Designing a variable typeface for dyslexia-friendly reading

Stevanovski, Ana (author), Medved, Tanja (author), Možina, Klementina (author)

This paper presents the study, design and testing of Dixi, a variable typeface family developed to support readers with dyslexia. Dyslexia affects reading and writing processes, and can impact broader communication abilities, making the improvement of reading accessibility essential. The study analyses cognitive reading processes, symptoms of dyslexia and existing dyslexia-friendly typographic guidelines. A review of related studies indicates that while certain design features may enhance legibility, findings regarding specialised dyslexia typefaces remain inconsistent due to individual differences among readers. Based on these insights and user-centred considerations, the Dixi typeface family was developed and empirically tested. The results suggest that not all characteristics of existing dyslexia-friendly typefaces necessarily improve reading performance. Instead, highly legible sans-serif characteristics in character shape tend to yield stronger results. The variable nature of Dixi, allowing adjustment between simpler and more complex letterforms, enables individual adaptation to reader needs, representing its primary contribution.

• Language: English
• Keywords: dyslexia, reading, type design, variable typeface
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: NTF - Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2026
• Number of pages: Str. 39-51
• Numbering: Vol. 34, no. 2
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-184322
• UDC: 655.1
• ISSN on article: 0353-4707
• DOI: 10.25027/ag.34.2.1
• COBISS.SI-ID: 283621379
• Publication date in RUL: 06.07.2026

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Acta graphica : revija za grafičku tehnologiju, inžinjerstvo i dizajn
• Shortened title: Acta graph.
• Publisher: Viša grafička škola Sveučilišta u Zagrebu
• ISSN: 0353-4707
• COBISS.SI-ID: 21552898

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: disleksija, branje, oblikovanje pisav, variabilna pisava

Projects

• Funder: ARIS - Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
• Project number: P2-0450-2024
• Name: Inovativna grafična tehnologija