Coursera SmartAssist

Overview

SmartAssist is a no-code accessibility initiative built to make online learning more inclusive for neurodivergent learners, particularly those with ADHD, dyslexia, and autism. Traditional e-learning platforms like Coursera often overload students with dense content, uniform pacing, and low personalization. SmartAssist bridges this gap by layering adaptive focus tools, customizable pacing, and cognitive-friendly interfaces directly into Coursera's experience.

Problem Statement

• Neurodivergent learners, especially those with ADHD and dyslexia, struggle with cognitive overload on platforms like Coursera.
• Scrolling through endless content, battling distractions, and trying to decode dense material made learning feel like a test of endurance.
• Traditional platforms lack personalization and adaptive features that accommodate different cognitive needs.
• Accessibility was treated as an add-on rather than a core product feature.

Goals & Success Metrics

• Empower every learner to thrive on Coursera regardless of cognitive differences.
• Reduce cognitive overload through adaptive focus tools and customizable interfaces.
• Increase engagement and completion rates for neurodivergent learners.
• Create personalized, accessible, and supportive digital learning experiences.
• Validate accessibility as a product feature, not an afterthought.

My Role & Responsibilities

• Identified the accessibility gap in online learning platforms through user research and observation.
• Designed Cognitive Accessibility Profiles with lightweight settings for personalized content consumption.
• Created core features: Focus Mode, Display Flexibility, Custom Pacing, Interactive Flashcards, and Accessibility Profiles.
• Developed product strategy positioning accessibility as a core feature rather than an add-on.

Discovery & Insights

• Online learning, despite being flexible, often leaves behind the very people it claims to empower.
• Neurodivergent learners need adaptive focus tools, customizable pacing, and cognitive-friendly interfaces.
• Accessibility shouldn't be an add-on—it should be a product feature.
• Learners want to choose how they consume content, not be forced into a one-size-fits-all experience.
• Small adjustments like font styles, colors, text spacing, and chunked content can dramatically improve learning outcomes.

Solution

• Focus Mode: Toggle distractions off with audio-visual relaxation cues, hiding sidebars and UI noise.
• Display Flexibility: Adjustable font styles, colors, and text spacing for dyslexia-friendly reading.
• Custom Pacing: Break large lectures into smaller, cognitively digestible chunks for improved focus.
• Interactive Flashcards: Reinforce memory retention through active learning.
• Accessibility Profiles: Save personalized preferences for future sessions, allowing learners to toggle, combine, or save preferences.
• Smart Reminders: Send tailored study nudges based on pacing and activity.

Execution

• Introduced Cognitive Accessibility Profiles as lightweight settings that let learners choose how they wanted to consume content.
• Designed Focus Mode to hide sidebars and UI noise for better concentration.
• Created Reading Comfort Mode with dyslexia-friendly fonts and color contrast.
• Implemented Chunk Learning to divide lectures into bite-sized segments.
• Built a system where learners could toggle, combine, or save preferences, making Coursera feel like a personal coach rather than a one-size-fits-all platform.

Results & Impact

• Designed 4 core accessibility features addressing different cognitive needs.
• Created 3 cognitive accessibility profiles (Focus Mode, Reading Comfort Mode, Chunk Learning).
• Developed a 100% no-code implementation approach for rapid deployment.
• Positioned accessibility as a product feature, not an add-on.
• Demonstrated how small, thoughtful design changes can make learning more inclusive.

Key Learnings

• Accessibility is a product feature, not an add-on—it should be designed into the core experience.
• Personalization and choice empower learners to thrive in ways that work for their cognitive differences.
• Small adjustments (fonts, spacing, chunking) can have outsized impact on learning outcomes.
• The best accessibility solutions are flexible and allow users to customize their experience.
• Observing user struggles can reveal opportunities to create more inclusive products.

What I’d Improve Next

• Conduct user testing with neurodivergent learners to validate and refine features.
• Expand accessibility profiles to include more customization options.
• Add analytics to measure engagement and completion rates for different accessibility modes.
• Explore AI-powered personalization that adapts to individual learning patterns.
• Create a feedback loop to continuously improve accessibility features based on learner needs.