Web Accessibility & Cognitive Disability: Leading Path Ahead

Posted by D2i Team on March 21, 2021

Now in today’s digitally dependent world, the internet is acting like a binding element that discards the geographical boundaries and distances. In such a situation, web accessibility is gaining extreme importance. When we talk about accessibility, hearing and sight disabilities are the two main factors, so it is crucial time to concentrate on cognitive disabilities. As 15.2 million Americans have a cognitive, mental, or emotional functioning disability, so it is crucial to make our web designs accessible that do not exclude this part of the population.

Essential Requirements of Designing for Cognitive Disabilities

Cognitive impairments are the least understandable part for the designers and facing a great challenge at the time of designing accessible content. The following are some issues faced by people with cognitive disabilities:

  • Long and difficult text with no white spaces
  • In the case of long rows, text in small size is displayed
  • Showing multiple objects at the same time

Here are some techniques and tips for developers and designers while creating accessible content for the cognitively impaired part of society.

Typography: You can improve performance and usability with the usage of a minimum of one or two typefaces and weights whenever needed.

Feedback Option: Must provide ample prompts and feedback options for cognitively impaired visitors to get back on track if they are facing any navigation error.

Appropriate Timing: Cognitive impaired users need extra time for accessing and interacting with the website. For timed content, provide extra time for the users as per their requirements.

Multiple Formats: Multiple formats can be used for improving the experience of users with motor control issues.

Don’t neglect the users with disabilities while working on your accessibility strategy. You must focus on creating a user-centered design for your website by using the best practices for diverse audiences in the whole world.

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