Stephanie M. Nixon

In honor of Dyslexia Awareness Month, here is a 1993 article, Dyslexics Overcome Barriers, that I wrote for my high school newspaper.

I interviewed some of the students at school who had dyslexia as well as some of the teachers who were trained in Alphabetic Phonics (an Orton Gillingham based program) and worked with the dyslexic students.

Dyslexics can provide so much insight into their challenges as well as ways to support them, but so often it seems they aren’t asked for their insight. I’ll go over this more in a future blog, but for now, just consider what these students said in 1993.

Disclaimer. This article is from 1993. The knowledge base about dyslexia has expanded much since that time. This post is only to provide historical insight not diagnose or treat.

Rebecca Warner from pqbd.org allowed me to turn the symbol she created for dyslexia into an emoji! I added it to the access and advocacy discord hosted by Nixon Speech and Language, LLC, but we would love to share this with those who have or know someone who has dyslexia!

Android Phone Directions

• Save the file to your phone and/or a cloud drive you can access with your phone
• Start a text to someone and select to use an emoji

• Select create

• Select folders

• Select browse
• Select the file

It will post it to the person you’re texting, but as you can see in the image, it is useable as a react to a text!

iOS 18 Directions

This description is taken from Google AI Overview. If someone could send me screengrabs as they create the file, then I would be grateful!

My understanding is this is only available for iOS18, but if you learn otherwise, please comment below!

Gmail and Google Workspace Directions

• Within gmail, open google chat
• Select emoji
• On the right, select create

• Upload the image file
• Name it pqbd dyslexia

Now you can use the file in your emails and chats!

Note. For Google Workspace, staff need permissions to “create” new emojis. So, if you are unable to create one following these instructions, then ask a network administrator.

Thank you to Rebecca Warner and pqbd.org for making this symbol available to everyone!

Rebecca Warner is a 2012 founding member of the Virginia chapter of Decoding Dyslexia, DDVA.  Active in legislative efforts in the VA General Assembly as well as a co-host for DDVA meetings, her experience includes speaking engagements, fundraising, and events. Owner and designer of the dyslexia symbol pqbd ®, she advocates for awareness and training in dyslexia both on a national and international level with projects that include the Dyslexia Friendly Library, Police National Dyslexia Association in the UK, Learning Disabilities Conference Japan, Dyslexia Organization Kenya, and the marketing committee for Riverside School. Most importantly, she is the mother of two neurodiverse sons, a dyslexic junior at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology and an ADHD sophomore at the University of Virginia.  She and her husband live in Richmond, VA. 

You know those moments you wonder whether others have dealt with the challenge you (or anyone you care about) are facing? Maybe they have an idea you haven’t thought of? Or maybe you just don’t know what to do next?

We can learn from each other by sharing information, particularly when it comes to disability access and advocacy. To improve outcomes for individuals facing those barriers, we need to bring the stakeholders to the conversation.

Stakeholders include:

• Individuals facing barriers (e.g., dyslexia, ADHD, autism, neurodiversity, language disorders, speech sound disorders, etc.)
• Caregivers/family members
• Providers (speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, psychologists, neuropsychologists, etc.)
• Advocates and attorneys
• Educators

To get these conversations started, I have started a discord. I know some people may be less familiar with discord, so don’t worry, I’ll do my best to guide those who don’t have discord yet.

Some quick notes that will help you get started:

• Joining as an individual/caregiver? I’d recommend NOT using your real name or picture just to protect your privacy. I have information about this in the channel called “Setting up a Discord Profile”
• Joining as a professional? (Educator, provider, advocate/attorney) If you are representing your profession, then use your name. (If you have a gaming discord though, you may want to create a discord account specifically for professional purposes.)
• Here’s a link to Beginner’s Guide to Discord (from Discord.com)

Please join us to start these conversations.