part of Citizen Science
Many digital citizen science participants self-identify as neurodivergent, but digital citizen science projects designed with neuro-inclusive accessibility as a priority are rare. In this paper, the authors set out an adaptable framework to create inclusive pathways for more flexible participation in diverse digital citizen science contexts.
Accessibility should be understood as design for participation, not only compliance.
Photo: Vardan Papikyan / Unsplash
This paper presents a neuro-inclusive accessibility framework for digital citizen science grounded in the lived experience of neurodivergent citizen scientists.
The authors draw on the results of a large-scale 2024 survey of Zooniverse volunteers and a 2025 international participatory collaboration with 89 neurodivergent citizen scientists. Through an analysis of the resultant qualitative datasets, the team found recurring accessibility barriers. They then identified 91 recommended features and 11 parts of the research process – “functional domains” – where accessibility barriers can arise.
The authors demonstrate that accessibility is not only a matter of compliance or inclusion, but a methodological condition that shapes who participates, how they contribute, and whether participation can be sustained over time. The framework extends accessibility beyond interface design to include onboarding, task participation, research relationships, sustained participation, and outreach.
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