We live in the age of information – there is so much to know and so much to discover! Yet most information comes in text form, and this means that people need to read quickly and efficiently. If you have dyslexia this is difficult. So Latvian Dyslexia Association encourages you to create a solution that could added value for any text and ease the reading process.

Where to begin? Let us outline the needs! The form of this potential reading tool has to be light and mobile – easy to use. Also, it would be a gain, if this tool (or a mobile app?) would allow enlargement the size of text. Some fonts such as Arial are more friendly for dyslexics, unfortunately not all texts are written, using it –so being able to change the font would also come in handy! Changing the spacing and limiting 60 characters per line also makes the reading easier. The app should allow the reader to speed up and slow down the pace easily and also allow the reader to easily point at individual words or phrases and have them re-read. The app should link seamlessly with existing tools like e-thesauruses or grammar checks to allow the reader to easily answer text based questions.

Nearly as important is to make reading a pleasant experience for the person with dyslexia. Think about how to create a Virtual Environment that would put a reader at ease and make them forget that they are doing what, for them, is difficult. Is it the right room? Giving the sound of pages turning? What options can you give that would make reading more pleasant?