How to Make Your Website Appropriate for People With Cognitive Disability?

When designing a website, there’s a lot to consider if you want to make it as inclusive as possible. People have all sorts of disabilities, and sometimes, those can affect the way we navigate and understand information, even online.

Based on different research and data sets, there are over 200 million people in the world who have some kind of intellectual and cognitive disabilities. In the United States alone, approximately 6,5 million people are living with a cognitive disability.

The numbers above should be enough to convince you how important it is to design your website appropriately for people with cognitive impairments.

In this blog post, we will highlight some key ways you can do that.

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What Is Cognitive Disability?

A cognitive disability is a condition that can affect the ability to process information. This can impact everything in daily life – from learning new skills to communicating with others.

People with cognitive disabilities find it difficult to solve problems and comprehend situations. The type of disability can also affect the way they read and understand information.

To have a cognitive disability does not mean that the person does not have the potential or ability to do everyday tasks. People with disorders can still live fulfilling and productive lives. By understanding their challenges, especially in areas like web accessibility, you can create a supportive environment for them.

Causes and Types of Cognitive Disability

It’s crucial for web designers to acknowledge the different types of cognitive impairments. These types of conditions can be both genetic or as a result of brain trauma or injuries.

There are different types of cognitive disabilities:

• Intellectual disabilities: They are categorised by lower average intellectual functioning and limitations in behaviour. One of the best examples here is Down syndrome – a genetic condition that affects the intellectual potential of the individual.
• Learning Disabilities: These can affect academic skills in general, such as reading, writing, and math. Dyslexia is classified as a learning disability because it affects the way people with it read.
• Memory Disorders: These are the most “visible and common” cognitive disabilities. Here examples include Alzheimer’s disease, Amnesia, loss of memory from a traumatic brain injury, etc. This can severely affect the way people retain and recall information.
• Attention Disorders: These can impair people's focus and ability to manage emotional impulses. People with attention disorders have a hard time staying concentrated and can sometimes have difficulties in navigating online. A very prominent example here is attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or ADHD.
• Developmental Disorders: Developmental disability is a group of conditions that originate in childhood and affect the way people learn and interact. They are mostly genetic in nature, although sometimes can result in brain injury. Different Autism disorders and any kind of mental retardation are classified as developmental disorders.
• Neurocognitive Disorders: These disorders occur later in life and are mostly the result of brain damage or disease. Depending on their severity, they can lead to serious disabilities for some people. Examples of neurocognitive disorders are Dementia and Parkinson’s disease.
• Communication Disorders: They can be genetic and acquired and affect how people communicate. Sometimes, they can be a result of brain injury or strokes. A common example here is Aphasia – the condition that actor Bruce Willis has.

As you can see from the above list, the different cognitive disabilities can be both genetic and acquired later in life. They can also be the result of physical trauma or brain injury.

Because of that, there is no “one solution for all” when it comes to web accessibility.

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What Barriers Do Users With Cognitive Disability Face?

People with cognitive disabilities can face a broad range of different problems.

Those with genetic conditions need special education and resources to understand information. Thankfully, the modern world is more and more inclusive, and most educational systems in the world offer some kind of special ed to kids with cognitive disabilities.

Other people with these types of disabilities require therapy and education sessions throughout their whole life. Sometimes, cognitive disabilities can have such a huge impact on people that they need full and everyday support.

In the online world, the situation is not so different. Even there, people with cognitive disabilities can become confused and not understand basic information.

One significant problem is the complexity of the information presented on the website. Digital content must be simple and easy to understand because people can struggle with long paragraphs, technical jargon, or ambiguous instructions.

Simplifying language and breaking information into smaller parts can make a big difference.

Other examples of barriers that people with cognitive disorders face online are:

• Layout and design: When you are creating a website, you must provide your users with a clean, organised layout with consistent navigation to help them focus on the content without feeling overwhelmed.
• Navigation: Using descriptive headings and labels and intuitive navigation will improve your user experience.
• Purchasing / Filling out forms: Users with cognitive disabilities struggle with remembering and processing sequences of steps required to complete tasks, like filling out forms or making purchases.

By understanding what cognitive disorders are and addressing everything that can be an obstacle for people living with them, you create a better online space where everyone can access information easily.

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How Do I Check if My Website Is Appropriate?

If you already have a website and you need to check if it’s appropriate for people with cognitive disabilities, there are several ways you can do that.

First off, there’s a wide variety of accessibility software solutions. You can use the Qualibooth software to thoroughly review and audit your webpage. That way, you can be sure that your website meets modern standards of web accessibility.

One other way to check if your website is accessible to people with cognitive disabilities is to do real-world testing. There’s a number of companies that offer that type of service, but it can be really costly.

The main way you can make sure that your website is accessible to all is to comply with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). This core set of rules is devised by the World Wide Web Consortium and it’s the most up-to-date and comprehensive guide book in the world of web accessibility.

Doing regular accessibility audits is also crucial because web accessibility is ever-evolving.

How Do I Make My Website Accessible for Users With Cognitive Disability?

If you haven't adapted your website for the needs of people with cognitive disabilities, they will have problems navigating through it and eventually will find an option that suits them better.

Creating a website or web product with the right tools, assistive technology and accessibility features that will allow them to feel comfortable is important if you don’t want to lose a wide range of customers for your online product.

Here is a list with several key strategies to ensure content is clear, understandable, and easy to navigate:

• Simplify Language: It is important to break down information into shorter sentences and paragraphs and use bullet points or lists to organise content. By doing this, you will ensure they understand all the information you provide.
• Clear Navigation: Use clear and descriptive headings for menus and links, and ensure that navigation options are easy to find and understand.
• Visual Design: Minimise distractions such as flashing animations or auto-playing videos. Ensure that text is easy to read with appropriate font sizes and contrast ratios between text and background colours.
• Provide Alternative Formats: Offer alternative formats for content, such as audio or video explanations for complex topics.
• Simple Forms and Interactions: Keep forms and interactive elements simple and easy to use. Use clear instructions and provide feedback when users input information or interact with elements on the page.
• Test with Users: Conduct usability testing with individuals with cognitive disabilities to gather feedback and identify areas for improvement.
• Follow Accessibility Guidelines: WCAG provides specific criteria and success criteria for creating accessible web content, including guidelines for addressing cognitive disabilities.

The accessible website is beneficial for both – users and owners. By creating your website in a way that is easy to understand and accessible you are serving your information to more people who can use it.

This way you gain more audience and the audience gains one safe and comfortable space where they can take advantage of useful information and services.

Conclusion

Over 200 million people in the world live with some form of cognitive disability. The different impairments can seriously affect the way those people navigate online and understand information.

That’s why it’s extremely important to make sure that your website is as inclusive as possible. You can achieve that by running frequent accessibility tests or designing your webpage to be accessible right from the start.

Frequently asked questions

What Are Some Common Challenges Faced by Users With Cognitive Disabilities When Accessing Websites?

Challenges that occur often include difficulty understanding complex language or instructions, navigating layouts, and processing information presented in cluttered formats.

How Can I Test My Website for Accessibility for Users With Cognitive Disabilities?

You can test your website for accessibility using tools like cognitive walkthroughs, automated accessibility testing tools, and user testing with individuals who have cognitive disabilities.

Are There Guidelines or Standards I Should Follow to Ensure My Website Is Accessible for Users With Cognitive Disabilities?

Yes, adhering to accessibility guidelines such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) can help ensure your website is accessible to users with cognitive disabilities.

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