Glossary

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Screen Reader Compatibility(also: Screen Reader Support, Screen Reader Accessible)

The degree to which a digital interface, website, application, or document can be effectively used with screen reader software. Screen reader compatibility requires proper semantic HTML structure, meaningful heading hierarchies, labeled form elements, appropriate ARIA…

Screenshorting(also: Screenshot Tweeting, Text as Image)

The practice of sharing text content as a screenshot or image rather than as actual text, often to circumvent character limits, preserve formatting, or avoid attribution. On social media platforms, users frequently post screenshots of text messages, articles, or other tweets as…

Single Page Application(also: SPA)

A web application architecture that dynamically updates page content in response to user interactions without requiring a full page reload, instead using JavaScript to modify the Document Object Model (DOM) and fetch data asynchronously. SPAs present unique accessibility…

Slide Accessibility(also: Presentation Accessibility, Accessible Presentations, Accessible Slides)

The practice of designing and delivering slide presentations so they can be fully accessed and understood by people with disabilities, particularly screen reader users. Key requirements include setting proper reading orders for slide elements, providing alt-text for images and…

Social Media

Networked digital platforms — including Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, LINE, WhatsApp, and similar services — that enable users to create, share, and discuss content with others. For accessibility, social media raises questions about platform-level support for assistive technology…

Spreadsheet Accessibility(also: Accessible Spreadsheets)

The design and implementation of spreadsheet documents and applications so they can be effectively used by people with disabilities, particularly screen reader users. Key considerations include consistent layout and structure, meaningful headers and labels, avoiding merged cells…

Structural Navigation(also: Structure-Based Navigation)

A mode of screen reader navigation that allows users to move through content based on its logical or semantic structure rather than reading linearly from beginning to end. In web content, structural navigation involves jumping between headings, landmarks, lists, and other HTML…

Subjective Image Description(also: Subjective Visual Assessment)

An image description that involves opinion, aesthetic judgment, or interpretation rather than purely factual content. Examples include assessing whether an outfit matches, whether a room setting looks nice, or whether a photograph is aesthetically pleasing. Subjective image…

Survey Accessibility(also: Accessible Surveys, Inclusive Survey Design)

The practice of designing surveys, questionnaires, and assessment tools so they can be completed by people with diverse abilities, languages, and communication preferences. Survey accessibility encompasses providing content in multiple formats (text, audio, sign language video),…

Tabular Data(also: Table Data, Structured Data)

Information organized in a grid of rows and columns, commonly found in spreadsheets, databases, and HTML tables. For accessibility, tabular data must be properly structured with row and column headers so that assistive technologies can convey the relationships between data cells…

Technology Readiness(also: Tech Readiness, Digital Readiness)

The degree to which an individual, organization, or system is prepared to effectively adopt and use new technologies, encompassing infrastructure availability, digital literacy, institutional support, and attitudinal acceptance. Research with TVIs in India reveals that…

Teleconferencing Accessibility(also: Video Conferencing Accessibility, Remote Meeting Accessibility)

The practice of ensuring that teleconference and video conferencing platforms and meetings are usable by people with disabilities, including deaf and hard of hearing users, blind and low-vision users, and people with cognitive or motor disabilities. Teleconferencing…

Touch Screen Accessibility(also: Touchscreen Accessibility, Touch Input Accessibility)

The design and implementation of touch-based interfaces so they can be effectively used by people with various disabilities, including those with motor impairments, low vision, or blindness. Touch screen accessibility challenges include the requirement for precise finger…

User-Generated Content(also: UGC, Prosumer Content)

Web content created and published by non-technical users through platforms like blogs, social media, wikis, and content management systems, rather than by professional web developers. The rise of user-generated content in Web 2.0 has created a significant accessibility…

Variation Summary

A concise presentation format for AI-generated image descriptions that explicitly organizes information into three categories: agreements (claims supported by all or most models), disagreements (claims where models conflict), and unique mentions (information provided by only one…

Variation Surfacing(also: Variation Display, Surfacing Variations)

