OpenDyslexic

{{Short description|Typeface designed to mitigate reading errors caused by dyslexia}}

{{infobox typeface

| name = OpenDyslexic

| image = File:OpenDyslexic3Regular-image.svg

| style = Sans-serif

| creator = Abbie Gonzalez

| releasedate = {{YEAR|2011}}

| license = SIL Open Font License v1.1{{Cite web |url=https://github.com/antijingoist/opendyslexic/blob/master/OFL.txt |title=License |website=OpenDyslexic |access-date=18 September 2019 |archive-date=22 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221222200436/https://github.com/antijingoist/opendyslexic/blob/master/OFL.txt |url-status=live }}

| sample = File:OpenDyslexic3Regular-sample.svg

| shown_here = OpenDyslexic 3 Regular

| website = {{url|OpenDyslexic.org}}

| latin = yes

}}

OpenDyslexic is a free typeface/font designed to mitigate some of the common reading errors caused by dyslexia. The typeface was created by Abbie Gonzalez, who released it through an open-source license.{{Cite web |url=http://www.dailytech.com/First+Free+Digital+Font+Optimized+for+Dyslexics+Arrives/article27801.htm |title=First Free Digital Font Optimized for Dyslexics although the requirements are for a mixture of Dyslexia which is a phonic cognitive condition and Irlen Syndrome which is a visual cognitive condition the traits of which can often be experienced by dyslexics Arrives |last=Jason |first=Mick |publisher=DailyTech.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130522060839/http://www.dailytech.com/First+Free+Digital+Font+Optimized+for+Dyslexics+Arrives/article27801.htm |archive-date=May 22, 2013 |access-date=August 13, 2013}} The design is based on DejaVu Sans, also an open-source font.{{cn|date=July 2020}}

Like many dyslexia-intervention typefaces, most notably Dyslexie, OpenDyslexic adds to dyslexia research and is a reading aid. It is not a cure for dyslexia.{{Cite web |url=http://thebottomline.as.ucsb.edu/2012/10/new-font-helps-dyslexics-read-clearly |title=New Font Helps Dyslexics Read Clearly |last=Ross |first=Selena |date=17 October 2012 |publisher=Associated Students, UC Santa Barbara |access-date=August 13, 2013 |archive-date=9 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221209020057/https://thebottomline.as.ucsb.edu/2012/10/new-font-helps-dyslexics-read-clearly |url-status=live }} The typeface includes regular, bold, italic, bold-italic, and monospaced font styles. The benefit has been questioned in scientific studies.{{Citation |last1=Wery |first1=Jessica J. |title=The effect of a specialized dyslexia font, OpenDyslexic, on reading rate and accuracy |date=18 March 2016 |journal=Annals of Dyslexia |volume=67 |issue=2 |pages=114–127 |publisher=Springer US |doi=10.1007/s11881-016-0127-1 |pmc=5629233 |pmid=26993270 |last2=Diliberto |first2=Jennifer A.}}

In 2012, Gonzalez explained their motivation to the BBC: "I had seen similar fonts, but at the time they were completely unaffordable and so impractical as far as costs go."{{Cite news |last=Kelion |first=Leo |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-19734341 |title=OpenDyslexic font gains ground with help of Instapaper |date=2012-09-26 |access-date=August 13, 2013 |publisher=BBC News. |archive-date=2023-03-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230309142054/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-19734341 |url-status=live }}

Integration

The typeface is an optional choice on many websites and formats, including Wikipedia,{{efn|In the Wikipedia skin introduced in 2023, OpenDyslexic can be used by clicking the "n languages" button in the upper-right of the page, clicking the gear icon, clicking the "Fonts" button, checking the "Download fonts when needed" box, and selecting "OpenDyslexic".}} Instapaper, Kobo eReader,{{Cite web |url=http://opendyslexic.org/2013/03/kobo-mini-and-glo/ |title=Kobo Mini, Glo, Aura HD |last=Gonzalez |first=Abbie |publisher=OpenDyslexic |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130317065453/http://opendyslexic.org/2013/03/kobo-mini-and-glo/ |archive-date=March 17, 2013 |access-date=August 13, 2012}} Amazon Kindle Paperwhite, a few children's books,{{Cite web |url=http://opendyslexic.org/2013/08/zack-zoeys-alien-apocalypse-alien-busting-ninja-adventure/ |title=Zack & Zoey's Alien Apocalypse: Alien Busting Ninja Adventure |last=Gonzalez |first=Abbie |publisher=OpenDyslexic |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131023203718/http://opendyslexic.org/2013/08/zack-zoeys-alien-apocalypse-alien-busting-ninja-adventure/ |archive-date=October 23, 2013 |access-date=August 13, 2013}}{{Cite web |url=http://opendyslexic.org/2013/07/the-swamp-man-by-shoo-rayner/ |title=The Swamp Man, by Shoo Rayner |last=Gonzalez |first=Abbie |publisher=OpenDyslexic |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130906013459/http://opendyslexic.org/2013/07/the-swamp-man-by-shoo-rayner/ |archive-date=September 6, 2013 |access-date=August 13, 2013}} and at least one imprint of classic literature.{{Cite web |url=http://www.folktal.es/strawberry-classics.html |title=Strawberry Classics |website=folktal.es |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131022204102/http://www.folktal.es/strawberry-classics.html |archive-date=October 22, 2013 |access-date=August 13, 2013}}

There is also a Google Chrome extension available,{{Cite web |url=https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/opendyslexic/cdnapgfjopgaggbmfgbiinmmbdcglnam?hl=en |title=OpenDyslexic |website=chrome.google.com |access-date=2016-08-12 |archive-date=2017-09-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170912143030/https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/opendyslexic/cdnapgfjopgaggbmfgbiinmmbdcglnam?hl=en |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |url=https://s-e-o.org/which-font-is-best-for-dyslexic-users-the-science-reviewed/ |title=Which Font is Best For Dyslexic Users? The Science Reviewed |website=S-E-O.org |access-date=2018-07-24 |archive-date=2023-01-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230126220649/https://s-e-o.org/which-font-is-best-for-dyslexic-users-the-science-reviewed/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |url=https://www.geek.com/geek-cetera/opendyslexic-font-makes-it-easy-to-read-anywhere-1519623/ |title=OpenDyslexic font makes it easy to read anywhere |date=2012-10-02 |website=Geek.com |access-date=2018-07-24 |archive-date=2018-07-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180725041731/https://www.geek.com/geek-cetera/opendyslexic-font-makes-it-easy-to-read-anywhere-1519623/ |url-status=dead }} which was developed by Abbie Gonzalez and Robert James Gabriel.{{Cite web |url=https://github.com/antijingoist/opendyslexic-chrome/graphs/contributors |title=antijingoist/opendyslexic-chrome |website=GitHub |access-date=2016-08-12}} It is also part of the "dyslexia-friendly mode" in Oswald Foundation's web accessibility products.{{Cite web |url=https://oswald.foundation/valmiki |title=Valmiki - Oswald Foundation |website=Oswald Foundation |language=en |access-date=2017-06-23 |archive-date=2023-01-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230130055139/http://oswald.foundation/valmiki |url-status=live }}

Scientific studies

Two small studies have investigated the effect of specialized fonts used with students with dyslexia. Rello and Baeza-Yates (2013) measured eye-tracking recordings of Spanish readers (aged 11–50) with dyslexia and found that OpenDyslexic did not significantly improve reading time nor shorten eye fixation.{{Cite conference |last1=Rello |first1=L. |last2=Baeza-Yates |first2=R. |date=2013 |title=Good fonts for dyslexia |publisher=ACM |page=14 |book-title=Proceedings of the 15th International ACM SIGACCESS Conference on Computers and Accessibility}} In her master's thesis, Leeuw (2010) compared Arial and Dyslexie with 21 Dutch students with dyslexia and found Dyslexie did not lead to faster reading, but may help with some dyslexic-related errors.{{Cite thesis |last=Leeuw |first=Renske de |title=Special font for dyslexia? |date=December 2010 |degree=MA |publisher=University of Twente |url=http://essay.utwente.nl/60474/ |archive-date=2023-05-22 |access-date=2015-05-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230522233209/http://essay.utwente.nl/60474/ |url-status=live }}

In its "dyslexia-friendly style guide", the British Dyslexia Association recommends using "sans serif fonts, such as Arial and Comic Sans, as letters can appear less crowded", adding that "alternatives include Verdana, Tahoma, Century Gothic, Trebuchet, Calibri, [and] Open Sans."{{Cite web |author=British Dyslexia Association |title=Dyslexia friendly style guide |url=https://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/advice/employers/creating-a-dyslexia-friendly-workplace/dyslexia-friendly-style-guide |date=2022 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230315034831/https://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/advice/employers/creating-a-dyslexia-friendly-workplace/dyslexia-friendly-style-guide |archive-date=March 15, 2023 |access-date=March 27, 2023}}

Related typefaces

There are other typefaces and fonts that have been linked to benefits for people with dyslexia including: BBC Reith, Comic Sans, Dyslexie, FS Me, Sassoon and Sylexiad.{{Cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20171204-the-typeface-that-helps-dyslexics-read |title=The typeface that helps dyslexics |last=Gray |first=Richard |website=bbc.com/ |access-date=13 March 2020 |archive-date=9 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230409195145/https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20171204-the-typeface-that-helps-dyslexics-read |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |url=https://www.designweek.co.uk/issues/21-27-may-2018/designing-dyslexia-style-guide-make-reading-easy-everyone/ |title=Designing for dyslexia: a style guide to make reading easy for everyone |last=Dawood |first=Sarah |date=May 22, 2018 |website=Design Week |access-date=13 March 2020 |archive-date=30 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220630041707/https://www.designweek.co.uk/issues/21-27-may-2018/designing-dyslexia-style-guide-make-reading-easy-everyone/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=British Dyslexia Association |date=August 2015 |title=Typefaces for dyslexia |url=https://bdatech.org/what-technology/typefaces-for-dyslexia/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180731141434/https://bdatech.org/what-technology/typefaces-for-dyslexia/ |archive-date=31 July 2018 |access-date=13 March 2020 |website=BDA Technology}}

Notes

References

External links

{{official website|http://OpenDyslexic.org}}

Category:Management of dyslexia

Category:Sans-serif typefaces

Category:Open-source typefaces