A podcast has just been released of an interview with researcher and dyslexia advocate, Dr. Nola Firth, who previously worked at the Centre for Adolescent Health (CAH). In an interview with host Shae Wissell, who herself has dyslexia, Nola talks about the positive changes that have occurred over the last twenty years in public awareness of dyslexia in Australia and what still needs to be done. The podcast is part of a series on the Dear Dyslexic website.

Even ten years ago the word ‘dyslexia’ was not part of the language of state education departments. Now there is official recognition and increasing awareness that the dyslexia (professionally diagnosed) falls under the Disability Discrimination Act. Dr. Firth believes much still needs to change including adoption of a nationally agreed definition and an inclusion in the NAPLAN test of an oral comprehension test in addition to reading comprehension.

Dr. Firth talks about how she came to be involved in the area, her research and advocacy work including her Churchill Fellowship investigation of dyslexia support in the USA, UK, The Netherlands and Canada, completed whilst working at CAH.

Dear Dyslexic is a site that focuses on the needs of adults who have dyslexia.  Other podcasts in the series include interviews with Jackie French and Catherine Deveney.

To listen to the podcast:  https://deardyslexic.com/category/podcasts/