A WEBSITE INTERFACE DESIGN FRAMEWORK FOR THE COGNITIVELY IMPAIRED: A STUDY IN THE CONTEXT OF ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE

Abstract

Bodies such as the World Wide Web Consortium and the US Congress have advanced recommendations intended to make Information Technology more accessible to impaired users. These include guidelines specifically intended for the cognitively challenged, such as people with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, there is little research evidence to date demonstrating the value of complying with these guidelines. In this paper, we introduce a four-element, theoretical framework and outline a research agenda that identifies important considerations for developers of website interfaces for those with AD. This Website Accessibility Framework may be used as the basis for investigating the impacts of interfaces with differing degrees of guideline compliance, ranging from no compliance to full compliance, on people with AD.