For people who don't suffer from a learning disability, it can hard to understand the challenges faced by those who do have them. This is certainly the case when it comes to dyslexia, a reading disorder that impairs a person's ability to read, despite their having normal intelligence.
Now a web developer created a website that simulates a friend's description of dyslexia, in order to help others understand what the reading experience is like for someone who has it. "A friend who has dyslexia described to me how she experiences reading," the developer explained in the site's intro. "She can read, but it takes a lot of concentration, and the letters seem to 'jump around.'"
And that's exactly what the website does. The letters of words randomly jump around in a disconcerting way. It takes more time to process and figure out each word.
Commenters with dyslexia pointed out that the simulation isn't the only way a dyslexic person experiences the disorder. "Not totally accurate in my opinion... my dyslexia is more "vertical" — words and letters swap into preceding and following lines," shared one commenter. He did, however, appreciate the website, adding, "But it's a good way to give non-dyslexic readers an idea of what dyslexic readers go through."
Even though the website might not be the perfect simulation of what a dyslexic person experiences, you should still check it out.The difficulty you'll have reading through the seemingly simple six paragraphs of text will definitely give you a new appreciation for what people who struggle with the disorder go through.