Glossary

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AI Fairness(also: Algorithmic Fairness, Fair AI)

The principle that AI systems should not create or reinforce unfair bias against particular groups. Standard AI fairness frameworks primarily address race and gender but are increasingly recognized as inadequate for disability, because disability is often invisible,…

AI ethics(also: Artificial intelligence ethics, Machine learning ethics)

The field concerned with ensuring that artificial intelligence systems are developed and deployed in ways that are fair, transparent, accountable, and respectful of human rights. In accessibility contexts, AI ethics addresses concerns about algorithmic bias that may disadvantage…

Ability-Mediating Design

A design framework introduced by Radu-Daniel Vatavu that focuses on how interactive systems mediate and reshape users' abilities rather than adapting to fixed abilities. Its core principles are mediation (systems empower users with enhanced skills), world coverage (systems…

Academic Accessibility(also: Accessibility in academia, Scholarly accessibility)

The degree to which the tools, publications, venues, and institutional practices of academic research and higher education are usable by disabled students, faculty, and researchers. Academic accessibility spans scholarly PDFs and figures, reference and qualitative-analysis…

Academic Accommodations(also: Educational Accommodations, Disability Accommodations)

Modifications to academic requirements, environments, or procedures provided to students with disabilities to ensure equal access to education. Common accommodations include extended test time, note-taking services, priority seating, alternative format materials, and reduced…

Access Barrier(also: Accessibility Barrier, Barrier to Access)

Any obstacle that prevents or diminishes a disabled person's ability to complete a task, participate in an activity, or access information. Access barriers are not limited to complete inability (failure points) but also include situations where tasks can be completed but with…

Accessibility Bug Report(also: ABR, Accessibility Defect Report)

A bug report that specifically documents an accessibility barrier or failure in software. These reports describe issues that prevent or hinder people with disabilities from using an application, such as missing alternative text, unlabeled form controls, keyboard navigation…

Accessibility Checker(also: Accessibility Verifier, Accessibility Inspector, A11y Checker)

A software tool that automatically evaluates an application, document, or website against accessibility standards and guidelines, identifying potential barriers for users with disabilities. Accessibility checkers may be built into development environments (such as Apple's…

Accessibility Dongle(also: Disability Dongle)

A well-intentioned but ultimately useless or impractical solution to an accessibility problem that disabled people never actually needed or asked for. Coined by Liz Jackson in 2019, the term critiques designs created without meaningful input from the disability community — often…

Accessibility Remediation(also: A11y Remediation, Accessibility Repair)

The process of identifying and fixing accessibility barriers in digital products such as websites, mobile applications, or documents to bring them into compliance with accessibility standards and make them usable by people with disabilities. Remediation may involve modifying…

Accessible Gesture Interaction(also: Inclusive Gesture Design)

The design and implementation of gesture-based interactions that can be effectively used by people with diverse abilities, including those with motor impairments, visual disabilities, or conditions such as tremor, spasm, or limited range of motion. Accessible gesture interaction…

Accessible Web Design(also: Accessible Web Authoring, Nonvisual Web Design)

Accessible web design refers both to the practice of designing webpages that meet accessibility standards (such as WCAG) and — in a second, increasingly important sense — to the practice of enabling people with disabilities to act as web designers themselves, not just as testers…

Accommodation Letter(also: Letter of Accommodation, LOA, Faculty Notification Letter)

A formal document produced by a university's disability services office that notifies faculty of their obligation to provide specific approved accommodations to a student with a disability. The letter details the accommodations but does not disclose the student's specific…

Adaptive Sports(also: Para Sports, Disability Sports, Adapted Sports)

Sports that have been modified or specifically designed to enable participation by people with disabilities, including modifications to rules, equipment, or playing environments. Adaptive sports range from wheelchair versions of mainstream sports (basketball, rugby, tennis) to…

Affirmative Consent(also: Yes Means Yes)

A consent model that requires explicit, active agreement to an action - typically framed as 'yes means yes' rather than the absence of refusal. Originating in sexual-violence prevention and adopted in HCI work on consent technology, affirmative consent emphasises that silence,…

AgeTech(also: Age tech, Technology for older adults)

A broad category of technology designed to support older adults in aging well, living independently, and managing age-related health conditions. AgeTech spans smart-home monitoring, voice assistants, medication reminders, fall-detection wearables, social companion robots,…

Algorithmic Bias(also: AI Bias, Machine Learning Bias)

Systematic and unfair discrimination embedded in the outputs of algorithmic systems, arising from biased training data, flawed model design, or unrepresentative development processes. For people with disabilities, algorithmic bias manifests in multiple ways: voice assistants…

Algorithmic Harm(also: AI Harm, Algorithmic Negative Outcome)

Any difficulty, disadvantage, or injury caused by the use of AI-driven systems, ranging from mere inconvenience to material harm. For people with disabilities, documented algorithmic harms include denial of vital resources (welfare benefits, employment, housing, education),…

Asynchronous Learning(also: Asynchronous Instruction)

A mode of education in which learners engage with instructional content on their own schedule rather than in real time with an instructor, typically via pre-recorded videos, written materials, or interactive modules. For accessibility, asynchronous learning removes some barriers…

Audio Customization(also: Audio Control, Sound Customization)

The ability for users to modify the audio characteristics of media content, including removing background sounds, enhancing speech clarity, adjusting volume levels for different audio channels, and controlling audio effects. Audio customization for accessibility goes beyond…

Audio Denoising(also: Noise Removal, Audio Noise Reduction)

The process of removing unwanted background sounds, noise, or audio artifacts from an audio signal while preserving the primary content (typically speech). In video accessibility for ADHD, audio denoising removes background music, sound effects, environmental sounds, and other…

Auditory Menu(also: Audio Menu, Speaking Menu)

A user interface menu that conveys its content and structure through audio rather than visual display. Auditory menus typically use text-to-speech to read menu item names and may incorporate non-speech sounds such as earcons, spearcons, or tones to provide contextual information…

Auto-Generated Captions(also: Automatic Captions, AI Captions, Machine-Generated Captions)

Captions automatically created by speech recognition technology without human review or editing. Video platforms like YouTube and TikTok offer auto-generated captions as a default accessibility feature. While they improve baseline accessibility, auto-generated captions often…

Auxiliary Removal(also: Overlay Removal, Non-Essential Element Removal)

A video layout customization option that removes visual elements not directly related to the core video content, such as watermarks, logos, banners, breaking-news tickers, subscription prompts, and other overlays. Auxiliary Removal was the most popular layout customization…

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