Skip to main content
Log in

Cognitive and learning difficulties and how they affect access to IT systems

  • Long Paper
  • Published:
Universal Access in the Information Society Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In October 2005, the IBM Human Ability and Accessibility Center and T.J. Watson Research Center hosted a symposium on “cognitive and learning difficulties and how they affect access to IT systems”. The central premise of the symposium was the recognition that cognitive and learning difficulties have a profound impact on a person’s ability to interact with information technology (IT) systems, but that little support is currently being offered by those systems. By bringing together internationally renowned experts from a variety of different, but complementary, research fields, the symposium aimed to provide a complete overview of the issues related to this topic. This paper summarises the discussions and findings of the symposium.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. ACM SIGACCESS: Accessibility and Computing: Special Issue on Cognitive and Learning Difficulties, issue 83. ACM SIGACCESS (2005). Available at: http://www.acm.org/sigaccess/newsletter/sept05.php

  2. ACSO: American Community Survey 2004 Subject Definitions. American Community Survey Office, US Census Bureau (2006). Available at: http://www.census.gov/acs/www/Downloads/2004/usedata/Subject_Definitions.pdf

  3. Adams, R.: Decision and Stress: Cognition and e-Accessibility in the Information Workplace. Universal Access in the Information Society (UAIS) (this issue)

  4. ASA: What is Autism? Autism Society of America (2006). Available at: http://www.autism-society.org/site/PageServer?pagename=WhatisAutism

  5. Bodine, C (2005) Cognitive Impairments, Information Technology Systems and the Workplace, vol. 85. ACM SIGACCESS Newsletter “Accessibility and Computing”. Available at: http://www.acm.org/sigaccess/newsletter/sept05/Sept05_05.php

  6. Card SK, Moran TP, Newell A (1983) The Psychology of Human–Computer Interaction. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Hillsdale, NJ

  7. Czaja, S.: The Impact of Aging on Access to Technology. Universal Access in the Information Society (UAIS) (this issue)

  8. DAISY: A Better Way to Read—a Better Way to Publish. The DAISY Consortium (2006). Available at: http://www.daisy.org/

  9. Gordon W (2005)The Interface Between Cognitive Impairments and Access to Information Technology, vol. 85. ACM SIGACCESS Newsletter “Accessibility and Computing”. Available at: http://www.acm.org/sigaccess/newsletter/sept05/Sept05_01.php

  10. Gregor, P., Dickinson, A.: Cognitive Difficulties and Access to Information Systems—an Interaction Design Perspective. Universal Access in the Information Society (UAIS) (this issue)

  11. Grundy E, Ahlburg D, Ali M, Breeze E, Sloggett A (1999) Disability in Great Britain: Results from the 1996/7 Disability Follow-up to the Family Resources Survey. Charlesworth Group, Huddersfield, UK

    Google Scholar 

  12. Hacker E (2005) Expanding Technology Access for Adults with Developmental Disabilities at F.E.G.S. Health & Human Services Network, vol. 85. ACM SIGACCESS Newsletter “Accessibility and Computing”. Available at: http://www.acm.org/sigaccess/newsletter/sept05/Sept05_09.php

  13. ICF (2006) ICF Classification—Hypertext Version. International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health. Available at: http://www3.who.int/icf/onlinebrowser/icf.cfm

  14. IDO: Dyslexia Basics. Fact Sheet 62-05/00. International Dyslexia Organization (2000). Available at: http://www.interdys.org/fact%20sheets/Basics%20FS%20N.PDF

  15. Keates A (2002) Dyslexia and Information Communications Technology, 2nd edn. David Fulton Publishers, London, UK

    Google Scholar 

  16. Keates S, Clarkson PJ (2003) Countering Design Exclusion. Springer-Verlag, London, UK

    Google Scholar 

  17. Martin J, Meltzer H, Elliot D (1988) The Prevalence of Disability Among Adults. Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, London, UK

    Google Scholar 

  18. Norman D (1988) The Design of Everyday Things. The MIT Press, London, UK

    Google Scholar 

  19. Semmence J, Gault S, Hussain M, Hall P, Stanborough J, Pickering E (1998) Family Resources Survey—Great Britain 1996–7. Department of Social Security, London, UK

    Google Scholar 

  20. Shneiderman B (2005) Human–computer interaction themes in digital government: web site comprehension and statistics visualization. In: Proceedings of the 2005 National Conference on Digital Government Research, Atlanta, GA, 15–18 May 2005, ACM Press, New York, NY, pp 7–8

  21. USCB: American Community Survey (2004). Available at: http://factfinder.census.gov/jsp/saff/SAFFInfo.jsp?_pageId=sp1_acs&_submenuId=

  22. W3C: Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0. WorldWide Web Consortium (1999). Available at: http://www.w3.org/TR/WAI-WEBCONTENT/

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Simeon Keates.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Keates, S., Adams, R., Bodine, C. et al. Cognitive and learning difficulties and how they affect access to IT systems. Univ Access Inf Soc 5, 329–339 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10209-006-0058-4

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10209-006-0058-4

Keywords

Navigation