Dyslexia CPD by Dyslexia Association of Ireland
As part of our continuous professional development (CPD), the OHAC team was joined by a representative of Dyslexia Association of Ireland (DAI) to provide information on Dyslexia.
Dyslexia is a learning difficulty that affects 10% of the population. It primarily affects the skills involved in accurate and fluent reading and spelling. This can occur despite access to appropriate learning opportunities. People affected by Dyslexia often process written material differently making it difficult for them to recognize and decode the words.
The CPD reviewed the common difficulties and strengths of people with Dyslexia. It looked at how the general environment and workplaces can provide reasonable accommodation for people with Dyslexia to enable them to reach their full potential. The OHAC team took part in a reading and writing simulation to get a better understanding of the challenges faced by people with Dyslexia.
The common challenges faced by people with Dyslexia in the workplace include:
• Answering the phone, writing emails and multi-tasking
• Writing reports to a deadline
• Presentations and Question and Answer sessions
• Taking minutes and/ or notes from meetings
• Following Processes and recording data.
Reasonable accommodations can be provided by employers for people with Dyslexia to assist them in carrying out their role in the workplace. Some of these accommodations include:
• Providing multiple formats of communication that are clear and concise
• Encourage the use of assistive technologies
• Mentoring
• Extra time
• Own designated work area
• Extra preparation/information before events
• Regular Evaluation Meetings
At OHAC we are committed to developing our knowledge in accessibility through Internal CPDs and continuous training, this will allow us to provide the latest best practice and accessibility advice to clients.
For further information on Dyslexia and services provided by Dyslexia Association of Ireland click here:
Alternatively, if you need further information on how to make buildings or services more accessible, please do not hesitate to contact one of our team on (01) 415 12 85 or e-mail