NNELS is dedicated to making reading accessible for everyone. From accessible EPUBs to Audiobooks and Braille, we collaborate with libraries and partners to remove barriers and expand the availability of inclusive formats for people with print disabilities in Canada.
Visit https://nnels.ca to explore our collection of accessible and alternate formats.
Accessibility matters. Reading is for everyone.
NNELS is closed for Canada Day, and we’re on the lookout for book recommendations! We'd love to learn about what you're reading this week.
NNELS readers, if you’re searching for a book to read today, you can browse our collection by genre: https://nnels.ca/browse-by-genre
Several months ago, I did something I rarely do and took a hard line on a polarizing topic: allowing dogs (or other pets) into private businesses. I believed, and continue to believe, that dogs should not be permitted in coffee shops, gyms, hardware stores, grocery stores, or (God forbid) restaurants, unless they are a licensed
Happy Pride Month!
NNELS celebrates the power of diverse stories in the LGBTQ2S+ community by highlighting LGBTQ2S+ books in accessible formats, including audiobooks, ebooks, and braille, because inclusion means access. Explore the collection of titles and resources by and about the LGBTQ2S+ community at NNELS: https://nnels.ca/relations/lgbtqia2s
The acronym LGBTQIA2S+ refers to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer, Intersex, Asexual and Two Spirit peoples, as well as those who identify as pansexual, questioning, non-binary, and other gender and sexuality minorities. This is a collection of titles and resources by and about these communities. Titles include Fiction, Nonfiction, Children’s Books, Young Adult, Literary
Really wishing there was a good textbook reading app for someone with both visual and cognitive #disabilities.
I just started a new course at Colorado Christian University, and this week's reading is 7 chapters from a book called Introducing Christian Doctrine—which is pretty heavy stuff. I've been struggling just to get through the first chapter.
I tried reading in Word with JAWS, but quick navigation keys keep getting disabled, and adding comments isn’t very accessible. So I switched to the ePub version in Bookworm, which lets me add bookmarks, named bookmarks, and comments. That’s been a huge help.
For notes, I’m using Joplin, which works well for organizing thoughts in Markdown. And when I hit a sentence I don’t understand—like “propounded dogmatically” (what even is that?)—I just open Copilot in the browser and ask for a plain-language explanation.
It’s not perfect, but it’s working. I just wish there were tools designed with both cognitive load and screen reader accessibility in mind. Reading theology is hard enough without fighting the tech too.
(My degree is in computer science, but theology is part of the core curriculum.)
#disability #multipleDisabilities #Accessibility #JAWS #ScreenReader #CognitiveDisability #ActuallyAutistic #Autism #Blind #Neurodivergent #NeurodivergentBlind #BookwormReader #JoplinNotes #Joplin #Markdown #TheologyStudent #Christian #ChristianUniversity #InclusiveTech #EdTech #AccessibleReading #DisabilityInEducation #StudyTools #ePub #AssistiveTechnology #MastodonEdu
@mastoblind @main @actuallyautistic @neurodivergentblind
It’s #GuideFriday! This week, we’re sharing the https://AccessiblePublishing.ca Guidelines for Common EPUB Issues in Plain Language, which provides information on the most important features to make EPUBs accessible for publishers. You can read it here: https://www.accessiblepublishing.ca/accessible-publishing-best-practices/
Are you attending OLA this year? NNELS, CELA, and the Toronto Public Library will hold a pre-conference workshop on assistive and accessible reading technologies tomorrow, January 29, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Eastern.
Learn more on the OLA schedule: https://olasc25.vfairs.com/
Hello Mastodon! NNELS is excited to join this platform and share our services and the accessible content we provide for people with print disabilities. We post about recently added content, upcoming events, and accessibility resources to support libraries and library patrons. We hope you enjoy our postings!
For more information about NNELS, visit nnels.ca
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