DAISY Reading Apps User Requirements

The DAISY Reading Apps User Requirements establish comprehensive user requirements for accessible digital reading applications, developed through collaboration between the DAISY Consortium, accessibility experts, and people with print disabilities. It provides essential guidance for developers, designers, and decision-makers creating or procuring reading systems that serve users with visual impairments, dyslexia, and other print disabilities.

Purpose

The goal is to go beyond basic accessibility compliance and outline features that significantly improve usability and user satisfaction. These requirements apply to both specialized reading systems and mainstream reading apps, covering text, audio, and hybrid reading experiences.

Summary

Navigation: Effective navigation is critical for digital accessibility, enabling users to move through content efficiently using features like table of contents, page numbers, and headings. Screen reader users particularly benefit from clear navigation structures and continuous reading capabilities.

Screen Reader Support: Reading apps must enable screen readers to interpret semantic markup, navigation elements, and interactive features accurately. This includes proper exposure of headings, lists, tables, and other structural elements to assistive technologies.

Read Aloud: Text-to-speech functionality provides an audio option for text-based content, helping users with visual impairments, dyslexia, or reading challenges. The app must support seamless playback with proper language handling, visual emphasis, and playback controls.

Embedded Audio: This covers pre-recorded audio content (human-narrated or TTS) that comes with the publication, either as audio-only or synchronized with text. Users must be able to control playback, see synchronized text highlighting, and customize the listening experience.

Visual Adjustments: Flexible display options allow users to customize text appearance including font type, size, spacing, colors, and contrast to improve readability. These adaptations reduce visual stress and cognitive load for users with low vision or dyslexia.

Bookmarking: Users must be able to create, manage, and navigate between multiple bookmarks within publications to mark and return to specific locations. Bookmarks should be automatically saved and synchronized across devices when online.

Highlighting: Users must be able to mark important text portions with customizable colors or categories for quick reference and review. Highlights should be distinguishable, hideable, and automatically saved across sessions.

Making Notes: Users must be able to create text or audio annotations anchored to bookmarks or highlights, with the ability to view notes in context while maintaining reading position. Notes should be automatically saved and accessible to screen reader users.

Entering Answers: Learners must be able to input responses directly into embedded fields within publications, supporting various input types from text to multiple choice. This functionality helps users with print disabilities complete exercises without switching to separate documents.

Library and Bookshelf: Users must be able to search, browse, acquire, and manage titles from multiple sources through accessible authentication and intuitive organization. The app should support both online catalog integration and sideloaded content with synchronized updates.

Miscellaneous: Users must have access to clear documentation, user-friendly error messages, and the ability to access protected content using assistive technologies. The system should also support features like citation generation while maintaining accessibility standards.

What This Summary Leaves Out (But You Should Know)

The full document provides comprehensive implementation guidance for each user requirement, including detailed technical specifications and practical examples. Each requirement includes specific considerations for various assistive technologies, user contexts, and content formats.

Requirements are categorized using the MoSCoW prioritization methodology to help developers allocate resources effectively. Must-have features are essential for basic accessibility, Should-have features significantly enhance usability, and Could-have features provide additional benefits.

The document includes user stories that illustrate how real users might interact with or struggle with features, grounding the requirements in lived experience. This approach ensures developers understand both the technical specifications and the human needs behind each requirement.