What Matters in Accessible Written Communication for Neurodivergent People? A Scoping Review

Journal article, 2026

Accessible communication enables individuals with communication difficulties to understand and access information in a manner that is understandable and perceptible to them. As it stands, it can be useful not only for non-native speakers and illiterate individuals but also for neurodivergent people, namely considering a more social view of accessibility, aimed at accommodating different support needs through a wide range of language adaptations. The aim of this scoping review is to understand the state-of-the-art of accessible written communication for neurodivergent individuals in general. Studies had to be peer-reviewed, published between 2008-2023 in Portuguese and/or English, and focus on neurodiversity, particularly neurodivergent people and written accessibility. Overall, most studies centred around understandability and readability, but also on digital accessibility and guidelines. Theories related to machine learning, cognitive load and communication, with neurodivergent people not having any decision-making power in most. With the majority being centred on social participation and medical information, future research should include areas that acknowledge neurodivergent individuals as full members of society, including cultural and leisure contexts.