The research findings and methods emerged in Autistic Adults Online can be useful to design more inclusive digital platforms.
To support efforts from designers and third and public sector professionals, we have created two toolkits that can help in adapting digital platforms and social media to better support theneeds of neurodiverse users.
Each toolkit addresses a different area of practice. One toolkit is aimed at software developers and web designers who possess the technical skills to design and shape digital platforms.
A second toolkit has been created to support digital managers and content creators in the contexts of the third and public sectors, who might not be able to re-design digital platforms, but could adapt their usage to better support neurodivergent users.
Adapting digital networks and resources for autistic users. A toolkit for third and public sector organisations.
This toolkit has been developed in response to conversations with a group of professionals and a group of autistic participants from the Autistica Insight Group. A workshop and three focused groups highlighted some areas of practice (facilitating first-time access; avoiding sensory overload; moderating online communities; providing guidance) which are particularly pressing for neurodiverse users in the context of the third and public sectors. The toolkit addresses each of these four areas of practice by defining their scope and relevance, and by providing best practice advice co-developed with focus groups’ participants. All best practice recommended in this toolkit can be implemented without the need of specialist skills.
Autistic Adults Online 