Glossary

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AAC Symbol Set(also: Symbol Set, Communication Symbol Set, Pictographic Symbol Set)

A standardised collection of pictographic images used in augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) to represent words, phrases, or concepts. Each symbol in a set is mapped to specific vocabulary, allowing people who cannot use spoken language to construct messages by…

ASR Captioning(also: Automatic Captioning, Live Auto-Captioning, AI Captioning)

The use of automatic speech recognition (ASR) technology to generate real-time text captions of spoken language, commonly used as an accessibility tool for Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals in meetings, lectures, and video calls. Unlike professional captioning services (such…

Augmentative and Alternative Communication(also: AAC)

A range of methods, devices, and strategies used to supplement or replace speech for individuals who have difficulty producing or comprehending spoken language. AAC encompasses both unaided approaches (such as gestures, sign language, and facial expressions) and aided approaches…

Blissymbols(also: Blissymbolics, Bliss Language)

A symbolic language created by Charles K. Bliss, consisting of several hundred basic symbols that can be combined to create new meanings. Unlike pictographic symbol sets where each image represents a specific word, Blissymbols are ideographic — they represent concepts rather…

Common Ground(also: Grounding, Mutual Understanding)

The shared knowledge, beliefs, and assumptions that conversation participants use to understand each other. In communication theory, grounding is the process by which speakers establish and maintain this mutual understanding through strategies such as referencing shared context,…

Communication Burden(also: Burden of Communication, Conversational Burden)

The disproportionate effort that people with communication-related disabilities must exert to participate in conversations, particularly in mixed-ability groups. In the context of Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) individuals, communication burden refers to the repeated need to ask…

Communication Partner(also: CP, Conversation Partner)

A person who communicates with an AAC user, whether through speech, sign, or other means. Communication partners play a critical role in the success of AAC interactions — their willingness to wait, their ability to interpret messages, and their understanding of AAC devices…

Deaf Speech(also: Deaf Accent, Deaf Voice)

Accented speech produced by many individuals who are deaf or significantly hard of hearing, resulting from incomplete acoustic feedback from their own voices. Because deaf speakers cannot fully hear themselves, their speech patterns often differ from those of hearing speakers in…

Deafblindness(also: Deaf-Blindness, Dual Sensory Impairment, Combined Vision and Hearing Loss)

Deafblindness is a combined vision and hearing impairment that creates unique challenges beyond those associated with either sensory loss alone. It is not simply the sum of deafness and blindness — the combination creates distinct communication, information access, and mobility…

English as a Second Language(also: ESL, ENL, ELL)

English as a Second Language (ESL) refers to the teaching and learning of English by speakers of other languages. In accessibility contexts, language barriers are recognized as a significant form of exclusion, affecting over 1.5 billion English learners worldwide who may…

Hyperarticulation(also: Clear Speech, Over-Articulation)

A speaking style in which a person exaggerates the clarity of their pronunciation by moving their tongue and mouth to more extreme positions, producing more distinct vowel and consonant sounds. Hyperarticulation occurs naturally when speakers perceive that their listener is…

Mixed DHH-Hearing Communication(also: DHH-Hearing Interaction, Cross-Hearing Status Communication)

Communication that occurs between Deaf or Hard of Hearing (DHH) individuals and hearing individuals, particularly in settings where spoken language is the primary mode. These interactions present unique accessibility challenges because hearing speakers may not be aware of how…

Participatory Design with Proxies(also: PDwP, Proxy Design)

A variation of participatory design in which people who are familiar with target users or who closely resemble them are included in the design process as proxy participants. Proxies — such as parents, teachers, caregivers, or Speech-Language Pathologists — provide domain…

Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities(also: PMLD, Profound Intellectual and Multiple Disabilities, PIMD)

Profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD) refers to a combination of profound intellectual disability with additional physical, sensory, or health impairments that together create extremely complex support needs. Individuals with PMLD typically require high levels of…

Real-Time Captioning(also: CART, Communication Access Realtime Translation, Live Captioning)

The instant conversion of spoken language into text displayed simultaneously as speech occurs, provided either by a trained human captioner or through automatic speech recognition (ASR) technology. Real-time captioning is a critical accessibility service for Deaf and…

Real-Time Captioning(also: Live Captioning, Real-Time Text)

The process of converting spoken language into text that is displayed simultaneously or near-simultaneously as the speech occurs. Real-time captioning is essential for deaf and hard of hearing individuals to participate in live events, meetings, and educational settings. Methods…

Remote Interpretation(also: Remote Sign Language Interpreting, Distance Interpreting)

The provision of sign language or spoken language interpretation services through technology platforms that use live video streaming, allowing the interpreter to work from a different location than the participants. Remote interpretation encompasses both video remote…

Sign Language Interpreting(also: Sign Language Interpretation, ASL Interpreting)

The professional practice of translating bidirectionally between a signed language (such as American Sign Language) and a spoken language (such as English) to facilitate communication between Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing individuals and hearing people. Sign language interpreters are…

Socially Assistive Robot(also: SAR, Social Robot)

A robot designed to assist people through social interaction rather than physical manipulation. Socially assistive robots use embodied presence, movement, and social behaviors such as gaze, gestures, and expressions to provide support in contexts including therapy, education,…

Speech-Reading(also: Lip-Reading, Lipreading, Visual Speech Perception)

The practice of understanding spoken language by visually interpreting the movements of the lips, face, tongue, and jaw of the speaker, along with contextual cues such as facial expressions and body language. Many deaf and hard of hearing people use speech-reading as one of…

Tadoma(also: Tadoma Method)

A tactile method of communication used by individuals who are deafblind, in which the receiver places their hand on the speaker's face — thumb lightly on the lips and fingers along the jawline and cheek — to feel the movements of speech including lip movements, vibrations, and…

Turn-Taking

The process by which participants in a conversation manage who speaks when, including how speakers signal they are finished and how listeners indicate they want to contribute. Turn-taking norms are typically based on spoken communication speeds and can create significant…

Video Relay Service(also: VRS)

A free, subscriber-based telecommunications service regulated by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the United States that enables deaf individuals who use sign language to make phone calls to hearing individuals through a sign language interpreter via video link.…

Video Remote Interpreting(also: VRI)

A fee-based service that provides sign language interpretation via video conferencing technology, where the interpreter is located remotely rather than physically present with the deaf and hearing participants. VRI is commonly used when two of the three parties (the deaf person,…

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