Ryder Wei¹ and Tyler Boulom², ¹USA, ²California State Polytechnic University, USA

This study evaluates Cardibly, a web-based platform designed to improve communication for autistic children, particularly those with limited verbal expression. Traditional communication tools like flashcards often fail to meet the accessibility, customization, and usability needs of neurodiverse individuals, leading to frustration and social isolation [1]. Cardibly addresses these challenges by offering a simple, customizable, and accessible solution that allows caregivers and educators to create personalized communication cards, enabling more effective interactions. Two experiments were conducted to assess the platform's usability and accessibility. The first experiment focused on customization, revealing an average task completion time of 4.5 minutes, with some errors indicating the need for interface improvements. The second experiment tested accessibility, showing that while 90% of tasks were successfully completed, challenges with dynamic content highlighted the need for better ARIA labeling and focus management [2]. Despite these issues, Cardibly's potential to enhance communication and independence among neurodiverse individuals was evident, with future improvements including AI-powered conversation suggestions and a sentence creation feature.

Neurodiverse Communication, Customizable Flashcards, Accessibility in Web Design, Assistive Technologies, Usability Testing