EMPOWERING DYSLEXIC STUDENTS IN PRODUCT DESIGN

Dyslexia, prevalent among students in art and design in higher education in the UK, is considered a learning disorder. As such, its treatment in educational environments is commonly reduced to mitigating the student difficulties derived from dyslexia rather than leveraging the strengths of dyslexic students in key skills for product design. Studies suggest that dyslexic students in art and design might represent around 30% of the student population, as opposed to estimations ranging from 3% to 17% in the general population. This research aims to rethink dyslexia in higher education product design courses, focusing on its power rather than treating it as a problem for students. It is well-known that people with dyslexia have key skills in product design, such as visualising, imagining, communicating, reasoning, connecting, or exploring. Primary and secondary sources were consulted to rethink how dyslexic students are taught and assessed in a product design course at the University of Brighton. Interviews with two dyslexic Product Design students revealed their strengths, such as hands-on skills, creativity, and visual thinking, as well as their challenges, such as difficulties with processing large amounts of information, reading dense text, and essay-based assessments. Secondary sources confirmed these strengths and challenges, highlighting how dyslexia provides advantages like visual and spatial reasoning, holistic thinking, and creative problem-solving, which align well with the knowledge and skills required in Product Design. A 12-week dyslexia-friendly Product Design module was developed using the Double Diamond methodology. This module is structured into six two-week stages and includes hands-on activities and flexible formative assessment formats. The syllabus is visually structured to match the strengths of dyslexic students. Course materials are provided in traditional text, visual, and multimedia formats. Flexible assessment formats allow students to choose between traditional (text-based), visual (poster-like), or multimedia (audio or video) submissions, enabling students to communicate their learning through their preferred modality. Regular formative feedback supports time management and working memory issues, with feedback sessions that can be recorded for later review. The inclusion of these flexible formats, concise project briefs, and accessible teaching materials is expected to match the strengths of dyslexic students and offer neurotypical students a wider set of assessment paths. This diversified array of assessments supports student engagement and confidence, helping dyslexic students become aware of their strengths and creating an inclusive learning environment for all. This research highlights the need to extend the focus from accommodating the challenges of dyslexia to actively matching its strengths. Flexible assessment formats, accessible materials, and practical projects foster a positive learning experience for all students. Future work will focus on implementing the proposed module, its impact on neurodivergent profiles, and the potential for integrating AI tools to enhance accessibility and inclusivity in design education.