Dyslexia was developed by Dutch graphic artist Christian Boer, who is dyslexic himself. Boer explains that the shape of the letters makes it easier for dyslexic individuals to correctly identify and read print.
Susan Barton, developer of the Barton Reading & Spelling System, reports that a team of researchers in Spain conducted a study to determine which fonts were preferred by dyslexic individuals. Open Dyslexia was included in the study, along with other more common fonts. Barton summarizes the findings:
"Use of the OpenDyslexie font did NOT enhance text readability or reading speed. The study participants strongly preferred Verdana or Helvetica over the OpenDyslexie alternative. Based on their findings, the researchers recommended Helvetica, Courier, Arial, Verdana and Computer Modern, based both on reading performance and subjective preference; and cautioned against the use of italic texts.
Click here for a link to the research study: Good Fonts for Dyslexia