Many of my friends or people I have met have dyslexia and struggle to read
information on screen, however recent studies have shown overlaying colour
over text or changing both the text colour and it's background colour can
make it significantly easier to read for some individuals.
Software solutions exist for Windows, I've submitted a bug report on
launchpad that has been confirmed by someone else, but nothing has been done
with it since it was placed in the hands of the a11y team, it's something i
feel strongly about and was wondering if I should take a more involved
approach in getting this issue addressed.
Should anyone be interested or want more information I'd be more than happy
to present everything I've come up with so far.
Many thanks
Neil Munro
<br></div><div>Many of my friends or people I have met have dyslexia and st=
ruggle to read information on screen, however recent studies have shown ove=
rlaying colour over text or changing both the text colour and it's back=
ground colour can make it significantly easier to read for some individuals=
.=C2=A0</div>
<div><br></div><div>Software solutions exist for Windows, I've submitte=
d a bug report on launchpad that has been confirmed by someone else, but no=
thing has been done with it since it was placed in the hands of the a11y te=
am, it's something i feel strongly about and was wondering if I should =
take a more involved approach in getting this issue addressed.</div>
<div><br></div><div>Should anyone be interested or want more information I&=
#39;d be more than happy to present everything I've come up with so far=
.</div><div><br></div><div>Many thanks</div><div>Neil Munro</div>
Re: Idea: Dyslexia screen tinter by Matthew Paul Thomas on
2009-11-02T16:43:22+00:00
> background colour can make it significantly easier to read for some
> individuals.
>
> Software solutions exist for Windows, I've submitted a bug report on
> launchpad that has been confirmed by someone else, but nothing has
> been done with it since it was placed in the hands of the a11y team,
> it's something i feel strongly about and was wondering if I should
> take a more involved approach in getting this issue addressed.
>...
You can already change the colors of text fields and other elements in
Ubuntu: "System" > "Preferences" > "Appearance" > "Theme" > "Customize"
> "Colors" > "Input boxes".
Not all programs obey these settings; you could help by reporting bugs
on the individual programs.
You might reasonably argue that this setting should be easier to find,
but the same is unfortunately true for every other accessibility setting
in Ubuntu.
Cheers
-
Re: Idea: Dyslexia screen tinter by Neil Munro on
2009-11-02T18:38:53+00:00
using grease monkey, but it's not a centralised solution and it's not
particularly easy.
What I propose is a centralised dedicated accessibility tool that enables
the user to slide colour values up and down to change both background and
text colour, with an example block of text that changes as they edit the
values. It should also remain consistent between themes, if a new theme is
loaded it should either apply the accessibility elements or if it can't,
print a warning that informs the user that the theme they wish to use can't
support their needs.
They new software store is one such application that might be problematic
and can't be fixed by editing the colour values in the theme manager. It has
a blue background in the main window that does not change from theme to
theme, those with trouble reading black on pastel blue might find using
software store a nightmare. However moving it to black on white might make
it harder for those who can't read black on white.
