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Re: What if they can't spell?

Subject: Re: What if they can't spell?
From: Bruce Byfield <bbyfield -at- axionet -dot- com>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Mon, 03 Sep 2001 13:02:23 -0700

Bevan Mccabe wrote:

Hi,

I was thinking, there's a lot of people out there who can't spell. Can we
account for them when designing help systems and manuals?


This is an interesting technical question, but maybe the question isn't whether we can, but whether we should?

That might sound callous, but in the interests of space and usability for the average reader, writers have to make assumptions about their audiences all the time. Although I can envision exceptions based on the audience, I wonder whether, in most cases, those assumptions include a basic ability to spell.


What would happen in this situation? Would a user get frustated, give up
and call support? Or would they realise they spelt the word wrong and try
again?


Maybe an index,in itself, assumes literacy skills: not only correct spelling, but the concept of alphabetical order, summary, and the ability to concentrate on the written word. I wonder whether a person who had serious problems with spelling would be inclined or, in extreme cases, even able to use an index in the first place. Instead of using the index, they'd probably phone for support the moment they had trouble.

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What if they can't spell?: From: Bevan Mccabe

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