A new web-based simulation trending online shows what it's like to have dyslexia, or at least one form of it. Created by developer Victor Widell based on a friend's description of the disorder, the approximation uses JavaScript to generate an effect in which letters jump around, forcing you to focus on each word to make sense of the text.
Here's what the simulation looks like in GIF form (click here for the full version):
In case you had difficulty reading through the passage, this is what it says:
Widell's program flips letters within words, while leaving the first and last letters stable. This being said, this approximation isn't perfect, as dyslexia occurs on a spectrum from mild to severe, and not everyone diagnosed with the disorder experiences it the same way. Some commenters on Windell's blog said his simulation mirrored their experience, while others said theirs was different or in some cases even more difficult.
One person with dyslexia commented that leaving the first and last letters of words stable made it still too easy to read, adding, "Being dyslexic is hard. Really hard."
Seeing nonexistent movement within words and letters rotated is common among most people with the condition though, and the simulation serves as a solid introduction to the concept of dyslexia. It definitely makes things much harder and arduous to read–a universal characteristic of the disorder–and has already drawn widespread sympathy from people not affected by it.
"After seeing that simulation and realizing just how hard it is to read as a dyslexic, I've got to say that passing your GED on the third try is pretty impressive," one reader responded in a thread. "I'm sorry you had such a hard time."
Dyslexia is the most common learning disability in the country, with 1 in 5 people affected by the condition, according to research from the National Institutes of Health and Yale University. Despite having average to superior intelligence, individuals with dyslexia use about five times more energy to complete mental tasks and can become quickly fatigued by reading and other tasks.
Widell has made the source code for his simulation available, so you can implement it yourself if you want to see how the effect applies on other websites or apps, and he hopes to encourage website creators to help accommodate visitors who find reading challenging.
Reach staff reporter Selena Seay-Reynolds here.
Annenberg Media