Many thanks,
Neil Munro
2009/11/2 Matthew Paul Thomas <mpt@canonical.com>
> s for example need to have the background colour to work, and there might b=
e a way using grease monkey, but it's not a centralised solution and it=
's not particularly easy.=C2=A0<div>
<br></div><div>What I propose is a centralised dedicated=C2=A0accessibility=
=C2=A0tool that enables the user to slide colour values up and down to chan=
ge both background and text colour, with an example block of text that chan=
ges as they edit the values. It should also remain consistent between theme=
s, if a new theme is loaded it should either apply the=C2=A0accessibility e=
lements or if it can't, print a warning that informs the user that the =
theme they wish to use can't support their needs.</div>
<div><br></div><div>They new software store is one such application that mi=
ght be problematic and can't be fixed by editing the colour values in t=
he theme manager. It has a blue background in the main window that does not=
change from theme to theme, those with trouble reading black on pastel blu=
e might find using software store a nightmare. However moving it to black o=
n white might make it harder for those who can't read black on white.=
=C2=A0</div>
<div><br></div><div>Many thanks,</div><div>Neil Munro<br><div><br><div clas=
s=3D"gmail-quote">2009/11/2 Matthew Paul Thomas <span dir=3D"ltr"><<a hr=
ef=3D"mailto:mpt@canonical.com">mpt@canonical.com</a>></span><br><blockq=
uote class=3D"gmail-quote" style=3D"margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc =
solid;padding-left:1ex;">
<div class=3D"im">> Many of my friends or people I have met have dyslexi=
a and struggle to<br>
> read information on screen, however recent studies have shown<br>
> overlaying colour over text or changing both the text colour and it=
9;s<br>
> background colour can make it significantly easier to read for some<br=
>
> individuals.<br>
><br>
> Software solutions exist for Windows, I've submitted a bug report =
on<br>
> launchpad that has been confirmed by someone else, but nothing has<br>
> been done with it since it was placed in the hands of the a11y team,<b=
r>
> it's something i feel strongly about and was wondering if I should=
<br>
> take a more involved approach in getting this issue addressed.<br>
</div>>...<br>
<br>
You can already change the colors of text fields and other elements in<br>
Ubuntu: "System" > "Preferences" > "Appearan=
ce" > "Theme" > "Customize"<br>
> "Colors" > "Input boxes".<br>
<br>
Not all programs obey these settings; you could help by reporting bugs<br>
on the individual programs.<br>
<br>
You might reasonably argue that this setting should be easier to find,<br>
but the same is unfortunately true for every other accessibility setting<br=
>
in Ubuntu.<br>
<br>
Cheers<br>
-
Re: Idea: Dyslexia screen tinter by Markus Hitter on
2009-11-02T20:57:06+00:00
Am 02.11.2009 um 20:37 schrieb Neil Munro:
> What I propose is a centralised dedicated accessibility tool that
> enables
> the user to slide colour values up and down to change both
> background and
> text colour, with an example block of text that changes as they
> edit the
> values.
This sounds like a logical extension to xrandr, which can set
resolution, gamma and the like already. I'm not sure wether xorg is
capable of shifting colors already.
Just to chime in these $0.02,
Markus
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Dipl. Ing. Markus Hitter
http://www.jump-ing.de/
Re: Idea: Dyslexia screen tinter by Jonathon Fernyhough on
2009-11-02T21:38:13+00:00
2009/11/2 Markus Hitter <mah@jump-ing.de>:
>
> Am 02.11.2009 um 20:37 schrieb Neil Munro:
>
>> What I propose is a centralised dedicated accessibility tool that
>> enables
>> the user to slide colour values up and down to change both
>> background and
>> text colour, with an example block of text that changes as they
>> edit the
>> values.
>
> This sounds like a logical extension to xrandr, which can set
> resolution, gamma and the like already. I'm not sure wether xorg is
> capable of shifting colors already.
>
> Just to chime in these $0.02,
> Markus
>
> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
> Dipl. Ing. Markus Hitter
> http://www.jump-ing.de/
>
>
>
>
>
> Compiz already has a plugin that meets this functionality, the
aptly-named ADD Helper. It can even be combined with Colour filter
which helps with contrast etc.
Jonathon
Re: Idea: Dyslexia screen tinter by Matthew Paul Thomas on
2009-11-03T12:35:51+00:00
> accessibility elements or if it can't, print a warning that informs
> the user that the theme they wish to use can't support their needs.
A one-stop-shop for accessibility features would be good for multiple
reasons. If you'd like to specify one, I suggest following the feature
specification process. <https://wiki.ubuntu.com/FeatureSpecifications>
Now, at the start of a new release cycle, is the ideal time to do that.
But pay particular attention to step 5, "Gather a community around your
specification", because features don't implement themselves. :-)
One delicate issue with color tinting in particular is that the
science behind it is apparently rather contentious.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scotopic-sensitivity-syndrome> I have no
reason to doubt that it has helped your friends, and we don't require
scientific rigor for introduction of other features in Ubuntu > not change from theme to theme, those with trouble reading black on
> pastel blue might find using software store a nightmare. However
> moving it to black on white might make it harder for those who can't
> read black on white.
>...
The reason I specified a color there is that I wanted to emphasize your
location in the "Get Free Software" section (blue) as opposed to the
"Installed Software" section (white). Maybe there is a more
theme-sensitive way we can do that.
Cheers
-