How to make websites easier to read for dyslexics.

In this blog post I am going to show you two tips that will help a dyslexic reader to comprehend more from websites by making the process of reading them easier.

I know from my conversations with many people with dyslexia and the members of their support networks that dyslexia presents different challenges to those that have it.  There isn't a one size fits all solution that helps dyslexics to read better, but there are lots of tools available that help.

Hopefully in this blog post my two tips can help you in some way whether it is you that is dyslexic and need support or if you are supporting someone else.

Mozilla Firefox and the Open Dyslexic add-on for clarity and contrast.

Most people will be familiar with using web browsers such as Internet Explorer, Google Chrome and Apple's Safari.  All of which are good to use and some have some basic ways to support access to text.  A browser that I really love to use but often don't because I mostly use Chrome, is Mozilla's Firefox.
So I was delighted the other day when I found out that you can download an add-on to this browser that will change the text of most websites to a dyslexia friendly font.  Let me show you what that looks like...

Below is a screen grab of the Studying With Dyslexia Blog without the add-on working;

Screen Grab Of The Studying With Dyslexia Blog WITHOUT using the Open Dyslexic Add-on For Mozilla Firefox.

Now take a look at the fonts for the main body of the page with the Open Dyslexic Add-on For Mozilla Firefox installed:

Screen grab of The Studying With Dyslexia Blog WITH the Open Dyslexia Add-on

As you can see most of the text has been changed in the body of the blog.  Note that text in images will not be changed.

For instructions and more information on this font simply go to http://opendyslexic.org/


Use a screen reader such as Sprinter from SprintPlus.

Another way to access text on a web page is to use a screen reader.
One good example of this is Sprinter from the software programme SprintPlus.

Recently I posted a video of how this works:

The developer of this software, Jabbla, have SprintPlus available free as a trial for 60 days and if you would like a copy simply click their advert below;