Glossary
Terms used in accessibility research and practice. Each entry has a definition, common aliases, and category tags.
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- ABC Model(also: Antecedent-Behavior-Consequence, ABC Analysis, ABC Framework)
- A behavioural-science framework, rooted in B. F. Skinner's operant conditioning, that analyses any observed behaviour as a three-part sequence: Antecedent (the situation, trigger, or context immediately before the behaviour), Behaviour (what the person actually did), and…
- Allistic(also: Non-Autistic)
- A term used to describe people who are not autistic, regardless of whether they are neurotypical in other respects. The term was created within autistic communities to provide a specific counterpart to "autistic" that does not frame autism as deviation from a norm. Using…
- Applied Behavior Analysis(also: ABA, ABA Therapy)
- A therapeutic approach based on behavioral psychology principles that aims to increase desired behaviors and decrease undesired ones through systematic reinforcement. ABA is widely used as an intervention for autistic children, particularly in the United States. While proponents…
- Applied Behavioral Analysis(also: ABA, Behavioral Analysis, Behaviour Analysis)
- Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) is a scientific approach to understanding and changing behavior through systematic observation, measurement, and evidence-based intervention. In accessibility and disability contexts, ABA principles — including positive reinforcement, prompting,…
- Applied Behavioural Analysis(also: ABA, Applied Behavior Analysis)
- A therapeutic approach based on behaviorist principles that uses reinforcement and conditioning to modify behaviour, widely used with autistic children. ABA has become increasingly controversial within the autistic community and among disability scholars. Critics argue that it…
- Authorable Virtual Peer(also: AVP)
- A life-sized animated virtual character technology designed to support social skills development in children with autism and related disorders. Unlike passive virtual agents, authorable virtual peers allow children to interact in multiple modes: face-to-face conversation,…
- Autism Employment Gap(also: Autism Unemployment, Neurodiversity Employment Gap)
- The significant disparity in employment rates between autistic adults and the general population. Research indicates only 10-50% of autistic individuals are employed, with just 15-20% in full-time positions despite many having skills and desire to work. Barriers include the job…
- Autism Technology(also: Autism Tech, ASD Technology)
- Technologies specifically designed for, marketed to, or used by autistic individuals and their support networks. Autism technology spans a wide range including digital therapy platforms, educational apps, data tracking and behavioral monitoring systems, diagnostic computational…
- Autistic Agency(also: Autistic Self-Determination, Autistic Autonomy)
- The capacity of autistic individuals to make choices, express preferences, direct their own lives, and participate meaningfully in decisions that affect them. Research on autistic agency in technology contexts has found that autistic children and adults are often positioned as…
- Autistic Burnout(also: Autistic Fatigue, Neurodivergent Burnout)
- A state of physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion experienced by autistic people, often resulting from the cumulative effect of masking (suppressing autistic traits to appear neurotypical), sensory overload, and the ongoing effort of navigating environments not designed for…
- Autistic Joy
- A concept articulated by Elliot Wassell and widely discussed in autistic communities describing the intense, absorbing pleasure autistic people can experience in special interests, sensory engagement, deep focus, and preferred modes of working. Autistic joy is typically framed…
- Autistic Meltdown(also: Meltdown, Sensory Meltdown)
- An autistic meltdown is an intense, involuntary response to overwhelming sensory, emotional, or cognitive overload, during which an autistic person may temporarily lose the ability to regulate their behavior, emotions, or communication. Meltdowns can manifest as crying, shutting…
- Autistic Sociality(also: Autistic Social Interaction, Atypical Sociality)
- The distinct ways in which autistic people form social connections, build community, and engage in relationships — which differ from neurotypical social norms but are not deficient. Autistic sociality may emphasize shared interests over personal relationships, prefer text-based…
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