Designing Communicative Visualization for People with Intellectual Developmental Disabilities

Abstract

Visualization research has paid little attention to individuals with intellectual developmental disabilities (IDDs). This lack of attention is problematic due to the fact that the consumption of visualization relies on a significant number of cognitive processes, including the ability to read and process language and retain information, and these processes often operate differently for IDD individuals. We argue that visualization should be used to communicate with and by IDD populations, who are currently unsupported. We identify three elements of visualization design that may improve how people with IDDs communicate with data based on prior efforts and empirical findings to examine the influences of chart types, data continuity, and chart embellishments on this communication. In doing so, we hope to bridge the gap between IDD individuals and data in support of their self-advocacy and self-determination, and thus recognizing this underserved group in the conversational visualization design space.

Post-WIMP Interaction for Information Visualization

“…A large number of people-approximately 36 million blind people in the world plus an additional 217 million with moderate to severe vision impairment-are currently excluded from the benefits of data visualization. In addition to blindness or low-vision (BLV), people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs) also may find it challenging to use existing visualization tools because of impaired cognitive processing (Wu et al, 2019). Unfortunately, the data visualization community has paid little attention to this accessibility problem except for color blindness.…”

Reaching Broader Audiences With Data Visualization

“…This large cohort is currently excluded from the benefits of data visualization. While blindness or low-vision (BLV) is the most obvious kind of disability affecting access to data visualization, people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs) may also find it difficult to use existing visualization tools because of impaired cognitive processing [13], and people with physical disabilities may find it difficult to interact with them.…”

“…These range from the design of new display technologies such as lowcost dynamic physical displays and new interfaces allowing hands-free operation, to the development of evidence based guidelines for the design of visualizations that are suitable for low vision. We particularly note the lack of research investigating intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs) and data visualization [13]. Research is required to investigate the impact of IDDs on understanding and how to design visualizations that are more accessible to this community.…”

Surfacing Visualization Mirages

“…For instance, a viewer with color vision deficiency may interpret two colors as identical when the designer intended them to be separate. [71,90,129] Anchoring Effect Initial framings of information tend to guide subsequent judgements. This can cause readers to place undue rhetorical weight on early observations, which may cause them to undervalue or distrust later observations.…”

“…For instance, a viewer with color vision deficiency may interpret two colors as identical when the designer intended them to be separate or a viewer with dyslexia might mistake similarity named points in a annotated scatter plot as denoting the same entity. [71,90,129] Default Effect…”