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Understanding cognitive difficulties when designing a website

People with cognitive or learning difficulties such as dyslexia, literacy or other text processing disorders may have problems reading text or become confused by complex page layouts or navigation schemes. Moving and/or blinking content can be distracting and impede comprehension.

What you can do

Simple techniques incorporated into the development of websites can ensure the accessibility for users with cognitive impairments:

Provide a consistent design

This can be achieved through the use of Cascading Style Sheets where the web developer can reuse the same layout and design for each page in the website.

Keep the content simple

Avoid the use of jargon and complex words.

Provide a site map

A site map will allow users to gain an overall feel for the layout, whilst also allowing direct access to any page on the website. If possible, include images or icons to visually sign post the different areas.

Don’t use justified text

Text shouldn’t be fully-justified as users with dyslexia find this more difficult to read than if the text is left-aligned. They may also miss words which have been highlighted by bold, italics or underline.

Use a non-serif font

A non-serif (also known as sans-serif) font like Arial or Helvetica should be used. Non-serif fonts are easier to read on screen.

Allow for flexibility

Some dyslexic users find it more comfortable to read text on a beige background. Ensure that colours can be changed in the browser and that they have not been forced by the web developer. If your website has been built using CSS for the layout and colours, you could also consider offering a different stylesheet. We recommend an alternative which has the background images stripped out, a beige background, 120% text size and 1.5 line spacing.

Use images and icons

Images and other media used to enhance textual content can often aid in the understanding of the information.

Ensure animation can be paused or switched off

Animation can be a distraction and seriously compromise the ability of people with learning disabilities to read content on a page. If you provide moving content ensure there is a way to disable the movement. Alternatively allow it to loop for a few seconds and then stop automatically.

Make use of white space

Good white space separating page elements makes it easier for users with cognitive difficulties to read web pages.

Offer an easy read version

An easy read version combines simplified text with images to aid comprehension. Any jargon is stripped out, and the plainest possible language is used. An example of an easy-to-read version is the Videophone booking form on the Disability Rights Commission website.

Offer speech output

Organisations like Browse Aloud offer a free download to users which will then read out a website while highlighting the text it is reading. The website needs to be registered with Browse Aloud. See the Browse Aloud website for list of organisations who have signed up.

Ensure that font size can be increased

Ensure that text sizes are not fixed and can be resized in the browser (View menu > Text Size in Internet Explorer). It is important that text is not a fixed size as some users need a larger print version to make the page more legible.

How we can help

For more information on the different Assistive Technologies (AT) disabled users use to access the internet, or to have in-house training on Web site design and building for AT users, use the details below to get in contact with us. We can put together a training package for you that will address your individual needs.

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For more information:

Email accessibility@AbilityNet.org.uk
Phone 0800 269545

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