OpenDyslexic
OpenDyslexic is a free typeface and font intended to mitigate some of the common reading errors caused by dyslexia. The typeface was created by Abbie Gonzalez, who released it through an open-source license.
Like many dyslexia-intervention typefaces, most notably Dyslexie, OpenDyslexic and is intended as a reading aid. It is not a cure for dyslexia. The typeface includes regular, bold, italic, bold-italic, and monospaced font styles. The benefit has been questioned in scientific studies.
In 2012, Gonzalez explained their motivation to the BBC: "I had seen similar fonts, but at the time they were completely unaffordable and so impractical as far as costs go."
Integration
The typeface is an optional choice on many websites and formats, including Wikipedia, Instapaper, Kobo eReader, Amazon Kindle Paperwhite, a few children's books, and at least one imprint of classic literature.There is also a Google Chrome extension available, which was developed by Abbie Gonzalez and Robert James Gabriel. It is also part of the "dyslexia-friendly mode" in Oswald Foundation's web accessibility products.
Scientific studies
Two small studies have investigated the effect of specialized fonts used with students with dyslexia. Rello and Baeza-Yates measured eye-tracking recordings of Spanish readers with dyslexia and found that OpenDyslexic did not significantly improve reading time nor shorten eye fixation. In her master's thesis, Leeuw compared Arial and Dyslexie with 21 Dutch students with dyslexia and found Dyslexie did not lead to faster reading, but may help with some dyslexic-related errors.In its Dyslexia Style Guide, the British Dyslexia Association recommends using sans-serif fonts "such as Arial and Comic Sans", where letters can appear less crowded. As alternatives, it recommends Verdana, Tahoma, Century Gothic, Trebuchet, Calibri, and Open Sans.