Cognitive disabilities are common among adults in the United States and are especially prevalent among young adults (Okoro et al., 2018). Such disabilities impact mental functions such as memory, attention, perception, and calculation, among others. As a result, students with cognitive disabilities may struggle with academic tasks generally—and online coursework specifically—in unique ways (Petretto et al., 2021; Reyes et al., 2022). Since online courses are often text-heavy, for example, students with dyslexia may find them more challenging to navigate than on-ground classes (Chen et al., 2015). Students with cognitive disabilities may also struggle with navigating inconsistent online course layouts, comprehending complicated directives, and engaging with non-essential course components. Finally, when online courses are large or impersonal, students with cognitive disabilities may have difficulty focusing on assignments and other coursework (The Best Schools, 2024).
In general, the design practices that support students with cognitive disabilities can enhance learning for all students (Haley-Mize, 2018). Organizing courses as logically as possible is, perhaps, most important for students with cognitive disabilities, but this practice can enhance clarity and ease of navigation for all students. Similarly, communicating how and why a task is relevant to the goals of a course can help students with cognitive disabilities to focus and prioritize while also benefiting the broader student group. Supporting students with cognitive disabilities may not mean taking a radically—or even substantively—different approach to course design, but it does mean prioritizing organization and clarity at all stages of course development.
Course Design Best Practices
In developing and delivering online courses, consider the following best practices to support students with cognitive disabilities:
Structure your course intentionally.
In accordance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), use clear, descriptive, and consistent page titles and headings throughout the course. This practice helps ensure that students will be able to navigate through your course successfully and locate the content they need, thereby reducing confusion and increasing the likelihood of successful task completion. Within course pages, segmenting or "chunking" content into smaller units can help students maintain focus and support optimal patterns of engagement (Harris et al., 2021).
Align materials and assessments with course and module learning objectives.
When developing a new course or updating an existing course, carefully evaluate the alignment between the established learning objectives and the materials and assessments included. Are the skills and content knowledge discussed in materials and evaluated in assessments the same as those the course is intended to teach? If you identify content that doesn't clearly align with the objectives, implement adjustments or clarifications for students. Doing so can help students focus their attention appropriately and reduce barriers to comprehension and success (Haley-Mize, 2018).
Add features that support effective engagement with course content.
Small additions to your course space designed to support task preparation, management, and completion can yield substantial benefits for your students. Such additions could consist of prompts to plan ahead for upcoming assignments, guidance on goal setting, checklists for completing detailed procedures, and recommendations for resolving problems or misunderstandings that you anticipate will arise (CAST, 2024). These kinds of inclusions can help ensure that students engage with the course as intended and reduce uncertainty about required tasks.
Include opportunities for students to practice key course concepts and skills and receive timely feedback.
Providing students with practice opportunities can help them evaluate their progress toward attaining course and module learning objectives and prepare for higher-stakes assessments more effectively (McLaughlin & Yan, 2017; Ogange et al., 2018). Consider incorporating ungraded practice activities or low-stakes quizzes with built-in feedback throughout your course. Reviewing patterns in responses or submissions can also provide you with deeper insight into student progress and aspects of the course for which more clarification or support might be valuable.
Consider alternatives or adjustments to traditional assessments to enhance inclusivity.
Traditional assessments, such as timed examinations, can present barriers for students with cognitive disabilities and discourage course participation (Morris et al., 2019; Tai et al., 2023). In designing the assessment structure for your course, consider whether a project or other form of summative assessment might constitute a viable replacement for an exam. In some courses, providing students a choice between two or more forms of assessment may also be a suitable option that can enhance course inclusivity (Morris et al., 2019; Tai et al., 2024).
Conclusion
Online coursework can present welcome opportunities as well as notable challenges and barriers for students with cognitive disabilities. To support such students effectively, it is essential to prioritize clarity and consistency in course structure and content. Doing so can yield broad benefits and set all students in your course up for success.
References
The Best Schools. (2024, August 19). Learning disabilities and online college.
CAST. (2024). The UDL Guidelines.
Chen, C. J., Keong, M. W. Y., Teh, C. S., & Chuah, K. M. (2015). Learners with dyslexia: Exploring their experiences with different online reading affordances. Themes in Science & Technology Education, 8(1), 63–79.
Haley-Mize, S. (2018). Addressing learner variability on campus through Universal Design for Learning. In M. L. Kozimor-King & J. Chin (Eds.), Learning from each other: Refining the practice of teaching in higher education (pp. 116–129). University of California Press.
Harris, A., Buglass, S., & Gous, G. (2021). The impact of lecture chunking format on university student vigilance: Implications for classroom pedagogy. Journal of Pedagogical Sociology and Psychology, 3(2), 90–101.
McLaughlin, T., & Yan, Z. (2017). Diverse delivery methods and strong psychological benefits: A review of online formative assessment. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 33(6), 562–574.
Morris, C., Milton, E., & Goldstone, R. (2019). Case study: Suggesting Choice: Inclusive assessment processes. Higher Education Pedagogies, 4(1), 435–447.
Ogange, B. O., Agak, J. O., Okelo, K. O., & Kiprotich, P. (2018). Student perceptions of the effectiveness of formative assessment in an online learning environment. Open Praxis, 10(1), 29–39.
Okoro, C. A., Hollis, N. D., Cyrus, A. C., & Griffin-Blake, S. (2018). Prevalence of disabilities and health care access by disability status and type among adults—United States, 2016. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 67(32), 882–887.
Petretto, D. R., Carta, S. M., Cataudella, S., Masala, I., Mascia, M. L., Penna, M. P., Piras, P., Pistis, I., & Masala, C. (2021). The use of distance learning and e-learning in students with learning disabilities: A review on the effects and some hint of analysis on the use during COVID-19 outbreak. Clinical Practice and Epidemiology in Mental Health, 17, 92–102.
Reyes, J. I., Meneses, J., & Melián, E. (2022). A systematic review of academic interventions for students with disabilities in online higher education. European Journal of Special Needs Education, 37(4), 569–586.
Tai, J., Ajjawi, R., & Umarova, A. (2024). How do students experience inclusive assessment? A critical review of contemporary literature. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 28(9), 1936–1953.
Tai, J., Mahoney, P., Ajjawi, R., Bearman, M., Dargusch, J., Dracup, M., & Harris, L. (2023). How are examinations inclusive for students with disabilities in higher education? A sociomaterial analysis. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 48(3), 390–402.