Designing a variable typeface for dyslexia-friendly reading

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

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.

• Jezik: Angleški jezik
• Ključne besede: dyslexia, reading, type design, variable typeface
• Vrsta gradiva: Članek v reviji
• Tipologija: 1.01 - Izvirni znanstveni članek
• Organizacija: NTF - Naravoslovnotehniška fakulteta
• Status publikacije: Objavljeno
• Različica publikacije: Objavljena publikacija
• Leto izida: 2026
• Št. strani: Str. 39-51
• Številčenje: Vol. 34, no. 2
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-184322
• UDK: 655.1
• ISSN pri članku: 0353-4707
• DOI: 10.25027/ag.34.2.1
• COBISS.SI-ID: 283621379
• Datum objave v RUL: 06.07.2026

Gradivo je del revije

• Naslov: Acta graphica : revija za grafičku tehnologiju, inžinjerstvo i dizajn
• Skrajšan naslov: Acta graph.
• Založnik: Viša grafička škola Sveučilišta u Zagrebu
• ISSN: 0353-4707
• COBISS.SI-ID: 21552898

Licence

• Licenca: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Priznanje avtorstva 4.0 Mednarodna
• Povezava: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.sl
• Opis: To je standardna licenca Creative Commons, ki daje uporabnikom največ možnosti za nadaljnjo uporabo dela, pri čemer morajo navesti avtorja.

Sekundarni jezik

• Jezik: Slovenski jezik
• Ključne besede: disleksija, branje, oblikovanje pisav, variabilna pisava

Projekti

• Financer: ARIS - Javna agencija za znanstvenoraziskovalno in inovacijsko dejavnost Republike Slovenije
• Številka projekta: P2-0450-2024
• Naslov: Inovativna grafična tehnologija