Language Impairment

A reduced ability to understand or produce spoken, written, or signed language that is not due to hearing loss, intellectual disability, or lack of exposure to language. Language impairments can be developmental (present from childhood) or acquired (resulting from brain injury or disease). They may affect different language components: phonology (sounds), morphology (word structure), syntax (grammar), semantics (meaning), or pragmatics (social use of language). For digital accessibility, language impairments require considerations such as simplified vocabulary, visual supports, alternative input methods, and extra time for processing and response.