Simple Changes Make a Big Difference for Dyslexics
My latest column for MindShift, the NPR education blog, is about how simple changes in font, letter size and spacing can make reading easier for those with dyslexia: ”
“The causes of dyslexia—the disorder that makes reading excruciatingly difficult for about one in twenty school-aged children—have remained frustratingly elusive, as has anything resembling a cure. Training programs for dyslexics have proven effective at improving certain parts of the reading process, such as phonological awareness and auditory perception.
Once these skills have been brought up to speed, however, there still remains what one group of researchers calls a “vicious circle”: the most effective way to get better at reading is to read more. So scientists have turned their attention to a new question: Are there ways to make reading easier for dyslexics?
Surprisingly, the answer appears to be yes, and the methods experts are using to ease the act of reading are remarkably simple and concrete. With changes in the spacing, the size, and the appearance of text, studies are showing, children with dyslexia can read more quickly and accurately, allowing them to get the reading practice they need to improve.” Read more here, and let me know what you think!
One interesting support service for the dyslexic was the creation of Stillingar (http://www.stillingar.is/en/) an Icelandic website making it possible for anyone to set colors, fonts, line spacing, etc for web browsing.
Webmasters would then indicate that their webpages support the service and any page supporting the service provide the same settings across the board. Really useful.
Note to readers: The English-language page for Stillingar.is is here: http://www.stillingar.is/en/
From the website: “Stillingar.is is a simple online web service that makes it super easy for web developers to cater to the detailed font and color needs of people with reading disabilities – e.g. dyslexia or impaired vision.”