Designing for Learners with Dyslexia or Reading Difficulties
Dyslexia & Reading
Make reading effortless, inclusive, and multi-sensory — powered by Mexty AI.
This guide helps you design content that supports learners who struggle with reading fluency, decoding, or visual tracking. Mexty’s AI tools can instantly adapt text presentation, add narration, and simplify complex structures to improve comprehension.
Quick Wins (Start Here)
- Enable text-to-speech (TTS) for all reading blocks.
- Use larger, dyslexia-friendly fonts and generous line spacing.
- Break long paragraphs into short, scannable segments.
- Replace text-heavy explanations with icons, visuals, and short clips.
- Highlight key terms or summary phrases for focus.
Prompt to start
“Enable text-to-speech and simplify long paragraphs; use larger fonts, extra spacing, and visual icons for learners with dyslexia.”
Core Strategies & How to Prompt
Multi-sensory reading experiences
1) Simplify Text Structure
- Keep sentences short and direct (under 20 words).
- One idea per paragraph; use bullet lists where possible.
Prompt: Rewrite this content for readability — short sentences, one idea per line, and clear headings.
2) Activate Text-to-Speech (TTS)
- Allow learners to listen to all text content.
- Offer playback speed control and synchronized highlighting.
Prompt: Add text-to-speech narration for each block with adjustable speed and word highlighting.
3) Choose Dyslexia-Friendly Fonts & Layout
- Use sans-serif or specialized fonts (e.g., OpenDyslexic, Lexend).
- Apply 1.5–2x line spacing and left-aligned text only.
Prompt: Apply dyslexia-friendly font and layout (larger size, extra spacing, left-aligned paragraphs).
4) Replace Text with Visuals
- Use icons, diagrams, or pictograms to represent key concepts.
- Add “text-to-icon” prompts for heavy instructional content.
Prompt: Convert long text sections into visual cards with icons and short captions.
5) Highlight Key Words & Summaries
- Bold or color-code essential vocabulary.
- Add short summaries or takeaway boxes.
Prompt: Highlight 3–5 key terms per block and add a one-sentence summary at the end.
6) Provide Multi-Sensory Access
- Combine text, voice, and visuals to reinforce understanding.
- Use videos with captions and voice narration for important sections.
Prompt: Create multi-sensory versions of each section — short video, TTS narration, and a visual card.
7) Avoid Overload
- Limit each page to one central message.
- Remove background animations or visual clutter.
Prompt: Simplify layout for clarity — one message per block, no background animation.
Recommended Mexty Blocks
- Text-to-Speech Block — AI voice narration with word sync
- Visual Card Block — image + caption for comprehension
- Summary Card Block — key ideas simplified
- Highlight Block — emphasizes keywords
- Accessible Font Theme — Lexend or OpenDyslexic
- Video with Captions Block — reinforces understanding
Prompt: “Insert Text-to-Speech and Visual Card Blocks, apply dyslexia-friendly font theme, and summarize each section.”
Accessibility & Compliance
- WCAG 2.1 AA & EN 301 549 readability and adaptability compliance.
- FERPA / COPPA protection for learner data.
- GDPR / ISO 27001 for secure content and voice data handling.
Prompt: “Audit this lesson for dyslexia accessibility and confirm text structure, font, and TTS alignment meet standards.”
Measure What Matters
- Text-to-speech usage and replay rate
- Reading time vs. comprehension
- Visual block engagement
- Highlight interaction rate
- Accessibility compliance reports
Prompt: “Create a dyslexia accessibility report showing TTS usage, reading time, and engagement with visuals.”
Brand Notes — Using Mexty Colors
- Blue #2D7BFF — clarity and trust
- Purple #6A4CFF — guidance
- Pink #FF4FB3 — focus/highlight
- Orange #FF8A2D — key actions
- Off-white #F7F9FC — background with high contrast
Prompt: “Apply Mexty brand colors in high-contrast, dyslexia-friendly layout with clear icons and large font sizes.”
One-Click Template
“Adapt this course for learners with dyslexia or reading difficulties: enable text-to-speech and highlight words as they are spoken; simplify paragraphs and shorten sentences; use larger, dyslexia-friendly fonts with extra spacing; convert long text into visual cards; highlight 3–5 key terms per section; and ensure WCAG 2.1/EN 301 549 accessibility compliance.”
