Equality Challenge, dyslexia and sans serif

KP Mawhood

Does anyone understand the ECU's specific interpretation of SENDA to advise sans-serif font usage (see below)?

Following from Special Education Needs and Disabilities Act (SENDA, 2001), the Equality Challenge Unit has provided practical guidance for academic staff to use sans-serif fonts. Certain academic establishments have now enacted policies that embargo serif font use in examination papers. This feeds through to academic publishers of core text-books, that use both serif and sans-serif fonts. Thanks in advance.

Thomas Phinney

I read “preferably” sans serif in that text from the ECU: “preparation of handouts in a standardised, accessible typeface (a minimum of 12 pt, preferably 14 pt, sans serif font), on coloured paper to enhance contrast”

As for why they recommend sans serif, it is certainly true that for some visual impairments, a low contrast humanist sans will perform better than most alternatives, and there is hardly anyone for whom it would perform worse.

The most interesting part is this: “on coloured paper to enhance contrast.” That implies the opposite of reality. Black on white (or white on black) maximizes contrast.

There seems to be some popular wisdom that less-than-maximal contrast is desirable, but the actual research suggests otherwise. It varies by type of impairment, but in general, overall, higher contrast enhances legibility rather than detracts from it, as long as the overall brightness of the reading condition does not exceed about 3x the brightness of the surrounding environment. This is true for the general public on average, and is true for many (but not all) people with visual impairments.

KP Mawhood

Thanks Thomas. I appreciate the input. 

You sing the praises of low contrast in one paragraph, and exemplify high contrast in another. My understanding was that the evidence is inconclusive? Or is the difference by types of impairment?

The query is based on an email we received from a Lecturer. His university has embargoed the use of serif in examination papers and resource material, including his use of TNR and Courier for equations and econometrics. Arial is specified as the University's permitted sans-serif, Verdana is ok as a "compromise". 

Jacques Le Bailly

 

kupfers

Thomas means low-stroke-contrast typefaces can be advisable, but not low-contrast color of text and background.

KP Mawhood

Thanks for the clarification.  Is there some reference material with evidence towards low contrast humanist sans, or similar? e.g. specific studies / literature review.

Do you think this is worth informing the design of text-book specification? If so, I'll make some notes as guidance for our cross-divisional groups.

kupfers

The “thread to embargo” all serif typefaces in public documents and other applications by an advocacy group was what kicked-off the reworking of DIN 1450 in Germany where I was in the committee for several years. Maybe you want to look into that norm. It is suggesting sans-serif type for some applications, like signage and very small sizes, but other than that, we couldn’t find enough evidence to ban serifs from text documents. On the contrary actually. The research/calculations done by Erik van Blokland support the idea that, simply put, the more “letterform” is there, the less gets blurred out, so serif typefaces with the right (open) letterforms can actually help, beyond the usual arguments of aiding formation of lines and helping to differentiate characters. See his writing and or this presentation at Kerning Conference for instance. Or http://typedrawers.com/discussion/405/optics-font-tech-and-responsiveness

Thomas Phinney

Indra Kupferschmid said:

Thomas means low-stroke-contrast typefaces can be advisable, but not low-contrast color of text and background.

Oops! Yes, that is exactly what I meant. My apologies for using the same word with two unrelated meanings, in a single paragraph. I couldn't have been more confusing if I had been trying.

Nick Shinn

It should also be noted that large-print books are set in serifed type. 
This is empirical evidence, of a kind (market forces), that those with reading difficulties prefer it that way.

Russell McGorman

Preference is an odd metric. Do they prefer it  that way 'cause that's what they are used to or because it's actually in some way better?  

joeclark

And large-print “typography” is an abomination.

Nick Shinn

I haven’t really studied the subject. I looked through the large-print racks in Norwich (Norfolk) public library in 2005, and noted that they were all set in serifed typefaces, so assumed that was the norm, arrived at through market forces.

Russell McGorman

How market forces work for people who experience difficulties.



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