Benetech, a nonprofit firm that develops technology for social good, announced the launch of Global Certified Accessible, a program that allows publishers to verify how well their e-book files meet the standards for use needed by students with poor or no vision, dyslexia or other disability. The program, which is essentially a standardized ratings system schools and universities can use to gauge how well digital titles cater to disabled students, arrives in the wake of a handful of lawsuits filed over the accessibility of school materials. More schools and universities are demanding educational e-book content be certified for use for this community, to ward off future complaints. The GCA program, in addition to offering guidance to educational institutions in this area, also encourages publishers to include the features needed by visually impaired readers. The goal is to have publishers consider the needs of this population at the time the e-books are created rather than having to upgrade e-book content already in print.
Read more: New Standards Program Emerges to Judge E-books’ Accessibility for Visually Impaired