← Writing · Reviews →

Glossary

Terms used in accessibility research and practice. Each entry has a definition, common aliases, and category tags.

Search results

CODA(also: Child of Deaf Adults, Children of Deaf Adults)
An acronym for Child of Deaf Adults, referring to a hearing person who was raised by one or more Deaf parents. CODAs typically grow up bilingual and bicultural, fluent in both a sign language and a spoken language, and often serve as cultural bridges between Deaf and hearing…
Circle of Friends(also: Circle of Support, Circles of Support)
Circle of Friends (or Circle of Support) is a facilitated social-inclusion intervention in which a person with a disability is surrounded by a small, intentional group of peers, family members, and supporters who commit to sustained involvement in their social life. The model…
Civic Technology(also: Civic Tech, Civic Hacking)
Technology developed by community members, advocacy groups, or volunteers to improve public services, increase government transparency, and address civic challenges. In accessibility, civic technology includes open-source tools and platforms built to monitor and improve the…
Community Health Worker(also: CHW, Lay Health Worker)
A frontline healthcare provider who is a trusted member of the community they serve and who delivers basic health services, education, and referrals, typically with limited formal training. Community health workers extend the reach of formal health systems into homes and…
Community Sourcing(also: Community-Driven Accessibility)
An approach to creating accessible content by drawing on community members who have domain expertise or vested interest in the content, rather than relying on professional describers or general crowdworkers. Unlike crowdsourcing, which draws from a broad pool of workers who may…
Community of Practice(also: CoP)
A group of people who share a common interest or concern and learn together through regular interaction, sharing knowledge, and collaborative problem-solving. In technology adoption contexts, communities of practice form organically when groups such as older adults in…
Community-Based Design(also: Community-Based Participatory Design, CBPD)
A design approach that situates the design process within a specific community, engaging community members as active participants and co-creators rather than passive research subjects. Unlike lab-based user research, community-based design takes place in the community's own…
Community-sourcing(also: Community Sourcing, Community-contributed Data)
A data collection approach where members of a specific community contribute information based on their direct experience and local knowledge, as distinct from general crowdsourcing which draws on anonymous, unrelated workers. In accessibility contexts, community-sourcing…
Connected Learning
A culturally-embedded learning paradigm developed by Mizŭko Ito and colleagues that frames rich learning as emerging from interest-driven, peer-supported, and academically-oriented activities across a network of everyday settings — including online affinity communities, fandoms,…
Crowdsourced Accessibility(also: Crowdsourced Accessibility Auditing, Citizen-Sourced Accessibility)
The practice of collecting accessibility information about physical or digital environments through contributions from large numbers of people, rather than relying solely on professional auditors. In the physical accessibility context, crowdsourcing approaches include virtual…
Crowdsourcing(also: Crowd-Sourced Data, Community Reporting)
A method of collecting data, information, or contributions from a large number of people, typically via the internet, rather than relying on a single authoritative source. In accessibility contexts, crowdsourcing is used to gather information about the accessibility of physical…
Crowdsourcing
The practice of gathering information, data, or contributions from a large group of distributed participants, typically via the internet. In accessibility, crowdsourcing platforms like Wheelmap and AccessTogether allow users to rate and report the accessibility of physical…
Cultural Mediator(also: Museum Mediator, Cultural Facilitator)
A professional who facilitates meaningful engagement between cultural institutions (such as museums, galleries, or heritage sites) and visitors, particularly those from diverse or marginalised backgrounds. In accessibility contexts, cultural mediators play a crucial role in…

13 results.