This is an unpublished draft preview that might include content that is not yet approved. The published website is at w3.org/WAI/.

Background to Users Preferences and the Web

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Background to Users Preferences and the Web

People with cognitive and learning disabilities may not be able to effectively use web content because of the design and content choices of the author. Examples may include:

These difficulties may sometimes also be experienced by users in the general population due to environmental or situational barriers, such as when they are trying to use a website when they are distracted. For example working on a mobile device while in an unfamiliar or noisy situations can demand place addition cognitive load on all users by splitting their attention. However, for users with cognitive and learning disabilities, these difficulties are likely to be persistent and significant, so that they are unable to access content and abandon tasks.

Cognitive and learning disabilities include long-term and short-term and and sometimes permanent difficulties relating to cognitive functions, such as:

These are usually hidden difficulties and may be age related. The terminology and definitions used for cognitive disabilities varies between countries and users are less likely to have a formal diagnosis of a disability than individuals with physical and sensory difficulties. Cognitive disabilities may include intellectual impairments affecting comprehension alongside written and spoken expression. People may also experience a co-occurrence of difficulties such as dyspraxia / developmental coordination difficulties and ADHD should also be taken into account.

It should be noted that by addressing barriers to accessibility for users with cognitive and learning disabilities, improvements to digital technologies can be achieved and there is the potential to improve user experience for everyone.

Diagram showing the union of Usability and Accessibility with both contained within User Experience.
How User Experience, Usability and Accessibility are related
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This is an unpublished draft preview that might include content that is not yet approved. The published website is at w3.org/WAI/.