Glossary

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Capability Sensitive Design

A design approach, proposed by Ilse Oosterlaken, that takes human diversity morally seriously and evaluates technologies by how they actually expand or constrain the real opportunities (capabilities) available to individual users. Capability Sensitive Design extends the…

Collective Communication Access(also: CCA)

A framework developed by McDonnell et al. (2023) that reconceptualises communication access as a shared, co-constructed practice distributed across everyone involved in an interaction, rather than as an individual accommodation provided to disabled participants. CCA argues that…

Community-Centered Design(also: Community-Based Design)

A design approach that centers the expertise, needs, and perspectives of specific communities throughout the technology development process, rather than designing for communities from the outside. In accessibility, community-centered design involves blind and disabled…

Contrast Sensitivity

The ability to distinguish between objects and their background based on differences in luminance or color. Contrast sensitivity is distinct from visual acuity and can be reduced even when acuity is relatively preserved. People with poor contrast sensitivity may struggle to read…

Curb Cut Effect(also: Curb Cut Phenomenon, Electronic Curb Cut)

The phenomenon whereby accessibility features designed for people with disabilities end up benefiting a much broader population. Named after sidewalk curb cuts — ramps originally mandated for wheelchair users that also help people with strollers, bicycles, rolling luggage,…

Curb-Cut Effect(also: Electronic Curb Cut)

The phenomenon whereby features designed for people with disabilities end up benefiting a much broader population. Named after pavement curb cuts originally mandated for wheelchair users, which also help parents with pushchairs, delivery workers with carts, cyclists, and…

Customizability(also: Customization, Personalization)

The ability for users to modify and configure a system's interface, interaction methods, and behavior to match their individual needs and preferences. In accessibility contexts, customizability is a core design principle that acknowledges the diversity of disabled users'…

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