are used for title
- r headings as long as ALT text is there.
- EPUB reading systems can present the full text of an EPUB 3
publication on every platform.
- Assistive Technology (AT) can integrate with reading systems and
speak the text using synthetic speech (TTS), as refreshable braille using a Bluetooth device, or enlarge the text on the screen. Consensus: Well-structured text in a logical reading order is a baseline requirement for a Born Accessible publication. Authoring and reading system tools may go beyond the baseline for Born Accessible EPUB 3.
SLIDE 6 HTM TML 5 Content St Structure
To benefit all readers, publishers must make use of the native semantics of HTML 5 – starting point of accessible content, foundation for digital publishing This will enable:
- logical reading order
- effective navigation
- skipping and escaping content
Consensus: Native HTML 5 elements will be used to correctly identify content structure
SLIDE 7 Im Images, ALT text xt & Additional Enhancements
- Images used for ornamental purposes
- Images & graphics can be made accessible through ALT text
- Images, charts, diagrams, maps, infographics, artwork, etc.
that convey information may need to be customized for different types of learners Consensus: Publishers will identify ornamental images. ALT text will be provided following W3C A & AA guidelines, also addressed by Accessible EPUB 3: Best Practices by Matt Garrish & DIAGRAM’s Image Guidelines for EPUB 3, and the forthcoming BISG Quick Start Guide for Accessibility.
SLIDE 8
Metadata, Asserting Conformance
Metadata will be necessary for discovery, marketing, sales and inclusion in educational coursework. Consensus: Metadata will identify the accessibility features of publications that confirm to the baseline Born Accessible agreed-upon features, as defined in the ONIX code (List 196) and Schema.org which includes a set of accessibility metadata
SLIDE 9 Enhancements to Born Accessible Publications
- Adding value by using Diagrammar: A Framework for
Making Images and Graphics Accessible
- Republishing materials for persons who are not
technologically capable – the safety net
- Future enhancements delivered separately as annotations
- Reading system would integrate those annotations with
the commercially available Born Accessible version
- DAISY Consortium members make terrific partners to make
information fully accessible
SLIDE 10 Educational Publications and th the EDUPUB Profile of f EPUB 3
- Modern educational publications in EPUB 3 format are
anticipated to use the EDUPUB profile
- Videos need to be captioned
- Support for MathML rapidly evolving
- Scripted components, widgets, assessments, 3D
(WebGL) demonstrations, data visualizations, SVG Consensus: Educational materials will have additional requirements in the baseline for Born Accessible EPUB 3 in the EDUPUB profile
SLIDE 11 Broadly Available EPUB 3 Auth thoring Tools
- Needed in education for course content
development
- Needed in governmental organizations for
publications
- Needed for everyday use by authors, students and
professionals
SLIDE 12 Conformance and Certification
- Epubcheck, use it now
- Pre-flight needed to assist with checking
conformance
- Self-certification linked to metadata
- External certification of publisher content
Consensus: Tools for evaluation, certification approaches, approved guidelines training and support will be topics for discussion
SLIDE 13
Reading System Testing
epubtest.org - IDPF, BISG, DAISY Collaboration Fundamental accessibility tests available now.
SLIDE 14
Raising th the Bar
Consensus: The practical baseline features for Born Accessible publications are expected to advance as technology and work processes improve
SLIDE 15 Call to Acti tion
- Everybody is invited to participate in the evolving
Inclusive Publishing Ecosystem
- Formal announcement will kick off the collaborative effort
- We do not expect to meet in-person, all virtual
- DAISY Consortium will help to drive
- Key principles: Consensus and practicality
- We need to raise the bar over time
Contact George Kerscher directly: kerscher@montana.com
