Ysilex : a Friendly reading Interface for Dyslexics

International audienceIn this paper, we describe an interface to display texts in a fashion adapted to dyslexic readers. In order to help the reading task, we designed several tools geared towards the specific difficulties of this population, e.g. a tendency to lose one's place within the text, a fluctuating attention or a difficulty to access the syllable level of the words, a process known to be used with new or infrequent words. Preliminary results show that a pared down display coupled with a choice of tools available on demand could cater to the heterogeneity of difficulties displayed by dyslexics. Stepwise increments in design coupled with ongoing validation of the reading tools will insure the usefulness of the interface

Accessible authentication:dyslexia and password strategies

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to reveal the lived experiences of dyslexics in engaging with all kinds of alphanumeric authentication mechanisms.Design/methodology/approachA significant proportion of the world’s population experiences some degree of dyslexia, which can lead to spelling, processing, sequencing and retention difficulties. Passwords, being essentially sequences of alphanumeric characters, make it likely that dyslexics will struggle with these, even more so than the rest of the population. Here, this study explores the difficulties people with dyslexia face, their general experiences with passwords, the coping strategies they use and the advice they can provide to developers and others who struggle with passwords. This paper collects empirical data through semi-structured interviews with 13 participants. Thematic analysis was used to provide an in-depth view of each participant’s experience.FindingsThe main contribution of this paper is to provide evidence related to the inaccessibility dimensions of passwords as an authentication mechanism, especially for dyslexics and to recommend a solution direction.Research limitations/implicationsThere is a possible volunteer bias, as this study is dealing with self-reported data including historical and reflective elements and this paper is seeking information only from those with self-declared or diagnosed dyslexia. Furthermore, many expressed interest or curiosity in the relationship between dyslexia and password difficulties, for some a motivation for their participation. Finally, given that the participants told us that dyslexics might hide, it is possible that the experiences of those who do hide are different from those who chose to speak to us and thus were not hiding.Originality/valueA few authors have written about the difficulties dyslexics face when it comes to passwords, but no one has asked dyslexics to tell them about their experiences. This paper fills that gap