City Research Online

Abstract

Encouraging the use of multiple senses to teach dyslexic children has become common practice in schools and computer-based tests that follow a multi-sensory approach to dyslexia screening have emerged over the past decade.

At the present time, there are no statistically valid computer-based tests designed to provide a tentative conclusion on whether a participant may have dyslexia or not without the participant undertaking a full battery of tests. In addition, no computer-based tests have yet been designed specifically for deployment on the World Wide Web. Therefore, this excludes a large base of people who believe that they might have dyslexia but do not know where to turn, or those who would wish for an indication of whether they may have dyslexia or not before undergoing timely and costly professional assessment procedures.

A multi-sensory web-based test was designed with permission from the British Dyslexia Association, based on their paper-based ‘Adult Dyslexia Checklist’ designed by Dr. Michael Vinegrad in 1994. This was achieved with ongoing user involvement from both dyslexic and nondyslexic groups. Emphasis was not only placed on statistical validity, but also ensuring that the test is usable, practical to access, even by those with slower Internet connections and accessible to those with multiple disabilities.

The web-based and paper-based tests were administered to both dyslexic and non-dyslexic individuals. Sufficient statistical evidence was found to suggest that the web-based test is as effective as the paper-based test at discriminating between dyslexic and non-dyslexic groups. The web-based test provided a significant improvement in ease-of understanding over the paper-based test and the multi-sensory approach provided by pictures and sound was found to be ‘very useful’ in helping participants to understand the meanings of the test questions presented to them. The webbased test was found to be easy-to-use and accessible to all, in line with the W3 consortium’s accessibility guidelines.

Publication Type:	Thesis (Diploma)
Subjects:	Q Science > QA Mathematics > QA75 Electronic computers. Computer science
Departments:	School of Science & Technology > Computer Science > Human Computer Interaction Design

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