Abstract
Reading text is central to acquiring information, learning, and entertainment. The widespread use of digital devices has transformed text display, impacting readability and reading attention. My research investigates whether digital reading has altered engagement with texts and explores enhancing reading attention and comprehension in digital environments through an alternative reading method. This method leverages typography and design research to take advantage of the customizability and interactivity of digital texts, which differ from traditional formats. My work specifically emphasizes improving online text accessibility for individuals with ADHD, as sustaining attention poses significant challenges for them. The research is increasingly relevant due to the recognition of ADHD as a disability and the commitment to ensuring accessibility under regulations like the ADA and the EU’s disability rights framework. Collaborating with the READSEARCH group, I conducted a study to evaluate this new interactive reading method’s effects on comprehension and attention. The empirical study measures reading speed, comprehension, and motivation using a self-developed platform to collect measurable data providing insights into the impact of these reading methods. Additionally, I am developing a tool called Focus Ex, a browser extension designed to personalize and enhance online reading. This tool, available on the Chrome Web Store, allows users to highlight and interact with online texts, aiming to foster a better focus and personalization of content. My presentation covers how the research emerged from typographical and design practice, its benefits for individuals with attention difficulties, and our empirical approach to evaluating these methods.
Presenters
Szabolcs VatányStudent, Doctor of Liberal Arts, Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design, Budapest, Hungary
Details
Presentation Type
Theme
KEYWORDS
Readability, Attention, Digital Texts, Reading Tool, ADHD, Practice-Based, Design Research
