Amazon Kindle Accessibility

With so many great alternatives for electronic reading devices (e-readers), like the Amazon Kindle and Apple iPad, it may be increasingly difficult to determine which one will best suit your needs.  It is important to note that not all e-readers are accessible to readers with a visual impairment or blindness. Although the Amazon Kindle, one of the most popular e-readers, has both Voice Guidance and text-to-speech features, it is not fully accessible. To review the accessibility features of the Amazon Kindle 3 watch the Iris Network video, Kindle Accessibility at http://youtu.be/B7wDV7yfnp0. 

If you’re considering an e-reader like the Kindle or a tablet  such as Apple iPad,  it is important to note that these devices have a wide range of features that may be useful for readers with low vision or blindness, and these features vary widely from device to device. The following links from a recent presentation by Steve Kelley, one of the Iris Network’s Vision Rehab Therapists,  and member of the Assistive Technology and Employment Services (ATES) program may prove helpful resources. This presentation was given during the 2011 Boston  conference of the Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (AER). 

Listen to the August 13^th presentation at http://www.theiris.org/media/ereader_081311.mp3

View the Power Point presentation at http://www.theiris.org/media/E-Readers.ppt

Download a comparison chart of e-readers with test-to-speech at http://www.lowvisiontech.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/E-book_readers2.doc

Steve Kelley, CVRT