Here's my opinion:
I believe that there are many people who have the impression that "such
and such a typeface is the ideal font to use for people who are
dyslexic". I also believe that impression to be a gross simplification
of a much more complex picture. I believe that no two people with
dyslexia are exactly alike, in many ways, including typeface
preferences.
Chris's point about confusions between I, 1, and l is clearly very
important, especially for maths.
I don't believe that simply using a particular typeface is all that
crucial to anybody, dyslexic or not, being able to read an examination
paper. Other factors (including font size, line length (too many
characters in a line make text harder to read), use of white space,
kerning, letter and word spacing, line justification (unthinking
right-justification can play havoc with word spacing and legibility),
line and paragraph spacing (Word's defaults are not always the most
legible, and most typists, in my experience, don't even know how to
change the defaults), layout of blocks of text vertically and
horizontally, and colour and glossiness and texture of paper) are
equally, or more, important, for legibility.
Sometimes there's too much nonsense asserted, almost arbitrarily.
Computers and cheap printing have brought a whole world of text design
to an enormous number of amateurs who make silly mistakes -- and I do
include myself in that category!
Rosemary Sassoon's books are an excellent starting point for anyone who
wants to find out more about all the issues. It's a fascinating field of
enquiry.
Robert Edwards
Disability and Dyslexia Service
University of Glamorgan
01443 654242
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Discussion list for disabled students and their support
> staff. [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of John Conway
> Sent: 14 March 2005 10:49
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Fonts Mathematics Examinations
>
> Somewhere I picked up a report or a discussion that specified
> Comic Sans as the best all round font - avoiding the serifs
> and also avoiding the confusion between capital I, small l
> and the number 1 for example within Arial
>
> Any thoughts - how widespread is the support for Comic Sans???
>
> Dr John S Conway
> Principal Lecturer in Soil Science / Chair, Research
> Committee Disability Officer Royal Agricultural College,
> Cirencester, Glos GL7 6JS
> 01285 652531 ext 2234 fax 01285 650219
> http://www.royagcol.ac.uk/~john_conway/
> email [log in to unmask]
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Discussion list for disabled students and their support staff.
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Baxter, Chris
> Sent: 14 March 2005 10:46
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Fonts Mathematics Examinations
>
> Liz
> Perhaps you could tell us how Verdana differs from Arial? It
> is a very similar font, are we missing something?
> Chris
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Discussion list for disabled students and their support staff.
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Jackson, Elizabeth
> Sent: 10 March 2005 17:53
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Fonts Mathematics Examinations
>
>
> What happens when you have a learner with a sight loss, where
> Arial is the recommended most accessible font?
>
> ---
> Liz Jackson
> Acting Regional Manager / Senior PCET Officer RNIB, Education
> & Employment London & South East 020 7391 2138
>
> RNIB is proud to host Vision 2005, the world's premier event
> on low vision and sight loss. Visit
> www.rnib.org.uk/vision2005 to register and find out more.
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Discussion list for disabled students and their support staff.
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Declan Treanor
> Sent: 10 March 2005 16:33
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Fonts Mathematics Examinations
>
>
> Trinity College Dublin has had a similar experience when the
> examination office requested that examination papers be
> produced in Arial, Verdana or Helvetica. The Chemistry
> department objected to the use of Arial because lower case l
> (L) is the same as upper case I (i) whereas Verdana is
> acceptable to them.
>
> In many cases the examination papers for scientific or
> technical subjects are produced in Helvetica because these
> departments are not using Latec or programs other than MS
> Office and Helvetica is acceptable.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Discussion list for disabled students and their support staff.
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of John Conway
> Sent: Thursday, March 10, 2005 2:29 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Fonts Mathematics Examinations
>
> We insist on Arial having finally abandoned Times New Roman.
>
> Dr John S Conway
> Principal Lecturer in Soil Science / Chair, Research
> Committee Disability Officer Royal Agricultural College,
> Cirencester, Glos GL7 6JS
> 01285 652531 ext 2234 fax 01285 650219
> http://www.royagcol.ac.uk/~john_conway/
> email [log in to unmask]
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Discussion list for disabled students and their support staff.
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Rhun ap Harri
> Sent: 10 March 2005 13:42
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Fonts Mathematics Examinations
>
> Dear Dis-forum
>
> I have been asked to advise my institution on the following
> (appearing in another Jiscmail list) :
>
> --------------------------------
> There is a debate at XXXX University XXXX about fonts to be
> used in our exam papers to conform with requirements of the
> Disability Discrimination Act. The university is trying to
> insist that all exams appear in arial font. We are arguing
> that this font is not suitable for maths exams because it
> does not show maths well and also because all the students'
> course materials are in the LaTeX computer modern font. Has
> anyone else had similar problems and what was the outcome?
> ----------------------------------
>
> Comments/advice welcomed.
>
> Rhun
>
> -----------------------------------------------
> Rhun ap Harri
> Swyddog Anabledd PCA/UWA Disability Officer Prifysgol Cymru
> Aberystwyth University of Wales Ystafell G7 Adeilad Cledwyn
> Building Room G7 Penglais Aberystwyth SY23 3DD 01970 628537
> 07971 818 993
> -----------------------------------------------
>
> --
> DISCLAIMER:
>
> NOTICE: The information contained in this email and any
> attachments is confidential and may be privileged. If you
> are not the intended recipient you should not use, disclose,
> distribute or copy any of the content of it or of any
> attachment; you are requested to notify the sender
> immediately of your receipt of the email and then to delete
> it and any attachments from your system.
>
> RNIB endeavours to ensure that emails and any attachments
> generated by its staff are free from viruses or other
> contaminants. However, it cannot accept any responsibility
> for any such which are transmitted. We therefore recommend
> you scan all attachments.
>
> Please note that the statements and views expressed in this
> email and any attachments are those of the author and do not
> necessarily represent those of RNIB.
>
> RNIB Registered Charity Number: 226227
>
> Website: http://www.rnib.org.uk
>
> This email is intended solely for the addressee. It may
> contain private and confidential information. If you are not
> the intended addressee, please take no action based on it nor
> show a copy to anyone. In this case, please reply to this
> email to highlight the error. Opinions and information in
> this email that do not relate to the official business of
> Nottingham Trent University shall be understood as neither
> given nor endorsed by the University.
> Nottingham Trent University has taken steps to ensure that
> this email and any attachments are virus-free, but we do
> advise that the recipient should check that the email and its
> attachments are actually virus free.
> This is in keeping with good computing practice.
>
>
|
