Dyslexia Friendly Reader - Free Online Utility Tool

Quick Answer

The Dyslexia Friendly Reader is a simple web utility that transforms standard text into an accessible format using dyslexia-friendly fonts, increased spacing, tinted backgrounds, and text-to-speech with highlighting to reduce visual crowding and boost reading fluency.[1][2][3] It helps the 10-20% of people worldwide affected by dyslexia— including 1 in 5 U.S. children—read more confidently for school, work, or daily use.[3] Users see gains like 0.52 syllables per second in fluency with fonts like EasyReading™.[2]

Why You Need This

Dyslexia creates challenges like letter confusion, visual crowding, and decoding issues, affecting reading fluency for 10-20% globally and making it the top learning disability.[3] Standard text overwhelms with cognitive load, but tools like the Dyslexia Friendly Reader apply specialized formatting—wider spacing, sans-serif fonts (e.g., OpenDyslexic, Lexend), and tinted overlays—to ease these.[2][3][5]

Key stats highlight the impact: Dyslexic kids using EasyReading™ font gained 0.52 syllables/second on excerpts (beating the yearly norm of 0.30) and 0.16 on non-words (vs. 0.14 annual).[2] Tools with text-to-speech and highlighting build independence, especially for school kids, students with SEND, and adults facing print disabilities.[1][4] Even non-dyslexics benefit from reduced visual stress.[2][6]

How It Works

Paste any text into the Dyslexia Friendly Reader for instant tweaks: switch to dyslexia fonts like Andika or Lexend with heavier bottoms and clear shapes to prevent 'b/d' mix-ups.[3][5] It adds increased letter/line spacing, customizable font sizes, tinted backgrounds to cut glare, and multisensory TTS that highlights words as it reads aloud.[1][2][6] No training needed—results are immediate and clinically significant over standard fonts like Times New Roman.[2]

Tips for Best Results

• Start with 15-minute daily sessions in a quiet spot to build habits and track fluency gains via speed metrics.[1][2]
• Customize: Test tints, contrast, and fonts (e.g., Comic Sans for simplicity) to match your needs.[5][6]
• Pair with multisensory use—follow highlighting while listening to reinforce word recognition.[3][4]
• Integrate into routines: Discuss read content for comprehension, then practice independently to grow confidence.[1][5] Monitor progress and adjust for sustained accuracy and enjoyment.[2]

Sources

• readabilitytutor.com
• pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
• orcam.com
• blog.yourdolphin.com
• dyslexia.yale.edu