Understanding Design Preferences for Sensory-Sensitive Earcons with Neurodivergent Individuals

Abstract

Earcons are a critical auditory modality for those who perceive information best through sound. Yet earcons can trigger sensory sensitivities with neurodivergent individuals, causing pain or discomfort and creating barriers to information access. They must be carefully designed with neurodivergent representation in the design process to minimize the harm they impose. To address these challenges, we conduct a study on Twitter, a social media platform with frequent earcons, to understand how to design sensory-sensitive earcons for neurodivergent individuals. We present the results of our qualitative interviews with nine neurodivergent Twitter users, uncovering six key themes for designing sensory-sensitive earcons. Based on our findings, we offer a set of novel guidelines for practitioners to design sensory-sensitive earcons for accessibility.