
Consider using bullet points and numbering rather than continuous prose.Pictograms and graphics can help to locate and support Flow charts are ideal for explaining procedures. Write in simple clear language using every day words.Be concise avoid using long, dense paragraphs.Break up the text with regular section headings in long documents and include a table of contents.Use white space to remove clutter near text and group related content.

Write short simple sentences: 60 to 70 characters is optimal.Avoid multiple columns (as used in newspapers).This makes it easier to find the start and finish of each line and ensures even spacing between words. Left align text, without justification.Paper should be thick enough to prevent the other side showing through. When printing, use matt paper rather than gloss.Some dyslexic people will have their own colour preference. Consider alternatives to white backgrounds for paper, computer and visual aids such as whiteboards.Avoid green and red/pink, as these colours are difficult for those who have colour vision deficiencies (colour blindness).Use dark coloured text on a light (not white) background.Use sufficient contrast levels between background and text.Avoid background patterns or pictures and distracting surrounds. Ensure hyperlinks look different from headings and normal text.Add extra space around headings and between paragraphs.In Word, you’ll find these tools in the ‘Layout’ tab: Use formatting tools for text alignment, justification, indents, lists, line and paragraph spacing to support assistive technology users.If further emphasis is required, then use bold. For headings, use a font size that is at least 20% larger than the normal text.In Word, you’ll find these tools in the ‘Home’ tab: Use headings and styles to create consistent structure to help people navigate through your content. Avoid using all capital letters and uppercase letters for continuous text.Avoid underlining and italics as this can make the text appear to run together and cause crowding.It should be proportional to inter-word spacing 1.5/150% is preferable. Some dyslexic people fine that larger line spacing improves readability.

