Jenny Preece (1994) in her book Human-Computer Interaction says that HCI is about designing computer systems that support people so that they can carry out their activities productively and safely.

Donald Norman (1988) identifies two key principles to ensure good HCI. They are, affordance and visibility. If a dyslexic cannot read the display and output from a computer system, then the system cannot hope to give affordance. Since the advent of MS Windows and Windows 95, and the ability to manipulate the screen layouts and colour to a personal preference, Norman?s views of computer systems are beginning to give dyslexics good HCI.

Dyslexia has in the past been defined as a reading and writing dysfunction, and that dyslexics, which is true, have other attributes which are utilised to compensate for their disabilities. Other dysfunction?s that can now be attributed to dyslexia (Dr. S Moody) are short memory loss/retention, the feeling of toiling all day and being dissatisfied with the result, or missing points in a meeting, loosing ones temper because one has lost control, and pure hand-eye co-ordination. Lack of organisational skills have now been attributed to dyslexia as operating in a state of muddle or confusion.

How can a dyslexic overcome these disabilities?

Dr. S. Moody defines five remedial and management components that could help.
    1. Formal tuition to improve literacy skills
    2. New strategy skills to improve memory
    3. As dyslexics have improved visual skills for objects
       rather than words, have perception therapy
    4. To be calmer and more relaxed with relaxation training
    5. Confidence building to become more assertive
       and to be prepared to ask for help.

Many tools are available to help in the above five components, one in particular, Neural Linguistic Programming (NLP). As a Master Practitioner, Trainer and member of The Society of NLP, assisting Richard Bandler, Paul McKenna and Michael Breen in their UK NLP courses, and giving courses in my own right, I can help in relaxation, confidence building, and strategy elicitation. The dyslexic also has other tools that he can use in the use of computers and the software they run.