Q&A about Dolphin EasyReader | UK education collection

Do you have any questions about Dolphin EasyReader? Here's some Dolphin and RNIB have already been asked. Why not also check out our other help article: Using Dolphin EasyReader.

There are different ways of using the titles on RNIB Bookshare, that is where Dolphin comes in. How does the EasyReader app work?

It’s a free app, it’s available from the App Store or Google Play for iOS or Android devices. You can search for “Dolphin EasyReader” and it will download for you. There is an interface directly into the RNIB Bookshare library, so you tap on that in your bookshelf, add your username and password, and you are directly into RNIB Bookshare’s library. From there you can search for a book title, or choose one of the many book categories available.

Is EasyReader fully accessible?

Yes. Due to the full accessibility, if you are a VoiceOver (or Talkback) user you are going to enjoy using EasyReader. If you don’t use VoiceOver user you can increase the size of the text of the book and it will also word-wrap. You can change the highlight and background colours, the fonts, the letter spacing, etc.

Is EasyReader restricted to RNIB Bookshare or are there other libraries available?

There are actually thirty of the world’s accessible libraries available. When you install EasyReader you will just see the ones that are available to the UK. However, there is a button called ‘manage libraries’ and in there you can see some of the other libraries which are available, for example many of the libraries in Europe, Australia and the US (and there are more coming in the future). You can also download from some of the free library services such as Guttenberg and EPUB.

In education, particularly further and higher, students need access to a large number of books. This must mean that EasyReader is even more appealing for RNIB Bookshare users?

Certainly. The number of textbooks for students can be considerable. Let’s consider if they are in Braille – you would need a wheelbarrow to carry round what you would need in the classroom! So if you have EasyReader on an iPad or smartphone, you have an entire library (over 340,000 RNIB Bookshare textbooks!) in your bag/pocket. On top of that you can have them available in a variety of accessible formats including large print, text-to-speech or paired with a Braille display.

What has the feedback on EasyReader been like?

We’re blown away. We now have 40,000 people who have downloaded the app, and we have very few negative comments that come back. It’s not just that because it’s free. Dolphin’s history meant that when we designed EasyReader we started from let’s design an accessible app, rather than let’s make our app accessible. People love that you choose the book you want to have and then render it in the way that suits your sight.

Is it easy to learn how to use EasyReader? Is there help and support available?

It’s fairly intuitive if you’re used to using other apps, but there is a really good help system on the app. There are online resources for each section of the app and some helpful videos. Dolphin and RNIB also have regular free webinars to demonstrate how to use EasyReader with RNIB Bookshare.

What do EasyReader and RNIB Bookshare cost?

Both services are absolutely free.

So, if you qualify, you could have all the educational titles you need from RNIB Bookshare UK Education Collection, Dolphin EasyReader app an iPad and a Braille Display for a total of £80.

Anything else you need to know?

If you have any more questions, please contact Dolphin EasyReader or contact us.

Want to contact us? Request help or Call us: 0300 303 8313 Hours: M-F 9 am to 5 pm

RNIB Bookshare, Royal National Institute of Blind People
Midgate House - Floor 1, Midgate, Peterborough, PE1 1TN