Virtual Environments and Dyslexia: A Literature Review

This study is a critical review of published scientific literature on the use of Virtual Reality and its applications in developmental dyslexia. The purpose of this research is to: (a) present a synthesis of the available empirical evidence, (b) identify the potential contribution of Virtual Environments (VEs) in the disorder’s screening, intervention, awareness process and assessment, and (c) define future research perspectives concerning the applications of VEs in this particular research field. The results show that the research in the field focuses on: (a) visuospatial skills, (b) nonverbal problem skills, (c) memory performance, and (d) awareness increase for dyslexia. The majority of the articles found are pilot or small-scale studies that can only provide indications on the VEs and their beneficial results, but can provide useful guidance for researchers, educators, practitioners and parents. © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. Selection and peer-review under responsibility of the Scientific Programme Committee of the 5th International Conference on Software Development and Technologies for Enhancing Accessibility and Fighting Info-exclusion (DSAI 2013).