How to Design Digital Learning for Dyslexic Learners

In a world of corporate learning, one goal that organisations share is the ability to make knowledge accessible and memorable for every single employee. An estimated 1 in 10 individuals is dyslexic, so you might be wondering how to make accessible learning readily available to all employees. 

Here at Instinct Resourcing, we know that eLearning can be transformed into a powerful and enabling tool for employees of all abilities. And in this blog, we’ll have a look at how to design digital learning for dyslexic learners that’ll boost engagement and make them feel powerful. 

Ready to unlock the full potential of your team? Let’s get into it… 

What is accessible learning?

First of all, it might be beneficial to understand what accessible learning is. Essentially, accessible learning is the process of designing and delivering educational content or training so that all employees can participate fully, regardless of their abilities and disabilities. This can involve making your eLearning platforms more inclusive through features like: 

• Closed captions
• Alt text 
• Keyboard navigation 
• Clear layouts 

What is dyslexia?

Dyslexia has often been associated with poor reading and writing skills and has had a negative connotation for a period of time. In fact, it wasn’t until recently that we became aware of what dyslexia symptoms look like, and there is still some confusion on the term itself, and definitions might vary across countries, cultures, and approaches to it. 

According to the NHS, a person with dyslexia may: 

• Read or write very slowly
• Confuse the order of letters in words
• Be confused by letters that look similar and write letters the wrong way round
• Have poor or inconsistent spelling
• Understands information when told verbally, but has difficulty with information that’s written down 
• Find it hard to carry out a sequence of directions 
• Struggle with planning and organisation 

With this in mind, dyslexic employees may therefore find digital learning hard to fully grasp and find it difficult to carry out the training that is asked of them.

How to design digital learning with dyslexia in mind

Moving towards accessible design doesn’t require a complete overhaul of your L&D budget; it requires intentionality and a commitment to your employees. And, you should think about ways to minimise stress. Here are some ideas to create accessible learning for dyslexic members of staff:

Use text-to-speech technology

Start off with text-to-speech accommodations. Dyslexic employees might need to use special assistive technology to process your training, so ensure that: 

• Font types are accessible 
• There is a clear contrast between the on-screen text and the background
• Type feedback instead of handwriting it
• Allow learners to access training in multiple formats, not only written but also video-based learning or audio formats 
• Allow full text customisation
• Choose a learning management system that can be customised for individual needs

Encourage the use of calendars and note-taking

Dyslexic learners are also more likely to find it difficult to manage their own time and learning, so you’ll want to support them in scheduling as much as possible. They might be easily distracted and find some information irrelevant or confusing. To assist them, try the following: 

• Use a calendar of events and activities, such as Google Calendar, or an in-built feature of your learning platform
• If you’re going for a blended learning approach, make sure live sessions are scheduled well in advance 
• Provide all assessment dates and training deadlines in advance 
• Suggest visual note-taking tools 
• Divide your learning into smaller, digestible chunks so that they can take notes and take breaks when learning 

Inform and support your staff

In order to support employees, you should have clarity about your online offering and make sure you plan it well in terms of the learning path and its flow. Having objectives and milestones within your digital learning courses, as well as: 

• Having a clear navigation of your online courses. Try to use repetitive structures and terminology to make it easier for learners to find what is in your platform
• Teach learners how to use your platform. You could do this by recording a welcome video or creating a handbook that will outline how to navigate your courses 

Ensure you provide access to FAQs so that they have an instant way of finding a solution. We’d also recommend suggesting spelling check tools like Grammarly.

Other considerations

The key for dyslexic learners is keeping things simple, goal-oriented, and easily accessible. You can also bear in mind: 

• Making sure all materials are accessible at all times
• When doing demonstrations, make sure you’re recording them and ensure the recording is accessible to all employees, in an easy place to find
• Ensure all hyperlinks are well described and link to further resources
• In quiz or assessment scenarios, allow extra time to read and process information
• Use visuals where possible to enhance learning experiences and grab attention 
• If giving feedback, use bullet points or numbered lists to improve clarity 
• Avoid using timers or countdowns when not necessary, as this can increase anxiety and impair performance 
• Encourage the use of assistive technology that removes the burden of pure written output and allows the employer to focus on demonstrating their knowledge 

Find out more about AI LMS and how it’s shaping the future of workforces by reading our blog.

Recruit top talent with the help of Instinct Resourcing

Hopefully, this blog has covered crucial ways that you can create accessible learning for dyslexic learners. From using appropriate fonts to prioritising video learning and audio techniques, you’re making the right move by looking after your employees.

Implementing these specialised design changes requires the right expertise. That’s where Instinct Resourcing comes in. We’ll help you find the right eLearning designers and eLearning developers who can transform your training materials. 

Interested in elevating your digital learning strategy? Then get in touch with us today.  

 

 

Accessible learning FAQs:

 

What is the most important design element to consider? 

One of the main things to consider is reducing cognitive load. This is easily achievable by using white space, breaking up long blocks of text into short paragraphs or bullet points, and maintaining a consistent layout throughout your LMS. 

Which fonts are best for dyslexic people? 

Sans-serif fonts are usually recommended because the letters look less cluttered and easier to distinguish. Some great choices include Arial, Verdana, or Calibri. Try to avoid highly stylised or capitalised texts. 

Are images and videos beneficial? 

Images and video are highly beneficial as they provide alternative, non-text-based ways to convey information. They’re also great at providing practical examples. You should also consider adding captions and audio description options.