It is often assumed that most people grow up reading the same books and share similar reading experiences. However, this is not the case for everyone.
Many disabled and neurodivergent people, including those with dyslexia, may not have had access to the same reading materials during childhood as their peers.
This is not due to lack of intelligence or interest. It is due to accessibility barriers in how books were designed, written, and presented.
In many cases, books such as well-known children’s series or school reading materials were not accessible in the format needed for some readers at the time they were expected to read them.
These barriers may include:
- dense text
- small print
- complex sentence structures
- lack of support or identification of reading differences
- limited access to alternative formats
In the past, many families, schools, and even individuals may not have known that a learning difference such as dyslexia was present. This meant that support was not always available.
As a result, some people were excluded from shared reading experiences that others had at the same age.
This creates what can be described as a “reading experience gap” — not a gap in ability, but a gap in access.
It is important to recognise that it is never too late to read these books later in life. However, the early experience of reading and shared cultural learning is still something that some people did not have access to at the time.
This is an important issue for writers, publishers, printers, schools, and libraries.
It raises a key question:
How many readers are still being excluded today because of inaccessible formats?
Accessible writing is not only about improving current communication. It is also about recognising what was missing in the past, and ensuring fewer people are excluded in the future.
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