[WEB4LIB] Fonts and zoom utilities (Re: Re: Web/ADA/uh oh...)

[P.A. Gantt]

Yep. We are talking the same thing here David.
Sans serif means without those silly serifs which are
the goofy hooks and lines on each letter
that cause folks with dyslexia symptoms
to see the letters as confusing spinning whirly gigs.
Sans means without.

Arial is part of the Arial/Helvetica fonting of sans serifs
that *should* be used rather than say a "classic" serifs
such as Times New Roman (left over from another age
of typewriter typography).

> >symptomology. Use sans serif fonting as large
>
> Showing me ignorance but why would sans serif be easier to read than say
> Arial?  I find Arial to be crisp and clean, and easier to read than Times,
> though the spacing betwix words is not as good as Times.  Anywho, I'm
> curious as to the theory behind typography, as to what is most readable and
> which is least.

Ah, have a friend that did a ground-breaking study on just the above.
(Carnegie Mellon, Tim Ryan)

SANS serif is more readable significantly online... so we are saying the
same thing here my friend. It was not proven *significantly* that
serif is any less readable on hardcopy (print) and certainly would
make a fine followup study for someone's thesis or dissertation.

I am saying (not proved yet) through my MS hours in Reading,
24 years of experience working with dyslexic/dyscalculia syms...
notice I never label anyone as dyslexic...

I hate labels and refuse to label anyone as such. They merely have
challenges with dyslexia symptomology. Like calling someone a wheelchair
"bound" person which again stinks... my own mother before she
died used a chair for mobility but she was not "bound" by it...
</off podium, sorry>

...that *sans serif should be used on hardcopy/print* and *please*
finally people dispense with the typewriter fonts like Roman,
Times New Roman, and New Times Roman. You will serve
your patrons and students in a kinder manner.

> And many of them are free, I'm evaluating several to see which ones to put
> on our workstations:
>
> http://www.trace.wisc.edu/world/computer_access/win95/win95sha.html

Yes, *VERY* good! I have several Zooms and challenge utilities on
my other computer marked. Worth it to utilize and extremely caring
and thoughtful. I teach folks with challenges and have dyscalculia
symptoms myself. BTW students with dyslexia symps. are generally
in the talented, gifted, and genius level which is
*more* than the average IQ. Universities and other tertiary eds.
are full of them.

Quite often your best students. We are everywhere!
I am teaching one with full diagnosed dyslexic symptoms at this moment
in an Introductory CST class for engineering transfer. Have more
than a few with partial reading/spelling/perceptual problems to overcome.
And, They do! They are the best students I have ever taught.

--
P.A. Gantt, Computer Science Technology Instructor
http://user.icx.net/~pgantt/etech/
Electronic Media Design and Support Homepage
http://user.icx.net/~pgantt/
<mailto:pagantt at technologist.com>
To leave me a message or learn more:
http://www.InsideTheWeb.com/mbs.cgi/mb222487