Deictic Reference

Communication that refers to something by pointing or indicating rather than describing it explicitly—words like "this," "that," "here," and "there." In face-to-face communication, deictic references typically rely on visual cues (pointing gestures, gaze direction). For people who are blind, these visual deictic references are inaccessible, requiring either explicit verbal description or alternative channels such as haptic feedback. Accessible communication systems and collaborative tools must provide non-visual ways to convey deictic information, enabling users to indicate specific locations or objects without relying on sight.