Glossary

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VR-ASL(also: Virtual Reality American Sign Language)

A simplified adaptation of American Sign Language (ASL) designed for use in virtual reality environments where current controller tracking technology cannot capture the full range of hand and finger movements required for standard ASL. VR-ASL modifies or substitutes signs to…

Video Communication(also: Video Relay, Video-Based Communication)

The use of video technology for real-time or asynchronous communication, including video calls, video messages, and video posts on social media. Video communication is the primary medium for remote sign language use, as sign languages require visual transmission of hand…

Video Phone(also: Videophone, VP)

A telecommunications device that enables real-time video and audio communication between two or more parties. For Deaf and hard of hearing people, video phones are essential communication tools that allow conversation in sign language over distance, providing functional…

Video Remote Interpreter(also: VRI, Video Remote Interpreting, Video Relay Interpreting)

A video telecommunication service that provides sign language interpretation remotely via video connection. VRI allows deaf or hard of hearing individuals to communicate with hearing people through an off-site interpreter who appears on a screen, translating between sign…

Videoconferencing(also: Video Conferencing, Video Calling, Video Meetings)

Real-time audio-and-video communication between two or more people over a network, typically mediated by a software platform such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, WhatsApp, or WeChat. Videoconferencing is a significant accessibility touchpoint: it can lower barriers for…

Viseme(also: Visual Phoneme)

The visual equivalent of a phoneme — the distinct mouth shape or lip position that corresponds to a speech sound as seen on a speaker's face. Unlike phonemes, which are auditory units, visemes are visual units that represent how the mouth looks during speech production. Multiple…

Visual Communication(also: VIC)

A method of conveying information, ideas, and meaning through visual elements such as images, icons, symbols, and pictographs rather than through spoken or written language. In accessibility contexts, visual communication systems are particularly important for people with…

Visual Interpretation Services(also: VIS, Remote Sighted Assistance, Visual Assistance Services)

Visual interpretation services are technology platforms that connect blind and low vision users with sighted assistants (either human volunteers or paid professionals) who provide real-time visual descriptions through video calls or image sharing. Services like Aira and Be My…

Visual Scene Display(also: VSD)

A type of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) layout that uses photographs or images of real-world scenes with embedded interactive hotspots that produce speech output when selected. Unlike grid displays that present abstract symbols in rows and columns, VSDs ground…

Visual Supports(also: Visual Aids, Visual Cues)

Pictures, symbols, photographs, written words, objects, or other visual items used to support communication, learning, and behaviour in individuals with developmental disabilities, particularly autism. Visual supports leverage the strong visual processing abilities common among…

Visual Vocabulary(also: Picture-Based Vocabulary, Icon Vocabulary)

A collection of words or concepts represented through images, icons, or pictorial symbols rather than text alone. Visual vocabularies are widely used in augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems to support people who have difficulty with text-based language,…

Vlog(also: Video Blog, Video Blogging, Vlogging)

A video-based form of blogging where individuals create and share content through recorded video rather than written text. For Deaf communities, vlogging has become a particularly important communication medium because it enables expression in sign language, bypassing the…

Vocal Development(also: Speech Development, Vocal Production Development)

The process by which individuals acquire and refine the ability to produce speech sounds and vocalizations. In typically developing children, vocal development progresses through stages from cooing and babbling to first words and complex speech. For children with autism spectrum…

Vocal Stereotypy(also: Vocal Stereotypies, Vocal Stim)

Repetitive, non-functional vocalizations that serve no apparent communicative purpose, commonly observed in individuals with autism spectrum disorder and other developmental disabilities. Vocal stereotypies may include repetitive humming, squealing, echolalia (repeating heard…

Voice over IP(also: VoIP, Internet Telephony, IP Telephony)

Technology that enables voice communication over internet protocol networks rather than traditional telephone lines. VoIP applications such as Skype, Zoom, and Teams allow voice and video calls over the internet at low cost. For accessibility, VoIP presents both opportunities…

Voice prosthesis(also: speech prosthesis, voice restoration device)

A device that enables speech production for people who have lost their natural voice, typically due to laryngectomy or severe laryngeal damage. Voice prostheses include external devices like electrolarynx (which produces vibrations held against the neck or inserted into the…

Voice rest(also: vocal rest, voice therapy)

A prescribed period of reduced or eliminated voice use, typically following laryngeal surgery, vocal cord injury, or to treat voice disorders. During voice rest, patients may be instructed to whisper or remain completely silent, relying on written communication, AAC devices, or…

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