Making reading accessible

For me I love books but having both dyslexia and Irlens (also called Scotopic Sensitivity) reading can be a challenge.

There are many ways I’ve now made reading accessible to allow me to enjoy books. Here are the main things that have made reading and accessing books easier for me:

1. Audiobooks 

My current book

I used to love books and reading and then when I fell ill in 2013 I began to struggle to read and then I just stopped reading. Discovering audiobooks  opened up the world of books again to me and I fell back in love with them. To me listening to a book is still “reading’ just in a different way that is more accessible for some people.

At first I had a volunteer from my local library bring me audiobooks on CD but I found my library lacked audiobooks for young adults. Now my local library uses a free listening library app. I also used to get CD’s from RNIB before they moved over to using a listening library too.

Having dyslexia and Irlens also makes reading difficult for me and audiobooks is my way around that to make reading more accessible. Plus having a ‘print disability’ it gave me access to some free listening libraries so I could access listening libraries for free.

Earlier in the year in my Disability Services series I wrote about what a print disability is and about the free listening libraries there are that people in the UK may be able to access.

2. My Kindle

How I read on my Kindle

Ever since I got my Kindle I’ve found is so much more easier to read books. Before I struggled with the small text, often using the magnifier on my iPhone as was as using my overlays. So you can imagine the difficulty reading a book!

My Kindle is so lightweight in my lap compared to a book and pressing the screen to turn the page is so much easier. It can be difficult to hold though at times so I mount my Kindle onto my Flexzi stand that is attached to my bed so I can read more easily along with my reading accessible gadget, (more below).

I love that on my Kindle I’ve been able to make the text settings just right for me to make reading accessible. I’ve chosen a font I find easy to read, I’ve made it quite bold too. I’ve also spread out the line spacing and the spacing between paragraphs. I even sometimes enlarge the text when I’m struggling but still want to read. There are other settings too that collectively have truly made reading accessible for me.

Another feature on the Kindle that makes reading accessible for me with my dyslexia is being able to press on a word and get its dictionary definition.

3. My page turner remote

To go with my Kindle I bought this little gadget. It’s a remote control to turn the page on my Kindle. 

The two parts pair together. One part clips to the screen of my Kindle and then there is the remote control. It’s a nice size and the button is big.

The only downside is there is no button to go back a page but when looking for this device I couldn’t find a device with this feature. I do like that this one is white as opposed to black.

It’s definitely has made reading more accessible for me.

I especially use it when I’m having to be reclined or laid flat in bed. It means I can read in this position in bed. I attach my Kindle to my Flexzi stand on my bed. It means I can position my Kindle comfortably and then turn the page with the remote comfortably, easily and accessibly read.

4. My Flexzi stand

My Flexzi stand* attaches to the bar on my bed. It can also be clamped onto other bars like my wheelchair or flat surfaces like a table. I love that it’s pink too. Lots of things can be mounted on it, my iPad, mobile phone and now my Kindle. All I’ve had to do is put a Velcro patch on the back of my Kindle case.

It really helps makes reading accessible as when I mount my Kindle onto it I can read hands-free when holding my Kindle is difficult. I can also then use my page turner remote too to make reading easier so I don’t have to press the page myself depending on what position I’m sat in. 

It also helps when I’m having to lay in bed reclined, tilted, or laid flat as I can position my Flexzi in a way that is comfortable for reading and it enables me to read my Kindle with ease.

*link to a review of it here

5. My Irlens glasses 

I have Irlens, also known as Scotopic Sensitivity. The colour for people with Irlens varies from person-to-person. For me it’s a blue-purple colour. I’ve used overlays but I find them very cumbersome especially as I have to use a combination of two overlays so now I’ve just received my glasss I find them much easier. I also find glasses more universal such as for working on my iPad and for looking at might Kindle as well as for reading. 

I find having Irlens glasses makes reading accessible as I can use them to read my Kindle where I’ve altered the text to make reading easier and accessible. Plus looking through my Irlens glassess means the text doesn’t move around on the page as this is what it is like to have Irlens.

My Irlens glasses 

* Read about Irlens here

(My glasses look more blue as the dark blue was the dominant colour so you can’t tell that there is two purple shades in them as well.)

6. Overlays and reading rulers

These act as an alternative to my Irlens glasses and both act slightly differently.

The overlays colour the page for me making reading the page easier for me.The overlays I have at the moment are two lilac ones.

My reading ruler I have in blue as I couldn’t get a purple one. My reading ruler helps make reading accessible for me as it helps me read text line-by-line.

 

7. Headphones

The final thing that I find makes reading accessible to me is my different headphones.

The first from the top photo is my headband headphones. I found out about these from a YouTube video by Hannah Hodgson (who does great book reviews and she’s helped me find some great reads). Anyway back to my headband. I find these great when I’m wanting or needing to lay on my side in bed and my usual headphones I can’t wear. They have small ear pieces either side which are small and comfortable. You on the front of the headband is a play/pause button and also volume up and down buttons. The headband is paired with my phone via Bluetooth so I can play/pause and alter the volume on my phone to the headband too.

The second thing photographed below is very similar but it’s an eye mask with headphones inside. I do find this one more cushioned and obviously more comfortable for sleep. It has the same controls and as with the headband is connected via Bluetooth so can be controlled on my phone too. I obviously use this one more for listening to books at night or for resting during the day or bad M.E. days when I’m struggling to tolerate the light.

Next are my noise cancelling headphones and AirPods.

I like my Apple AirPods as they connect really well to my iPhone and iPad. The noise cancellation is also great and I like the feature where if I talk it automatically picks it up and pauses until I’ve stopped talking. They’re also nice and portable to take them anywhere with me so I can access audiobooks on the go making them accessible to me.

Sometimes I don’t always like something in my ears so I like my headphones as an alternative. I really do find head phones make reading, i.e. audiobooks accessible to me. I find having something over my ears comforting and I find the noise cancellation blocking out the background noise really helps with my anxiety. I find they also help me too with my brain fog to be able to concentrate on my book more, making my audiobooks more accessible to me.

I have two pairs of headphones so I always have a pair available to me. My lilac ones especially fold down flat so I can easily put them into my rucksack when I’m going out. I wear my headphones around my bungalow and when laid in bed too so I can listen to my audiobooks.