Adults & Dyslexia – Help, Support & Advice

A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Accessible Emails for People with Dyslexia

by Hannah Walters

Emails that are designed and created with accessibility in mind can make a huge difference for those with dyslexia.

Accessible emails are much easier to read and comprehend, as they provide features such as:

• Larger font sizes
• Higher contrast colour schemes
• Subtitles and captions on audio or video content
• Descriptive alt-texts for images
• Text-to-speech software to interpret the message.

By creating accessible emails, we can ensure that everyone is able to access the same information through email communication, regardless of any disabilities or impairments.

What are accessible emails?

Accessible emails are emails that are designed and formatted in such a way that they can be accessed and understood by people with disabilities. This typically includes:

• Using large, easy-to-read fonts and avoiding words or phrases that could be difficult to understand.
• Alternative text (alt-text) descriptions for any images or videos
• Descriptive email links – using screen readers will give a better understanding of the website being linked.

Accessible emails for dyslexia

Emails can be tricky for people with dyslexia since emails often contain a lot of written information. People who have dyslexia may find it difficult to read the text in emails, as words and sentences appear scrambled or confusing. Additionally, emails may contain images that cannot be properly interpreted without an accompanying text description or alternative text (alt-text). As a result, emails can be hard to understand and process for those with dyslexia. Screen readers can help people with dyslexia by providing an audio format of the text that breaks emails into smaller, more manageable chunks. This helps by making the information easier to process and understand.

A step-by-step guide to creating accessible emails for those with dyslexia

Email is a vital communication tool in the modern world and creating accessible emails for those with dyslexia can be a challenge.

Here are some essentials for creating accessible emails:

1. Choosing dyslexia-friendly fonts – Sans serif fonts tend to be dyslexia-friendly, and many dyslexic readers prefer them over serif fonts. Try using fonts like Arial or Verdana or dyslexia-specific fonts like Dyslexie or OpenDyslexic.
2. Avoid Italics and Bold text – These can make dyslexic readers’ reading experience more difficult.
3.  Use 1.5 spacing – Emails should be formatted with 1.5 spacing to make them more accessible for dyslexic readers. This allows the text to be read more easily, helping those with dyslexia to comprehend the written content better.
4. Avoid using large amounts of text – Dyslexic readers may benefit from a less-text-heavy email. You can get your message across using visuals like graphics and images to supplement text or provide information as an alternative.
5. Dyslexia-friendly tech solutions – Third, consider dyslexia-friendly tech solutions like dyslexia readers. Dyslexia screen readers are programs that use text-to-speech technology to read an email aloud for dyslexic readers.
6. Font colours – Use font colours that are easy to distinguish. Stick to dark text on a light background or vice versa for the best results. Avoid using multiple colours which may make it harder to read.
7. Always test emails – Where possible have dyslexic users review your emails for readability and make any necessary changes before sending them.

Key Takeaways

Screen readers can help people with dyslexia by providing an audio format of the text that breaks emails into smaller, more manageable chunks.

The use of alternative text (alt-text) descriptions for any images or media files can help those with visual impairments understand the content of an email.
Accessible emails should include easy-to-read fonts, descriptive links, and alt-text for all images and videos used.

Accessible emails benefit everyone by making sure that everyone has access to the same information.

Resource List

In the workplace – British Dyslexia Association (bdadyslexia.org.uk)

https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/media/livacuk/computingservices/accessibility/Making_Content_Accessible.pdf

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/dyslexia/

https://www.wired.com/story/the-best-assistive-technology-dyslexia/

By Hannah Walters
29th January 2023