Dyslexic design: designing instructional materials for dyslexia in the workplace

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate how to develop workplace training materials to meet the needs of adults with dyslexia. The study attempted to connect the fields of instructional design and adult dyslexia to find a method for creating workplace training materials that are accessible to adults with dyslexia. Document analysis was used to assess instructional design standards in workplace training. Following the document analysis, the design-based research portion of the study resulted in the creation of a new instructional design standards document that incorporated best practices of dyslexia support, and an eLearning course built in adherence to the new standards document. The eLearning course was tested with dyslexic participants, which included a survey and interview. The study found that gaps exist between the fields of instructional design and adult dyslexia, but that incorporating strategies to support dyslexia into workplace training standards has the potential to make workplace training more accessible.