Accessible EPUB textbooks for students with visual impairments in Vietnamese lower secondary schools: Insights from a pilot program

This study explored the challenges, support structures, and strategies associated with the adoption of accessible EPUB textbooks among lower secondary students with visual impairments in Vietnam. The participants included 12 students, 10 teachers, eight parents and two vice-principals from two schools. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and classroom observations. The findings point to a range of ongoing challenges, including limited access to Braille resources, intermittent technical issues, school-level policy limitations, and behavioural factors such as varying levels of self-regulation and susceptibility to digital distractions. Participants reported that EPUB textbooks were perceived to support more efficient and independent learning and were associated with greater academic engagement; however, these reported benefits depended heavily on the availability of consistent support. Teachers were particularly influential in guiding and regulating technology use, while parental, peer, and project staff support contributed to access and sustained participation. Students described developing personalised strategies such as adjusting reading speed, using bookmarks, and combining audio input with note-taking, which they associated with increased confidence and autonomy. The study provides a contextualised account of how accessible EPUB textbooks were experienced, supported, constrained, and adapted within two Vietnamese school settings. It highlights the importance of multimodal learning resources, coordinated support systems, and attention to user needs in technology design. The findings suggest that, when embedded within collaborative and sustainable support frameworks, accessible EPUB textbooks can shape students' learning experiences and participation in ways that support inclusive education. These findings reflect participants’ reported experiences rather than objectively measured learning outcomes.