Coloured acetate sheets can be used to assist people with learning and reading difficulties to read documents more easily.
Workplace solutions and adjustments:
Some individuals may find placing coloured acetate sheets over text reduces eye strain, fatigue, and reading errors, and can often increase their reading endurance and comprehension. The colour of the acetate sheet required will depend on the individual and is determined by their specialist or often by the individual themselves depending on how effective they find a specific colour.
Pocket sized colour overlays with a ruler guide can provide assistance with reading the text as well as following the line of text. These can prove especially useful for work roles where the individual is required to read documents away from the work place such as electricians required to read meters.
Often individuals with reading difficulties such as dyslexia are able to increase their reading abilities through the use of these coloured acetates and/or printing on coloured paper (The Dyslexia Diagnostic and Irlen Clinic 2006).
References:
The Dyslexia Diagnostic and Irlen Clinic 2006, Irlen Syndrome – A Visual Perceptual Disorder, The Dyslexia Diagnostic and Irlen Clinic, Perth, viewed 17 March 2008