Neurodiversity: Learning and Communicating Issues

According to WCAG, information that is presented digitally should be:

• Perceivable.
• Operable.
• Understandable.
• Robust.

Conditions to consider:

1. Blindness – Make sure there is an audio option either embedded, or the material can be read by a screen reader.  Provide audio descriptions, or screen readable text.
2. Color blindness – do not use color only for navigation or other signifiers.  Make sure there is high contrast between text and background.
3. Low vision – Font should be 14px or larger. Make sure there is high contrast between text and background. Make sure there is an audio option either embedded, or the material can be read by a screen reader. 
4. Deaf or hard of hearing – Provide text, transcript, or closed captioning for audio content.
5. Poor motor control – Separate clickable links with enough distance to make sure selection is more accurate.  Don’t assume everyone can use a mouse.
6. Can’t use mouse – Make sure web pages can be navigated by tab key or arrow keys.
7. Can’t use keyboard arrows – Make sure pages can be navigated with just tab key.
8. Dyslexia – Use san-serif font (no curls on the letters) for online text. Keep it simple and straight forward.
9. Short attention span – Keep it simple.  Less text.  Easy to follow.
10. Low threshold for complexity – Have person who is not familiar with page try it and give feedback.  You know too much and probably expect users to be more computer or subject literate than they are.
11. Lack of experience – Spell it out, don’t assume your users know what you know.  

EXCERPT:

Research has shown people generally think in five different ways, only one of which involves an inner monologue.

• Inner speech: Our inner monologue in which we speak words in our minds.
• Inner seeing: Imagining an image in our minds that doesn’t match what we’re seeing in reality. For example, you might conjure an image of a place you want to vacation.
• Unsymbolized thinking: Thinking but without employing words, images, or other symbolic methods of communication. For instance, you might go through the motions of brushing your teeth without consciously envisioning or telling yourself to complete each step.
• Feeling: Consciously considering your emotions. For example, acknowledging that you’re feeling overjoyed after getting good news.
• Sensory awareness: Idly thinking about one sensory aspect of the environment while not thinking about others. For instance, on a windy day, you may feel the wind and the way it makes your clothes blow around you, but instead of thinking about those things you may focus your thoughts on how cutting the wind feels on your hands.

Some people may think in all five of these ways, while others may be limited to one or two. As a result people without an inner monologue are likely to be thinking in one or more of the four ways that don’t involve inner speech.

Potential Issues In Reading & Comprehension: