A blind student with dyslexia - An overview of the problem

Abstract

The basic purpose of this paper is to present selected theoretical and empirical facts concerning dyslexia, taking into account specific reading and spelling disorders experienced by the sighted and the blind who normally use a tactile writing system (braille) to read and write. The article’s content is focused on such key issues as: the terminology (a review of definitions), the symptomatology and etiology of dyslexia. In the light of the collected qualitative data and empirical research findings, dyslexia is likely to occur in blind braille-reading and braille-writing students. The symptoms of dyslexia may be observable in both contracted and uncontracted braille. They may be linked to the phonological processing deficits. The causes of dyslexia in the blind population can be explained in line with the genetic conception and the magnocellular theory by Stein and colleagues. However, it is necessary to design more complex studies on braille dyslexia in the future.