Visual-perceptual-kinesthetic inputs on influencing writing performances in children with handwriting difficulties

This study investigated the role of visual-perceptual input in writing Chinese characters among senior school-aged children who had handwriting difficulties (CHD). The participants were 27 CHD (9–11 years old) and 61 normally developed control. There were three writing conditions: copying, and dictations with or without visual feedback. The motor-free subtests of the Developmental Test of Visual Perception (DTVP-2) were conducted. The CHD group showed significantly slower mean speeds of character production and less legibility of produced characters than the control group in all writing conditions (ps < 0.001). There were significant deteriorations in legibility from copying to dictation without visual feedback. Nevertheless, the Group by Condition interaction effect was not statistically significant. Only position in space of DTVP-2 was significantly correlated with the legibility among CHD (r = −0.62, p = 0.001). Poor legibility seems to be related to the less-intact spatial representation of the characters in working memory, which can be rectified by viewing the characters during writing. Visual feedback regarding one's own actions in writing can also improve legibility of characters among these children.     

Legibility of Chinese characters in peripheral vision and the top-down influences on crowding

Written Chinese is distinct from alphabetic languages because of its enormous number of characters with a great range of spatial complexities (stroke numbers). In this study we investigated the impact of spatial complexity on legibility of Chinese characters as well as associated crowding in peripheral vision. Our results showed that for isolated characters, threshold sizes of complex characters increased faster with retinal eccentricity than did those of simple characters, suggesting possible “within-character” crowding among parts of complex Chinese characters. However, such “within-character” crowding was rendered negligible by strong “between-character” crowding introduced by flankers. When the target and flankers belonged to different complexity groups, the intensity and extent of crowding were greatly reduced, which could be explained by top-down influences as well as lower-level mechanisms. We suggest that crowding can be attributed to multiple mechanisms at different levels of visual processing.     

Feasibility of a home-based program to improve handwriting after stroke: a pilot study

Purpose: To test the feasibility of a handwriting retraining program with adults after stroke; specifically the feasibility of: (i) recruiting people with stroke to the study, (ii) delivering the handwriting retraining program and (iii) outcome measures of handwriting performance. Method: A quasi-experimental pre-test post-test design was used. A four-week, home-based handwriting retraining program was delivered by an occupational therapist using task-specific practice. Legibility, speed, pen control and self-perception of handwriting were measured at baseline and completion of the program. Legibility was scored by a blinded rater. Results: Seven adults with stroke were recruited (eligibility fraction 43% of those screened, and enrolment fraction 78% of those eligible). There were no dropouts. Although, recruitment was slow the intervention was feasible and acceptable to adults with stroke. No statistically or clinically significant changes in legibility were reported in this small sample, but a ceiling effect was evident for some outcome measures. The study was not powered to determine efficacy. Conclusions: Delivery of a four-week handwriting intervention with eight supervised sessions in the community was feasible; however, recruitment of an adequate sample size would require greater investment than the single site used in this pilot.

• Implications for Rehabilitation

• Handwriting difficulty is common following hemiparesis after stroke, however research addressing handwriting retraining for adults with stroke is lacking.

• A four-week home-based handwriting program using task-specific practice and feedback was feasible to deliver and appropriate for adults with stroke.

• Improving handwriting legibility and neatness across a range of tasks were important goals for adults with handwriting impairment.

     

两对比度中文阅读视力表的设计

选择可视性相似的句子作为视标,以完成两对比度中文阅读视力表的设计。方法实验研究。本研究通过视标的选择和视力表版面的制作完成两对比度中文阅读视力表的设计。通过以下方法选取可视性相近的句子作为视标。①句子的初步标准化：对日常阅读材料的各种文体进行句子长度的统计,得出常用书面文体的句子长度。以人教版初中语文课本的现代文为句子来源,根据所统计句子长度从2500个常用汉字中选取构建并适当修改句子。得到句长相同、字词难度相近、语意语法相近等要求95个汉语句子。②心理物理学测试：选择受过大学教育、远近矫正视力达1.0及以上、调节幅度正常、近期眼部无明显不适的受检者阅读这些句子,根据阅读速度和总笔画数这2个因素的最小范围最大交集的原则,选取视标。阅读视力表的版面设计采用国际通用的原则。在对比度上配置100%和10% 2种对比度。数据采用独立样本t检验和配对t检验进行分析。结果 经过初步筛选和心理物理学测试,最后选取可视性相近的52个句子作为视标,结合通用设计原则完成两对比度中文阅读视力表的设计。结论 两对比度汉字阅读视力表其视标之间的可视性相近,视力表设计特点标准科学,具有测量阅读视力、评价阅读行为等用途。     

Letter case and text legibility in normal and low vision

It is thought by cognitive scientists and typographers alike, that lower-case text is more legible than upper-case. Yet lower-case letters are, on average, smaller in height and width than upper-case characters, which suggests an upper-case advantage. Using a single unaltered font and all upper-, all lower-, and mixed-case text, we assessed size thresholds for words and random strings, and reading speeds for text with normal and visually impaired participants. Lower-case thresholds were roughly 0.1 log unit higher than upper. Reading speeds were higher for upper- than for mixed-case text at sizes twice acuity size; at larger sizes, the upper-case advantage disappeared. Results suggest that upper-case is more legible than the other case styles, especially for visually-impaired readers, because smaller letter sizes can be used than with the other case styles, with no diminution of legibility.     

Serifs and font legibility

Using lower-case fonts varying only in serif size (0%, 5%, and 10% cap height), we assessed legibility using size thresholds and reading speed. Five percentage serif fonts were slightly more legible than sans serif, but the average inter-letter spacing increase that serifs themselves impose, predicts greater enhancement than we observed. RSVP and continuous reading speeds showed no effect of serifs. When text is small or distant, serifs may, then, produce a tiny legibility increase due to the concomitant increase in spacing. However, our data exhibited no difference in legibility between typefaces that differ only in the presence or absence of serifs.