[OPLIN 4cast] OPLIN 4cast #353: The way we read

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OPLIN 4Cast

OPLIN 4cast #353: The way we read
September 25th, 2013

dyslexia brainSeveral articles appeared last week about a study 
suggesting that e-readers are better for people with dyslexia than 
paper-printed texts. Actually, this study was just the latest research 
publication by Matthew Schneps, Director of the Laboratory for Visual 
Learning at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, and a team of 
researchers studying the mechanics of reading. The word "e-reader" in 
the title of the latest publication grabbed the attention of the mass 
media, but e-readers really just happen to be one of several tools these 
researchers and others have used to discover some interesting things 
about the way people read. For some people with dyslexia, using an 
e-reader to shorten line lengths has proven to improve the way they read.

  * E-readers prove easy on the eye for some dyslexics
    <http://arstechnica.com/science/2013/09/e-readers-prove-easy-on-the-eye-for-some-dyslexics/>
    (Ars Technica/Julia Carroll) "Reading involves a series of short eye
    'jumps' or saccades, followed by a brief period of stillness while
    the brain processes the letters in front of the eyes. The 'visual
    span' is the number of letters that can be processed during the
    period of stillness, before moving one's eyes again. Problems in the
    text, such as typos or unknown words, prompt an almost immediate
    response, with eyes tracking backwards and forwards to check the
    surrounding context to help resolve the issue."
  * Shorter lines facilitate reading in those who struggle
    <http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0071161> (PLOS ONE/Matthew
    H. Schneps, Jenny M. Thomson, Gerhard Sonnert, Marc Pomplun, Chen
    Chen, and Amanda Heffner-Wong) "Given that readers often regress to
    correct for lapses in understanding, and thus clarify meaning, we
    would expect comprehension to suffer if a text manipulation caused
    regression rates to drop. The fact that this does not occur further
    suggests that shortened linewidths act to limit confusion at the
    sight of the fixated word. Based on the forgoing, we suggest that a
    possible explanation, consistent with the observations in this
    study, is that short lines act to improve comprehension at the
    fixation site by reducing the likelihood that a previously fixated
    word can be found immediately adjacent to the fixation site."
  * E-readers benefit some dyslexics
    <http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/266346.php> (Medical News
    Today/Marie Ellis) "They note that many cases of dyslexia involve an
    element known as a visual attention deficit, which is an inability
    to concentrate on specific letters or words within lines of text.
    Another feature of dyslexia is visual crowding, which is the
    inability to recognize letters when they are scattered within the
    word. By reading short lines on an e-reader, the researchers say
    dyslexics are able to resolve the issues by 'reducing visual
    distractions within the text.'"
  * E-readers are more effective than paper for some with dyslexia
    <http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0075634> (PLOS ONE/Matthew
    H. Schneps, Jenny M. Thomson, Chen Chen, Gerhard Sonnert, and Marc
    Pomplun) "Prior eye tracking studies demonstrated that short lines
    facilitate reading in dyslexia, suggesting that it is the use of
    short lines (and not the device per se) that leads to the observed
    benefits. We propose that these findings may be understood as a
    consequence of visual attention deficits, in some with dyslexia,
    that make it difficult to allocate attention to uncrowded text near
    fixation, as the gaze advances during reading. Short lines
    ameliorate this by guiding attention to the uncrowded span."

*/Historical fact:/*

The researchers point out that paper-printed texts "...historically 
imposed constraints on reading, whose impetus was driven largely by 
technological limitations that are no longer relevant." Electronic 
devices can provide the ability to tailor the way text is formatted to 
suit the individual needs of the reader.
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