Visual analytics

World Wide Web

Demography

Process (computing)

Statistics

Visualization

Operating system

The Internet

Psychiatry

Data mining

Computer science

Chart

Reading (process)

Psychology

Mathematics

Intellectual disability

Political science

Information visualization

Population

Sociology

Data science

Data visualization

Web accessibility

Web standards

Human–computer interaction

Using visualization requires people to read abstract visual imagery, estimate statistics, and retain information. However, people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) often process information differently, which may complicate connecting abstract visual information to real-world quantities. This population has traditionally been excluded from visualization design, and often has limited access to data related to their well being. We explore how visualizations may better serve this population. We identify three visualization design elements that may improve data accessibility: chart type, chart embellishment, and data continuity. We evaluate these elements with populations both with and without IDD, measuring accuracy and efficiency in a web-based online experiment with time series and proportion data. Our study identifies performance patterns and subjective preferences for people with IDD when reading common visualizations. These findings suggest possible solutions that may break the cognitive barriers caused by conventional design guidelines.

Understanding Data Accessibility for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities