Glossary

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Deficit-Based Approach(also: Deficit Model, Deficit Framing, Deficit Perspective)

An approach that focuses primarily on what individuals cannot do, what skills they lack, or what is "wrong" with them, rather than their strengths, abilities, and potential. In disability and accessibility contexts, deficit-based approaches frame disabled people through their…

Digital Disability Divide

The gap between people with and without disabilities in both access to and effective use of information and communication technologies. The term extends the broader concept of the digital divide to emphasise that merely providing connectivity or devices is insufficient when…

Digital Sheet Music(also: Electronic Sheet Music)

Musical scores displayed on electronic devices such as tablets, computers, or head-mounted displays rather than printed on paper. Digital sheet music offers accessibility advantages over print including the ability to magnify, adjust colors and contrast, invert colors for better…

Digital Well-Being(also: Digital wellbeing, Digital wellness)

A field of research, design, and consumer technology focused on supporting healthy, intentional relationships between people and their devices. Digital well-being spans screen-time tracking, attention management, notification control, distraction blockers, intentional-use…

Do-It-Yourself(also: DIY, DIY Task)

Tasks that an end user performs without professional help - commonly the assembly, setup, learning-to-operate, and troubleshooting of consumer products such as flat-pack furniture, kitchen appliances, alarm clocks, or smart-home devices. DIY tasks demand strict step ordering,…

Dynamic Accessibility Analysis(also: Runtime Accessibility Testing, Dynamic A11y Analysis)

An approach to detecting accessibility issues by testing an application while it is running on a device or emulator, examining the actual rendered user interface rather than just the source code. Tools like Google's Accessibility Scanner perform dynamic analysis by evaluating…

Dynamic Caption Tracking(also: Word-by-Word Highlighting, Synchronized Caption Highlighting)

A caption display feature that highlights or visually emphasizes the word currently being spoken in the caption text, synchronized with the audio. Dynamic caption tracking helps viewers maintain their reading position within captions and re-engage after momentary attention…

Embodied Skill Learning(also: Motor Skill Learning)

A view of learning in which acquiring a skill - such as a sign language gesture, a musical performance, a sport movement, or a rehabilitation exercise - depends on coordinated bodily action rather than on memorising symbolic information. Embodied skill learning emphasises…

Eyes-Free Interaction(also: Eyes-Free Computing)

Interaction with digital devices and interfaces without requiring visual attention to a screen. Eyes-free interaction is essential for blind users but also benefits sighted users in contexts where looking at a screen is unsafe (driving), impractical (exercising), or socially…

Failure Point Barrier(also: Failure Point)

A type of access barrier where a task is completely impossible without assistive technology or support. Failure point barriers represent the most severe form of inaccessibility—without the necessary tool, there is no practical way to complete the task. Examples include a…

Flexible Learning(also: Flexible Instruction, Flexible Pedagogy)

An educational approach that provides students with choices in how, when, where, and at what pace they learn. Flexible learning may include options such as recorded lectures that can be watched at variable speeds, asynchronous participation, multiple formats for content…

Flow(also: Flow state, Optimal experience, Being in the zone)

A psychological state of complete absorption in an activity, characterized by focused concentration, loss of self-consciousness, altered sense of time, and intrinsic enjoyment. Coined by psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, flow occurs when a person's skills are well-matched to…

Future Impact Barrier

A type of access barrier where a task can be completed in the present without difficulty, but doing so will cause negative consequences in the future, such as triggering a migraine, causing cumulative pain, or depleting limited resources like energy or assistive technology…

GenderMag(also: Gender-Inclusiveness Magnifier, GenderMag Method)

GenderMag (Gender-Inclusiveness Magnifier) is an inclusive design inspection method for finding and fixing inclusivity bugs in problem-solving software. It uses five facets of problem-solving style that show statistically significant gender differences: Motivations…

Gesture-Based Interaction(also: Gesture Control, Gestural Input)

A mode of human-computer interaction where users control digital systems through hand or body movements detected by cameras or sensors, rather than through traditional input devices. In mixed reality headsets like the HoloLens 2, gesture-based interactions include touching,…

Glare Sensitivity(also: Photophobia, Light Sensitivity)

An increased sensitivity to light that causes discomfort, visual difficulty, or pain, commonly experienced by people with various eye conditions including cataracts, macular degeneration, and albinism. Glare sensitivity significantly affects the usability of digital displays and…

Global Accessibility Awareness Day(also: GAAD)

An annual event held on the third Thursday of May to focus attention on digital access and inclusion for the more than one billion people with disabilities worldwide. Founded in 2011, GAAD is observed through events, talks, workshops, panels, and accessibility-focused…

Graphical Authentication(also: Graphical Password, Picture Password)

An authentication method that uses images, patterns, or visual elements instead of text-based passwords. Graphical authentication leverages human visual memory, which is generally stronger than verbal memory for recognition tasks. Types include recognition-based systems…

Hands-Free Interaction(also: Hands-Free Computing, No-Hands Input, Hands-free)

The ability to operate digital devices and interfaces without using the hands, typically through voice commands, eye tracking, head movements, foot controls, or brain-computer interfaces. Hands-free interaction is critical for users with upper limb motor impairments,…

Haptic Consent(also: Vibrotactile Consent)

A consent model in which the request for, agreement to, and revocation of consent are communicated through touch or vibration rather than speech. Haptic consent is motivated by accessibility: many neurodivergent people, Deaf and hard-of-hearing people, and people in high-emotion…

Imagined Device(also: Imaginary Device, Imagined Input Device)

An input device that exists only in the user's imagination, with no physical form, operated through gestures that draw on mental models of a real counterpart such as a smartphone, remote control, or joystick. Imagined devices are typically enacted on or around the body - for…

Input Modality(also: Interaction Modality, Input Method)

A distinct channel or method through which a user provides input to a computing system, such as touch, voice, gesture, gaze, or keyboard interaction. In accessibility contexts, supporting multiple input modalities is critical because users with different disabilities may need…

Internal Access Conflict(also: Conflicting Access Needs)

A situation where a single individual's different access needs contradict or undermine each other, making it impossible to fully accommodate all needs simultaneously. For example, a person with chronic illness may benefit from remote meetings to avoid physical exertion, but the…

Journey Mapping(also: Journey Map)

A qualitative research and design method in which participants describe a trip, task, or experience step-by-step across sequential phases (e.g., pre-trip, in-trip, post-trip), identifying the tools they used, the cues they relied on, the decisions they made, and the points where…

Large-Print Notation(also: Large-Print Music, Enlarged Music Notation)

Sheet music that has been enlarged or reformatted with larger symbols and staves to improve readability for people with low vision. Large-print music notation requires a specialized conversion process and is available from only a few sources, such as select libraries. While…

Linguistic Accessibility

The principle that information, services, and opportunities for participation should be available in a person's preferred language and communication modality. For Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals, linguistic accessibility means providing content and interaction opportunities…

Lip Reading(also: Speechreading, Visual Speech Perception)

The practice of interpreting speech by visually observing the speaker mouth movements, facial expressions, and gestures. While commonly associated with deaf and hard of hearing individuals, lip reading is also used by people with ADHD and auditory processing difficulties as a…

Manipulable UI Component(also: Interactive UI Component, Actionable UI Element)

An on-screen user-interface element that can be acted upon by the user — tapped, clicked, toggled, dragged, or typed into — as distinct from purely informational elements such as static text or images. Common examples include buttons, icons, text buttons, checkboxes, switches,…

Mobile Accessibility(also: Mobile A11y)

The practice of ensuring that mobile applications, websites, and devices are usable by people with disabilities. Mobile accessibility encompasses touchscreen interaction for blind and motor-impaired users, responsive design for various screen sizes and orientations,…

Mobile App Accessibility(also: Mobile Accessibility, App Accessibility)

The practice of designing and developing mobile applications so they can be used effectively by people with disabilities, including those using assistive technologies such as screen readers (TalkBack on Android, VoiceOver on iOS), switch controls, or voice input. Mobile…

Motor Impairment(also: Motor Disability, Physical Disability, Movement Impairment)

A condition that affects a person ability to control physical movements, including fine motor skills (small precise movements like typing) and gross motor skills (larger movements like reaching). Motor impairments can result from conditions such as cerebral palsy, muscular…

Multi-Factor Authentication(also: MFA, 2FA, Two-Factor Authentication)

An authentication pattern that requires two or more verification factors — something you know (password), have (phone, token), or are (biometric) — to confirm a user's identity. MFA substantially reduces account compromise from stolen passwords. Accessibility considerations…

Multi-Modal(also: Multi-Modality, Multimodal Interaction)

An approach to presenting information or enabling interaction through multiple sensory channels simultaneously, such as combining visual, auditory, and tactile outputs. In accessibility, multi-modal design is particularly valuable because it allows users to access information…

Multimodal Content(also: Multi-Modal Media)

Content that combines multiple forms of media—such as text, images, audio, video, and interactive elements—to convey information. Multimodal content can enhance accessibility by providing multiple pathways to understanding, but it can also create accessibility barriers when…

Multimodal Instruction(also: Multimodal Feedback, Multimodal Learning)

An instructional approach that combines two or more sensory modalities - such as verbal narration, non-verbal sound, haptic or tactile feedback, and visual demonstration - to convey information. In accessibility, multimodal instruction is used to replace or supplement…

Multimodal Output(also: Multi-Modal Output, Cross-Modal Output)

The simultaneous presentation of information through multiple sensory channels or formats, such as audio, visual, tactile, and text-to-speech, allowing users to choose the modality or combination of modalities that best suits their abilities and preferences. In accessible…

Multisensory(also: Multisensory Design, Multisensory Interaction)

An approach to design and interaction that engages multiple human senses — such as sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste — to convey information and create richer experiences. In accessibility, multisensory design is valuable because it provides alternative channels for…

MusicXML

An open, XML-based standard format for representing Western musical notation, enabling the exchange of sheet music between different music notation software applications. MusicXML encodes the structural and visual elements of a musical score in a machine-readable format, making…

Musicking

A term coined by musicologist Christopher Small to describe music as an activity or process rather than a thing. Musicking encompasses all participation in a musical performance—playing, listening, dancing, composing, practicing, and providing the setting—and emphasizes that…

Natural Language Query(also: NLQ, Conversational Query, Natural Language Search)

An interaction paradigm where users pose questions or issue commands in everyday language rather than using structured search syntax, predefined filters, or navigation controls. In accessibility contexts, natural language querying is particularly valuable for screen reader users…

Non-Verbal Communication(also: Nonverbal Communication, NVC, Body Language)

Communication through means other than spoken or written words, including facial expressions, eye contact, gestures, body posture, touch, tone of voice, and spatial behavior. Non-verbal communication conveys emotions, attitudes, and social signals that complement, modify, or…

Nonspeech Audio(also: Non-Speech Sounds, Auditory Cues)

Audio feedback in user interfaces that conveys information through sounds other than synthesized or recorded speech, including earcons (abstract musical motifs), auditory icons (realistic sounds representing actions or objects), and sonification (data mapped to sound…

Nonvisual Interaction(also: Eyes-Free Interaction, Screenless Interaction)

Interaction with computing devices without relying on visual feedback, using alternative channels such as audio, tactile, or proprioceptive cues. Nonvisual interaction is essential for blind and low-vision users but also benefits sighted users in eyes-busy contexts like driving…

Option Repertoire

A type of technology repertoire where a person has multiple tools that can each independently address the same access barrier, choosing between them based on context. For example, a person might use fidget toys, background music, or noise-canceling headphones to manage sensory…

Para Powerlifting(also: Adaptive Powerlifting, Paralympic Powerlifting)

A Paralympic strength sport in which athletes with physical disabilities perform bench press lifts. Unlike able-bodied powerlifting which includes squat, bench press, and deadlift, para powerlifting focuses solely on the bench press to accommodate athletes with lower limb…

Para-Athlete(also: Disabled Athlete, Adaptive Athlete)

An athlete with a disability who competes in adaptive or Paralympic sports. Para-athletes may have physical disabilities (amputations, spinal cord injuries, cerebral palsy), visual impairments, or intellectual disabilities. They compete using adaptive equipment such as…

Paralympic(also: Paralympic Games, Paralympics)

The international multi-sport event for athletes with physical, visual, and intellectual disabilities, organized in parallel with the Olympic Games. The first organized Paralympic Games took place in 1948, with official recognition beginning in 1960. The Paralympic movement…

Perceivability(also: Perceivable)

The quality of information or interface elements being detectable through one or more senses — sight, hearing, or touch. Perceivability is the first principle of WCAG 2.0 and requires that information and user interface components be presentable to users in ways they can…

Perceptual Guidance

An instructional technique that directs a user’s attention to specific perceptual features of a target — most commonly color and on-screen location — to help them detect or disambiguate it. In accessibility contexts, perceptual guidance is used in screen-reader cues, tutorial…

Playback Speed(also: Video Speed, Playback Rate)

The rate at which video or audio content plays relative to its original recording speed. Most video platforms allow users to adjust playback speed, typically from 0.25x to 2x or higher. For viewers with ADHD, playback speed is an important accessibility feature—faster playback…