EPUB Accessibility Is a Whole-Book Question

Inspect the complete route

EPUB Accessibility 1.1 treats an EPUB as a collection of web documents. A handsome first chapter cannot compensate for an unreachable note, wrong spine order, or unusable table later on. Make a route list: cover, contents, chapters, notes, bibliography, index.

For each route, check heading structure, reading order, links, tables, images, and media. Mark what has an alternative and what needs editorial work. Evaluate the sequence, not isolated screenshots.

Describe actual access

The standard requires accessMode, accessibilityFeature, and accessibilityHazard metadata, and recommends useful summaries. Treat this as reader information, not a badge. A map-heavy guide with only short labels should say it lacks extended descriptions rather than claim broad accessibility.

Keep claims proportional

The specification builds on WCAG, sets a minimum conformance baseline, and strongly recommends current WCAG 2 Level AA; local requirements can differ. Retain file version, evaluator, checks, date, and known deficiencies. Re-evaluate after new images, interaction, or navigation.

Specific production checks

Choose two hostile routes through the book: begin at the last endnote and return to body text; begin with the largest table and locate its header context. For an illustrated guide, disable image display if the reading system permits it and see whether the chapter still communicates its argument.

Write the accessibility summary from observed facts, such as “all photographs have concise descriptions; route maps have text alternatives; data tables retain headers.” Do not write “fully accessible” as a substitute for this account, especially when a known feature remains incomplete.

Record the result beside the exact file name so a later export does not inherit an accessibility claim it has not been checked against.