December the 3rd is an important day internationally for people with disability. It is about celebrating achievements and participation and life across all facets and all areas and interests. It is about inclusion, but it is also about just living a life that is the best life and one that you love. We can have all the policy and written documents framing how we should live and what should happen and how we should be supported etc… but, what is really important is the actual lived life.
My exciting news is as part of this day I have released an online e-book that has been written and formatted in Opendyslexic font. Discovery at Paradise Island is a children’s storybook aimed at readers between six and fourteen that would enjoy a mystery that also explores disability in their family. This story’s reprint has been done in OpenDyslexic Font.
The best news about this book is that the e-book version in the dyslexia font is now available in the Google Playstore for you to buy and download. You just need to click the link below. It will soon be available on the Apple Store, and from other online distributors.
Google Playstore Discovery at Paradise Island in dyslexia font
Below is a link to a YouTube video detailing the release of Discovery at Paradise Island e-book with dyslexia font.
This is an open-source font that can be downloaded and used by anybody for any purpose. The typeface includes regular, bold, italic, and bold italic styles. It is being updated continually and improved based on input from people who use the font. It has been designed to make the text heavier on the bottom of each letter in order to try to anchor it onto the page so there is less movement of the letters for the reader. There are no quick fixes for dyslexia, however, there are some solutions that may make it easier for a person to read certain types of font on certain types of paper. I wanted to see whether it made it easier for this book to be read if it was printed in the open dyslexic font and on a cream-based, environmentally friendly, low gloss paper.
Information about the open dyslexia font can be found on the website – http://opendyslexic.org.
It is definitely not the only answer for dyslexia, but again based on individual preference, it may be helpful for many people. Often people with dyslexia will describe letters that float or move around a page with no real anchor. This font adds gravity and weight to the letters and words as it is thicker at the bottom than at the top. Studies have found that text printed in this font often stays more still on the page and works better for them. It is important though that you ask students if it works for them. This is just another one of the solutions in the dyslexia puzzle. Have a look at the website and download this font from this website http://opendyslexic.org.
There are a number of different books that have been printed in OpenDyslexic font. I decided to try doing a print run of my book with this font as it will work for all students; those without dyslexia as well as students who have dyslexia. If it only helps in some small way that is all right.
I became very interested in Dyslexia and the understanding of hidden disabilities in the work I do in schools and professional development with my consultancy Discovering Disability and Diversity.
www.discoveringdisability.com.au
We sometimes need to find a combination of solutions and strategies to help students with dyslexia to be able to access literature. It may even make it a lot better for those students that have dyslexia. I want to at least create a number of different options of this text in a variety of formats to support students with reading difficulties!
I would love it if you would like to buy this book and see whether it works with your students who are either diagnosed with dyslexia or have problems with reading and processing information. For me it has been a little bit of a learning curve and something that really has to be trialed with the individual who has dyslexia. Each individual is different and a solution that works for one person will not necessarily work for all. I do however think it is exciting to create a book that uses the open dyslexic font that is very popular according to many studies around the world and is very popular with people who have dyslexia. I explored this more in my new book, Discovering Dyslexia – experiencing mysteries exploring solutions. If it only helps in some small way at least, I will be happy.
About the story- Sarah thinks because Alexandra’s mum is in a wheelchair their holiday will be boring – how wrong is she!
This book is a new updated version of the original journey of discovery about Alexandra’s family and their exciting and funny holiday adventures. This book will appeal to young readers interested in their environment and disability and family issues.
This book demonstrates a thorough knowledge of disability both from a practical perspective and a theoretical framework. It explores a variety of social justice issues through the eyes of a child. Because this book can be used as a teaching resource across the curriculum and because it has a particular focus on disability it would be an invaluable classroom tool. It has been chosen as part of the NSW school syllabus and also can be linked to ACARA and used to develop Australian themes across many teaching areas. Heaps of inbuilt activities and exercises for children and teachers. It is an exciting mystery story that would appeal to a wide audience and it also includes disability and social justice themes. It is funny and fresh and easy to read. It helps create an understanding of disability in a family. It keeps you intrigued until the end of the book. I thoroughly recommend this book for all ages – but especially 6-14 year olds.
The best news about this book is that the e-book version in the dyslexia font is now available in the Google Playstore for you to buy and download. You just need to click the link below. It will soon be available on the Apple Store, and from other online distributors.
Google Playstore Discovery at Paradise Island in dyslexia font