Lindsey Werking
Dyslexia is a natural state for one fifth of the human population. It is usually defined as a “Specific Learning Disability” that presents difficulties with accurate and fluent word recognition, language encoding and decoding, and problems with reading comprehension. Dyslexia also presents some advantages that are overlooked because of its characterization as a disability. These advantages include making creative connections between concepts, recognizing unusual relationships, strengths in big picture processing, and strengths in material, interconnected, narrative, and dynamic reasoning.
While academia has acknowledged both the challenges and advantages of dyslexia, much of the general population still only sees it as a disability. The use of transmedia storytelling has the ability to act as a tool for dyslexia awareness, offer a broader perspective of what it is, and change the focus from its challenges to its advantages. Currently, transmedia storytelling has not been utilized to achieve these goals.
"The use of transmedia storytelling has the ability to act as a tool for dyslexia awareness, offer a broader perspective of what it is, and change the focus from its challenges to its advantages."
The views and definitions of dyslexia as a Specific Learning Disability and as a brain difference have been discussed and debated along with the extensive range of symptoms it presents. Eide (2012) argues that dyslexia is not a purposeless breakdown in function, but that it represents a valuable trade-off that has been chosen for its special processing benefits. While dyslexics are often presented with challenges during their education or with certain day to day tasks, struggling through the hurdles of school and life may have its benefits (Saltz, 2018). Though transmedia storytelling has not been used to describe a brain difference such as dyslexia, it is an important storytelling tactic. Transmedia storytelling allows for elements of a story to be spread systematically across multiple platforms creating a unified and coordinated entertainment experience that has the ability to be presented a story during individuals daily lives (Jenkins, 2006).
The objective of this creative project is to design a transmedia story that acts as a tool for dyslexia awareness. It will inform both dyslexics and non-dyslexics about its challenges and advantages. The natural quality of transmedia storytelling to communicate using varying media forms would allow a dyslexic to understand a message on individual terms. Information may be processed through images, by connecting complex concepts in creative ways, and using big picture ideas. This representation will allow for the information processing perspective of dyslexics to be presented to non-dyslexics in a way that is easy to understand. Graphic novels, comics, and non-traditional books often appeal to individuals with dyslexia because they include illustration and pictorial representations of their story, and the text is presented in small chunks. My creative project promotes dyslexia awareness through transmedia storytelling made up of illustrations, infographics, and other media forms. The pieces that make up the transmedia story will then undergo design thinking sessions for feedback, collaborative ideation, and empathy research.
The transmedia story I designed acts as tool for dyslexia awareness and broaden the perspective of the challenges and advantages it presents for both dyslexics and non-dyslexics. It will help dyslexics better understand themselves, and it will guide them as they learn to persevere through their challenges and capitalize on their dyslexic advantages. It will also provide educators, parents, spouses, and friends of individuals with dyslexia a resource to better understand the processing difference.
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