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Welcome to our July issue of the Accessibility Minute Newsletter! This newsletter is produced by the 91ɫ�� Digital Accessibility Office (DAO) and covers one accessibility skill or topic per month. Please visit the DAO website to access past newsletters. As always, thank you for taking a minute (or two) to read.

Design for Cognitive Accessibility

In this month’s newsletter, we’re diving into design practices to enhance the accessibility of digital content for individuals with cognitive disabilities.

Understanding cognitive disabilities

Cognitive disabilities are among the most common disabilities but often go unrecognized because they don’t always have outward physical signs, making them less apparent. They can affect cognitive functions such as memory, attention, language, problem-solving, and the ability to process information.

Some examples of cognitive disabilities may include attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), brain injuries, dementia, dyslexia, dyscalculia, Down syndrome, age-related memory loss, and more.

In the digital environment, people with cognitive disabilities may experience:

• Difficulty understanding complex layouts or unfamiliar icons.
• A need for more time to process information.
• Difficulty comprehending metaphors, idioms, or abstract language.
• A loss of focus due to distractions or long processes.
• Difficulty remembering passwords or copying access codes.
• Cognitive fatigue from multi-step tasks like forms.

Design practices for cognitive accessibility

We have outlined some design practices you can implement into your digital content to enhance accessibility for individuals with cognitive disabilities.

Use plain language

includes the use of:

• (with the exception of necessary technical terms).
• .
• .
  • Example of the active voice: “we proposed new regulations.” Active sentences help reduce ambiguity about responsibilities (who is supposed to do what).
  • Example of the passive voice: “new regulations were proposed.” Passive sentences often do not identify who is performing the action.
• Logical organization/order.
• Put the most important information first, followed by the details.
• Easier-to-read design features, such as .

Plain language practices can be especially beneficial when writing instructions or directions.

Break down complex and time-consuming tasks

For online platforms that require multiple steps or processes, make sure the steps are written clearly. Using checklists or step-by-step guides can be helpful for individuals to break down and process lengthy tasks. For online forms, divide longer forms into smaller steps and allow users to pause and return later, if possible.

Support memory and focus

Keep interactions, organization, and processes consistent across all pages. Other examples of supporting memory and focus in the digital environment include allowing users to show their passwords as they type, giving generous time limits for activities like submitting online orders, and using a progress indicator and saving user input for online forms.

Simplify navigation

A simple, easy to follow design helps users feel comfortable and confident as they navigate a website or document. Use generous spacing between paragraphs and content blocks to reduce visual clutter and help users focus. Add clear, descriptive headings to break up content, help users quickly find the information they need, and make it easier to scan. Stick to a consistent layout across your site or document so users know what to expect. Include familiar icons — like a home symbol for the homepage — to support intuitive navigation. Most importantly, make key tasks and features easy to find, especially for users who may have cognitive disabilities that affect attention, memory, or processing.

Offer multiple forms of processing information

When possible, supplement written text by including images, audio, and videos. When information is presented in multiple modalities, it allows users the option to process that information in a format that works best for them. This can be useful for individuals with cognitive disabilities and people who have specific needs based on their environment or circumstances (i.e., tired of staring at a screen all day or loud environment making it difficult to process written text).

Design for error prevention and recovery

When users are presented with errors, ensure they are highlighted clearly along with an explanation and instruction to resolve the error. Offer users ways to undo actions, go back to previous steps/interactions, and ways to confirm an interactive task has been completed on things like forms and surveys.

Include people with cognitive disabilities in usability testing

Ask individuals with disabilities, including those with cognitive disabilities, to assist with accessibility and usability testing. While you don’t want to ask someone what their disability is, testing can unearth barriers to accessing the information. That feedback can be used to refine content and interactions.

Final thoughts

Designing for cognitive accessibility isn’t just about compliance; it’s about creating inclusive digital experiences that work for everyone. By applying these practices, we can make meaningful progress toward a more accessible digital world.