Accessibility to electronic communication for people with cognitive disabilities: a systematic search and review of empirical evidence

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify and synthesize measures for accessibility to electronic communication for people with cognitive disabilities by seeking answers to the following research questions: What measures to make electronic communication accessible to people with cognitive disabilities are evaluated and reported in the scientific literature? What documented effects do these measures have? Empirical studies describing and assessing cognitive accessibility measures were identified by searches of 13 databases. Data were extracted and methodological quality was assessed. Findings were analyzed and recommendations for practice and research were made. Twenty-nine articles with considerable variations in studied accessibility measures, diagnoses, methods, outcome measures, and quality were included. They address the use of Internet, e-mail, telephone, chat, television, multimedia interfaces, texts and pictures, operation of equipment, and entering of information. Although thin, the current evidence base indicates that the accessibility needs, requirements, and preferences of people with cognitive disabilities are diverse. This ought to be reflected in accessibility guidelines and standards. Studies to systematically develop and recommend effective accessibility measures are needed to address current knowledge gaps.

Developing Technology Supported Instructional Activities in a Class of Middle School Students with Intellectual Disability

“…Bu araştırma sürecinden elde edilen bulgular doğrultusunda teknoloji, içerik ve pedagoji alanına ilişkin öğretmenlerin bu etkinlikleri gerçekleştirilebilmesi için sahip olması gereken beceriler şöyledir: Yukarıda belirtilen teknolojik pedagojik içerik bilgisi yeterliliğinin yanında öğretmenlerin teknoloji kullanımında pratik becerilere sahip olmasının da önemli olduğu görülmektedir. Örneğin zihin yetersizliği olan öğrencilerin adres çubuğuna etkinlikle ilgili web sitesinin adresini yazmak oldukça güçtür ve alanyazında bu konuda zihin yetersizliği olan öğrencilerin zorlandığı belirtilmektedir (Borg, Lantz ve Gulliksen, 2014;Wehmeyer, Tasse, Davies ve Stock, 2012). Bu sorunu aşmak için, her öğrencinin tabletinde bulunan sınıf hesabının posta kutusuna etkinliklerin bağlantı adresleri gönderilmiş, öğrencilerin posta kutusundaki son postadaki bağlantıya tıklamaları söylenmiştir.…”

Design and evaluation of mobile game for older people: an empirical study

“…In general, the elderly also suffer cognitive constraints such as (BORG et al, 2014;LÓPEZ-MARTÍNEZ et al, 2011;VASCONCELOS et al, 2012): reduced attention to details in the presence of distracting information; reduced shortterm memory; difficulty to learn and to perform new activities or old activities in a new way; reduced spatial cognition, or the ability to mentally manipulate images and patterns; inability to remember the goals of a task to be performed. These impairments can be caused by diseases such as Alzheimer's but also by the natural ageing process.…”

Cognitive Accessibility for Mentally Disabled Persons

“… 67 % of Swedes' income declarations 2014 are done digitally 5  Application for a place at upper secondary school must be done via the Internet 6  62 % of Sweden's municipalities communicate with citizens through social media (2014) 7  The majority of Swedish banks will no longer handle cash. They push for the clients to use cards 8 In Sweden it is The National Board of Health and Welfare (Socialstyrelsen) 9 or the Public Health Agency of Sweden (Folkhälsomyndigheten) 10 who publishes statistics on mental health.…”

“…PTS has also given us a mandate to carry out two literature studies "Accessibility to electronic communication for people with cognitive disabilities: a systematic search and review of empirical evidence" [5] and "Accessibility to electronic communication for people with cognitive disabilities: a review of grey literature" [6]. Both studies display great gaps of knowledge in this field.…”