Inclusive Design Thinking for Health Messaging in American Sign Language during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study Brief

ABSTRACT

Health information needs to be accessible to all people, especially in emergencies and critical times of need such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Health information needs to be designed to meet the needs of a broad range of people, including Deaf and hard of hearing people who use American Sign Language. An Inclusive Design Thinking framework provides the process and structure for collaborative teams to work together to produce solutions that meet the needs of diverse audiences, including people with disabilities. Design Thinking is a human-centered problem-solving method that puts users at the center of the design process. Inclusive Design Thinking includes the end users throughout the design process, considers barriers users may face when accessing information, and seeks to remove these barriers through information design that is accessible to the intended audience. This case study provides the details of a collaborative effort by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Georgia Tech Center for Inclusive Design and Innovation (CIDI), ASL interpreters, Deaf and hard of hearing community members and advocates, and other community members to design and disseminate health information during the COVID-19 pandemic while addressing health literacy and digital accessibility best practices.