@article {3214,
	title = {Is visual content in textual search interfaces beneficial to dyslexic users ?},
	journal = {Journal of Human Computer Studies},
	volume = {92-93},
	year = {2016},
	note = {<p>This study investigated whether including visual elements such as icons to textual interfaces will help dyslexics more efficiently locate and decode information, thus improving the interface\&$\#$39;s accessibility to people with dyslexia. Among the four conditions, dyslexics took significantly longer time to locate targets than controls in conditions that incorporated text. However, there is no significant difference between dyslexics and controls in the icon-only condition. In addition, dyslexics also spent more time on dual-modality tasks and the list layout.</p>
},
	pages = {17-29},
	publisher = {Elsevier},
	abstract = {<p>Dyslexia is a learning disability characterised by problems with accurate or fluent word recognition, poor decoding, and poor spelling abilities. Although several studies have addressed dyslexia and Web accessibility, less is known about how dyslexia affects information search. This study investigated whether the inclusion of icons in search user interfaces enhances performance among dyslexics. A total of 21 dyslexics and 21 controls completed 52 search tasks in 4 conditions: icons only, words only, and both icons and words in a grid layout and a list layout, while eye movements were recorded. Dyslexics took significantly longer than controls to locate targets in tasks containing text, but not in the icon-only condition. Dyslexics had longer fixation durations than controls in both icon and text based search arrays, suggesting higher mental load associated with search tasks generally. The addition of words to icon arrays led to faster search times within controls, but not dyslexics. Dyslexics also exhibited more fixations on dual-modality tasks, and longer scanpaths than controls in list layout. Both groups were fastest searching the list layout, with icons and words listed in columns. Results are discussed in terms of the design of accessible search interfaces for dyslexic users, taking into account mental load of dual-modality information display, and the arrangement of search items. Empirical data is provided for the design of accessible search results interfaces for dyslexics.</p>
},
	keywords = {dyslexia, Interface design, library, Search user interfaces, universal design, usability, Visual search},
	doi = {10.1016/j.ijhcs.2016.04.006},
	url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhcs.2016.04.006},
	author = {Gerd Berget and Fiona Mulvey and Frode Eika Sandnes}
}
