Enhancing Return-Sweeps in Text Magnification through the Introduction of a Line-by-Line Text Magnification Approach

Purpose: Our study addresses the challenge of limited screen space on digital devices, which leads to the use of small print sizes for text display. Many users, therefore, require text magnification for more comfortable reading. However, standard methods such as digital zoom can become cumbersome on small devices, as the limited screen space restricts the field of view and increases demands in terms of page navigation. In this study, we tested an alternative approach: employing line-by-line magnification to enhance the reading experience on digital devices.

Method: Sixteen participants with normal or corrected-to-normal vision were asked to read paragraphs of text using either digital zoom or line-by-line magnification, following a within-subject experimental design. Their reading behavior was assessed through eye tracking.

Results: Our findings indicate that line-by-line magnification significantly reduced reading time, particularly by decreasing the time needed to navigate from the end of a line to the beginning of a new line of text. Compared to reading with digital zoom, this transition time reduced from 3.28 seconds to 1.50 seconds per return sweep.

Conclusion: Our study suggests that implementing line-by-line magnification can significantly enhance the reading experience when utilizing text magnification on digital devices. It strengthens the reader’s sense of orientation in the text (i.e., ’cognitive map’) by more effectively utilizing screen space and reducing interruptions due to page navigation. This improvement is relevant not only for readers with low vision but could also make text magnification more appealing for readers with less urgent needs.