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Neurodiversity

A resource guide to increase diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging for neurodiverse students. This guide was created for Rohrbach Library by Trisha Faust, MLIS and Dr. Stefani Gomez.

Dyslexia Banner

The title reads "Understanding & Supporting Dyslexia" in burgundy text. The main visual element is a speech bubble or thought bubble shape on a yellow background, which is filled with wooden or tan-colored letter tiles (similar to those used in word games). The letters appear to be randomly arranged within the bubble shape.

 

The International Dyslexia Association defines Dyslexia as "a specific learning disability that is neurobiological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities" (2025).

Defining and Understanding Dyslexia

The video below, What is dyslexia?, features Kelli Sandman-Hurley, a co-founder of the Dyslexia Training Institute, providing information on Dyslexia for the TED-Ed channel. Essentially the video explains that dyslexic people have difficulty processing language, specifically phonological processing.

While the video above does an excellent job summarizing dyslexia and how it affects a person's ability to read and process information, it only focuses on explaining the impact of phonological dyslexia. However, dyslexia is a neurodiverse spectrum and it varies.

 There are actually 6 types of dyslexia: 

Type of Dyslexia Impact on Person
1. Phonological Dyslexia or Auditory Dyslexia
  • difficulty processing sounds
  • difficulty identifying sounds
  • difficulty discriminating differences between sounds
  • person is blending sounds
  • person is mixing sounds
  • all of the above

2. Visual Dyslexia
  • person has difficulty picturing words in their minds
  • difficulty with visual processing and working memory
3. Attentional Dyslexia
  • similar to visual dyslexia but specifically with the migration of letters, meaning letters seem to jump from one word to another
4. Developmental Neglect Dyslexia
  • person is neglecting to honor the sequencing of letters
  • person could be reversing letters or reading words in the wrong order or direction
5 Rapid Naming Deficit Dyslexia or Rapid Auto Naming Dyslexia
  • person is saying the wrong word while reading
  • reading may be slower and more difficult for the person
  • affects comprehension of reading material 
6. Double Deficit Dyslexia
  • a combination of any of the above types of dyslexia

Information taken from Learning Success's YouTube Video: 6 Types of Dyslexia?

Succeeding with Dyslexia

Dyslexic thinkers are more likely to "recognize connections between seemingly disparate concepts, objects, or perspectives" (Dunne, M., 2024). This allows them to be more creative as they see combinations that may go unnoticed by neurotypical individuals.

 

The following books highlight the unique skills and abilities of dyslexia, which can make a person more successful in school, at work, and in life.

Resources for Dyslexic Students

The following are great resources for dyslexic college students to prepare for their next step in life as well as maintain any supports they need to succeed academically.

The video above, 3 Tips to Prepare for College with Dyslexia, comes from the Child Mind Institute. The three big tips they share focus on:

  1. Time Management
  2. Reading Strategically
  3. Using Technology

The linked text above, Dyslexia at College, is a helpful resource to not only prepare for college as a dyslexic student, but also provides information on how to gain accommodations while at college, tips for studying for and taking exams, socializing at college, and assistive technology that can possibly be helpful for you.