New Font Could Help Dyslexic Readers

It might not be pretty, but a Dutch graphic designer believes that a new font he's developed can help people with dyslexia read more easily.

Graphic designer Christian Boer developed the typeface, called Dyslexie, back in 2008. And while it isn't the first font created specifically to help dyslectics, it may be the first backed up by some scientific evidence that suggests it works.

A recent study by researchers at the University of Twente in the Netherlands found the font helped to decrease the number of errors dyslectics made when reading.

Millions of people worldwide are affected by dyslexia, a language-based learning disability that causes problems in reading, spelling, writing and even pronouncing words.

There is no consensus on how many people have the condition, but estimates range from 10 to 20 per cent of the population.

Many people mistakenly believe that those with dyslexia read words backwards. In fact, what they are more likely to do is mix up and switch letters, especially ones that look similar.

For the average dyslectic, many of the letters in the Latin-based alphabet look frustratingly alike. At least eight letters, for example, are based on the letter "o" with various "tails." The letters "b," "d," "p," "q," "g," "a," and even "c" and "e" can be easily mixed up by someone with this learning disability.

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