Accessibility Tools

Facilitating the use of accessibility tools for people with low vision in magazine and newspaper design is important to promote inclusivity, ensure equal access to information, comply with legal requirements, gain a competitive edge, uphold ethical standards, and leverage technological advancements.

Various strategies outlined in the accessibility section of the designer's website, such as employing high contrast colors, utilizing micro whitespace, and clarifying text on photos, contribute to the ease of use of these devices.

PEN READER

A pen reader, also known as a handheld text reader or portable OCR (Optical Character Recognition) device, is a tool designed to assist people with low vision in reading printed text. It typically consists of a handheld device equipped with a camera and OCR software.

HOW IT WORKS

Capture Text: The user points the pen reader at the printed text they want to read, such as a book, document, or menu.
OCR Processing: The camera in the pen reader captures an image of the text, and the OCR software processes the image to recognize the characters.
Text-to-Speech Conversion: Once the text is recognized, the pen reader converts it into speech using text-to-speech technology. The device then reads the text aloud to the user through built-in speakers or headphones.
Navigation and Control: Pen readers often come with controls or buttons that allow users to navigate through the text, such as moving forward or backward, pausing, or adjusting the reading speed.

Pen readers are frequently utilized by English language learners, individuals with low vision, or those who are dyslexic. Pen readers are an assistive device used to access printed material that would otherwise be difficult or impossible for them to read. By converting printed text into spoken words, pen readers enable users to access information in books, documents, labels, and other printed materials more independently and efficiently. This technology enhances their ability to engage with written content and participate more fully in various aspects of daily life, including education, work, and leisure activities.

RESEARCH

Most pen readers are capable of reading text sizes ranging from 7 pts. to 37 pts. Consequently, many headlines may not be readable by pen readers. Therefore, ensuring the clarity and legibility of the deck becomes even more crucial due to the inaccessibility of headlines. Individuals using pen readers may choose to rely on the deck to grasp the story's essence instead of the headlines.

Pen readers struggle with reading reverse text, underscoring the importance of ensuring that the deck is not reversed for enhanced accessibility.

Certainly, not everyone with vision difficulties relies on a pen reader. Therefore, strategies for headlines such as employing high contrast colors and clarifying text on photos remain important for ensuring accessibility and readability for individuals with various vision impairments.

STRATEGIES FOR PEN READER ACCESSIBILITY

Request editors to craft a deck for
headlines exceeding 37 points.
Minimize the use of reverse text
whenever possible, especially the deck.
Utilize high-contrast colors and appropriate tracking.
Employ bubble captions featuring a light center and dark outline for enhanced clarity. (see example below)
Position regular captions near the bottom or side of photos.
Implement the peripheral vision test (refer to the Text on Photos page).

NVR_NVRG_101923_01_A_004_00_01_NW.pdf

TEXT-TO-SPEECH (TTS) READING APPS

A text-to-speech (TTS) reading app for printed materials is a software application designed to assist individuals with low vision in accessing and comprehending content from printed documents, books, and other physical materials. These apps use optical character recognition (OCR) technology to convert the text from printed pages into digital text, which is then synthesized into spoken words using synthetic speech technology.

HOW IT WORKS

Scanning and OCR: Users capture images of the printed materials using a smartphone, tablet, or a dedicated scanning device equipped with OCR capabilities. The OCR technology analyzes the images and identifies the text, converting it into machine-readable digital text.
Text-to-Speech Conversion: Once the text is extracted, the TTS reading app converts it into spoken words using synthetic speech technology. Users can listen to the content being read aloud, allowing them to access and comprehend the information without relying on their visual capabilities.
Navigation and Control: TTS reading apps often include features for navigating through the text, such as the ability to move forward or backward, pause or resume reading, adjust reading speed, and skip to specific sections. These navigation and control functionalities enable users to interact with the content effectively.
Customization Options: Users can customize various aspects of the TTS reading experience to suit their preferences. This may include selecting different voices, adjusting the volume and pitch of the speech, and modifying the reading speed to a comfortable pace.

Overall, text-to-speech reading apps for printed materials serve as invaluable assistive tools for individuals with low vision, dyslexia, attention deficits, and English language learners. They help overcome barriers to accessing printed content and promote greater independence in reading and learning. These apps play a critical role in advancing accessibility and inclusivity in various aspects of daily life.

RESEARCH

Recent research indicates that text-to-speech reading apps currently lack the sophistication to navigate newspapers seamlessly. While they prove highly beneficial for books, PDFs, and certain magazines, they are not yet a practical tool for newspapers. Nevertheless, recommendations for their potential future use are provided below, anticipating advancements in technology.

TTS NEWSPAPER LIMITATIONS

TTS frequently skips over the headline of an article, even when the headline is positioned at the top of the page and above the body copy.
Disordered reading is a common issue with Text-to-Speech (TTS) systems. These systems may read articles out of sequence, read across columns, skip around the page, and even miss entire paragraphs. In the context of newspapers, the TTS system might jump from one story to the next without adhering to the page's layout, ignoring established reading rules.
TTS often reads captions and breakout boxes in sequence with the body copy, resulting in choppy narratives that are challenging to follow.
TTS depends on the user's capability to capture a clear photo of the printed text. Although the software may prompt the user to take a photo when it identifies the four corners of the page, individuals with vision difficulties may find it challenging to ensure that the text is not skewed, fully within the frame of the photo and does not contain text from adjacent pages or stories.
TTS cannot read fractions properly.

POTENTIAL FUTURE STRATEGIES

Remove hyphens: TTS will read words that are broken over two lines with a hyphen as two words instead of one. Example: Definit-ive would be read as "definite I've"
Utilize white space effectively: Increased macro and micro white space aids Text-to-Speech (TTS) in distinguishing elements on a page. Implement wide gutters and long columns to assist TTS in sequencing the reading process. Avoid overlapping words in headlines, as this can cause misreading by TTS. (see White Space for more information on whitespace strategies for people with vision difficulties)
Establish a clear hierarchy: Utilize font size and placement to indicate the headline, deck, and body copy. Position the headline near the top of the page, preferably over the body copy, for a clearer hierarchy. (see Headline Treatment & Placement and Readability & Fonts for more recommendations)
Recipe measurements: Describe measurements using words rather than fractions, as TTS does not accurately read fractions.

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