Summary: Cognitive disabilities and differences can be categorized by their impact on key functional areas including language, reading, writing, and memory.
Cognitive disabilities and differences
Learn more about Cognitive disabilities and differences on the Alphabet Accessibility Academy
Take the Cognitive disabilities and differences courseEveryone’s brain is wired differently, which means people have different methods of learning and absorbing information. Cognitive disabilities and differences can be categorized by their impact on key functional areas including language, reading, writing, and memory.
The meaning of a sunflower
Airports can be overwhelming for people with autism and other hidden disabilities. Sunflower lanyards alert airport and airline workers that the person wearing it might need some extra time or assistance. “Once you know that someone has an invisible disability, … you can start having those conversations and learning how to best assist that individual.”
At Google, we previously represented hidden and cognitive disabilities with symbolism that depicted a brain and other symbols implying “thought.” This over-simplifies the complexity of cognitive disabilities and differences. In 2023, we adopted the sunflower as a new representation of these differences. You might've seen this in the ADI Month logo, and can expect to see it more as we continue to develop the internal accessibility brand.
Reducing cognitive overload
Cognitive barriers can take many forms, even in good design. Overload, when a person is given too much information or too many tasks at once, is the most common form. Some people may need design that doesn’t require them to rely on working memory, some may need nudges to complete tasks, and some may need to access information through modalities other than the primary one offered.
It’s important to design and develop technology that helps reduce cognitive barriers. Learn more about how to do this in the internal Cognitive Inclusion Hub (go/cognitive).
Visit the Cognitive Inclusion Hub
Cognitive stats
An estimated 930 million people worldwide (12% of the world’s population) identify as having a cognitive disability or difference. Many more are impacted by cognitive barriers but don't identify as having a disability.
Source: World Wide Web Consortium, Therapeutic Pathways: How many people have autism?, The Yale Center for Dyslexia & Creativity
Thank you to our contributors
The content for this page is a contribution by Rain Michaels
More cognitive resources
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