connecting dyslexic learners katherine howey adult dyslexia support specialist and tutor founder,...
TRANSCRIPT
Connecting dyslexic learners
Katherine HoweyAdult Dyslexia Support Specialist and Tutor
Founder, Adult Dyslexia Support Group
Presentation focus
Overview of DyslexicBuddies design process
Human/computer interaction considerations
Lessons learned
Demonstration
Way forward
About me
Adult dyslexia support specialist and tutor
Designs and teaches foundation courses for
dyslexic learners entering FE/HEPreviously consultant in human/computer
interaction and disability issues for UK/EU [email protected]
Adult Dyslexia Support Group
Formed 2010
Voluntary and community group
Supports adult dyslexic learners through
Short courses Reading group Resource site
Self-funding
About DyslexicBuddies
Specialist resource site, tightly focused on
literacy skills acquisition Blog allows learners to provide feedback
on the resources and teaching strategies and share experience
Website developed by subgroup of ADSG
volunteers over 18 month period Over 500 resource hours to date Project costs covered by funding from
ADSHE Liz Ahrends Award 2012
User profile
From pre-literate to HE level
Weak literacy skills
‘spikey’ profile Various learning styles, varying in severity
auditory, visual, kinesthetic
User-Centered Design
Evaluation of products, services and teaching
strategies for dyslexic people rarely asks for
the feedback of dyslexic people DyslexicBuddies recognises that dyslexics
are the experts on their own dyslexia DyslexicBuddies puts dyslexics at the heart
of its design process
Design evolution
Basic blog site Cheap but nasty
Hotmail discussion group Not sufficiently transparent, too many
clicks WordPress
Free Primarily a blogging tool but can support
a website with careful design
Wordpress.com v .org
WordPress.com
Online content management
system, easy to use, limited
functionality
Comes with a branded
WordPress.com domain name
eg dyslexicbuddies.wordpress.com
WordPress.org
Downloaded software installed
locally, paired with a site hosted
elsewhere on the web
More advanced functionality
Offers more options
Both WordPress services are technically free, but the downloaded software is only usable if you pay for a custom domain name and web hosting
Design 1 – Basic Blog
This site was difficult to use, unattractive and needed asubscription
Design 2 – Discussion Group
Set up on Hotmail
Users could send e-mails to each other
and access a resources page Users needed to set up an e-mail account first
Messages were displayed over several pages
It was easy to get lost on the site
High level of user frustration with site design
Design 2 – Discussion Group
Dyslexic Friends Discussion Group
1. Go to www.hotmail.com
2. Log in using your Hotmail email and password
Create a Hotmail account if necessary.
3. Put mouse over “SKY DRIVE”
4. Select “Groups”
5. Select “Dyslexic Friends”
6. Send an email to [email protected]
7. Add a photo or logo for your name.
Design 2 – Discussion Group Resource Page
Design 2 – Discussion Group Spelling Resource Template
Look Say Imagine
Cover Write Check
Dys lex i a Dyslexia
Dyslexia
Dyslexia
Dyslexia
Dyslexia
Design 3 – WordPress.com
Users were invited to submit ideas for
site structure and navigation Users’ key usability requirements
Simple clean designImage friendly Easy to navigateUncluttered text, clear signposting
Design 3 – User concept
Design 3 - WordPress
Design 3 – User feedback
Designed as one long page
Too crowded
Difficult to navigate
Too wordy, not enough visual and audio
alternatives to the written word
Design 4 – Current version
Design 4 – User reactions
More visually based
Emphasis on multimedia options - audio,
video and image resources Much clearer
Simpler drop-down menu structure reduces
clutter on screen and groups topics More elegant design
Less to read on screen, straight to the point
Website widgets
We included a number of plug-ins in the
light of user feedback and continue to monitor
take up and relevancePayPal DonateFacebook
For the future?
Twitter ScanMe
Accessibility
Currently provide topic area on visual stress
which advises on font size and customising colour Considering use of assistive technologies, eg,
to allow users to view website as spoken text
Is there a trade off between use of reading
software and visual presentation of text for those
with visual stress?
Proposed development path
Subject to fundraising, set up
custom domain name and web hosting Seek to incorporate best practice and
website accessibility guidelines more fully
without compromising integrity of the site
Contact information
Contact us at if you want to add resources:
[email protected] Or view the Website at:
www.dyslexicbuddies.org.uk Or through the ADSHE website at
www.adshe.org.uk
Thank you