2 MIN READ
Blog Post
NancyWoinoski
Super Hero
Hello, I have done a few courses for an organization that provides an online literacy program for Deaf and hard of hearing adults. Some of the key design points for this audience are as follows:
• Choose fonts that are easy to read - minimum 14pt
• Use clear san-serif or serif fonts designed for the web (i.e.: Cambria, Verdana, Georgia, etc.)
• No script or highly stylized fonts
• Avoid italics, UPPERCASE, and underlined text
• Use bullet symbols for lists
• Develop consistent text style for:
o headings
o body
o buttons
o directions
• Consider readability (colour, contrast, colour-blindness, deaf-blind)
• Leave plenty of white space
• Left justify body text
Accessible Language:
• English is a foreign language to many Deaf learners
• Consider your audience (adult deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind literacy learners; approximate literacy levels in English and ASL)
• Write to the audience’s reading level (typically below grade 4)
• Use simplest, clearest language for that level (able to understand the first time they read it)
• Use correct grammar and spelling
• Be mindful of idioms, slang, metaphors, etc.; they do not translate well
This demo is a short example from one of the courses I developed for them.
https://360.articulate.com/review/content/a5cc7580-93fa-49fa-b3d9-f63f0cf5bbb5/review
• Choose fonts that are easy to read - minimum 14pt
• Use clear san-serif or serif fonts designed for the web (i.e.: Cambria, Verdana, Georgia, etc.)
• No script or highly stylized fonts
• Avoid italics, UPPERCASE, and underlined text
• Use bullet symbols for lists
• Develop consistent text style for:
o headings
o body
o buttons
o directions
• Consider readability (colour, contrast, colour-blindness, deaf-blind)
• Leave plenty of white space
• Left justify body text
Accessible Language:
• English is a foreign language to many Deaf learners
• Consider your audience (adult deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind literacy learners; approximate literacy levels in English and ASL)
• Write to the audience’s reading level (typically below grade 4)
• Use simplest, clearest language for that level (able to understand the first time they read it)
• Use correct grammar and spelling
• Be mindful of idioms, slang, metaphors, etc.; they do not translate well
This demo is a short example from one of the courses I developed for them.
https://360.articulate.com/review/content/a5cc7580-93fa-49fa-b3d9-f63f0cf5bbb5/review
Ron_Katz
4 years agoCommunity Member
Nicely done. I like the addition of ASL. Just a question, is it common for people who read sign language not to be able to read text? Just curious.
- NancyWoinoski4 years agoSuper HeroSome Deaf people opt only to learn ALS. The ones that do learn both, have a harder time learning English. The explanation has always been that this is because they never learned to connect letters with sounds. ASL and English are independent languages so learning English is like learning a foreign language.
Studies of ASL signers show that, on average, deaf high school seniors are likely to read at the level of a nine-year-old.
Of course, there are plenty of acceptions to the rule.- JodiSansone4 years agoCommunity MemberThank you for sharing that. Great question, Ron.