A technique for helping users assess AI reliability by generating multiple responses from one or more AI models and systematically presenting the differences, agreements, and unique mentions across those responses. In the context of image descriptions for blind and low vision…

Variation-Aware Description

A presentation format for AI-generated image descriptions that aggregates multiple model responses into a single coherent, hierarchical description while highlighting variations inline. When multiple AI models describe the same image, a variation-aware description combines their…

Video Conferencing Accessibility(also: Virtual Meeting Accessibility, Remote Meeting Accessibility)

The degree to which video conferencing platforms such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet can be used effectively by people with disabilities, including those who rely on screen readers, keyboard navigation, captions, or other assistive technologies. Key accessibility…

Video Conferencing Accessibility(also: Virtual Meeting Accessibility, Online Meeting Accessibility)

The design and implementation of video conferencing platforms to be usable by people with disabilities, including those using screen readers, keyboard-only navigation, captions, and other assistive technologies. Key accessibility considerations include clear screen reader…

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…

Videoconferencing Accessibility(also: Virtual Meeting Accessibility)

The extent to which videoconferencing platforms like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet can be used effectively by people with disabilities. Key accessibility concerns include screen reader compatibility with meeting controls and features, captioning for deaf and hard of…

Virtual Reality Accessibility(also: VR Accessibility)

The practice of designing Virtual Reality systems, applications, and experiences to be usable by people with disabilities. VR accessibility encompasses three interconnected layers: the physical layer (hardware, controllers, head-mounted displays, and interaction paradigms), the…

Visual Privacy(also: Visual Information Privacy)

The safeguarding and management of sensitive visual information that could be shared or disclosed in everyday life, particularly through the use of assistive technologies and generative AI tools. For blind and low vision users, visual privacy encompasses multiple dimensions:…

Web-Based Learning(also: WBL, Online Learning, E-Learning)

An educational approach that delivers instructional content and learning experiences through web browsers and internet-connected platforms, encompassing everything from static course websites to interactive simulations and learning management systems. Web-based learning has…

Webtoon(also: Web Comic, Digital Comic)

A format of digital comic originating in South Korea, designed for vertical scrolling on mobile devices. Webtoons are characterized by their long, continuous vertical panels, vibrant colors, and dynamic visual storytelling that relies heavily on visual effects, motion lines, and…

Webtoon Accessibility

The practice of making webtoons—vertically scrolling digital comics—accessible to people with disabilities, particularly blind and low vision users. Key challenges include converting rich visual narratives into audio form while preserving emotional engagement, pacing, and…

World Design(also: Virtual World Design, Environment Design)

The creation and structuring of virtual environments in VR, including architecture, terrain, objects, lighting, and interactive elements. In accessibility contexts, world design directly impacts whether disabled users can navigate and engage with virtual spaces. Key…

XR Accessibility(also: Extended Reality Accessibility, Immersive Accessibility)

The practice of designing virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR) experiences that are usable by people with disabilities. XR accessibility encompasses challenges across motor, visual, auditory, cognitive, and vestibular domains, including the…

YouTube Accessibility(also: Video Platform Accessibility)

The degree to which YouTube and similar video platforms can be effectively used by people with disabilities, including availability of captions, audio descriptions, screen reader compatibility, and keyboard navigation. For teachers with vision impairments in India, YouTube…

Z-Order(also: Stacking Order, Layer Order)

Z-order refers to the front-to-back layering sequence of overlapping objects on a 2-D digital canvas, determining which objects appear in front of or behind others. In accessibility, Z-order is significant because screen readers in presentation software often read objects…

Zoom Fatigue(also: Video Call Fatigue, Teleconference Fatigue)

The exhaustion and mental strain experienced from prolonged use of video conferencing platforms, caused by the increased cognitive effort required to process non-verbal cues such as facial expressions, tone of voice, and body language through imperfect audiovisual technology.…

eAccessibility(also: Electronic Accessibility, ICT Accessibility, Digital Accessibility)

The concept of ensuring that all people, including those with disabilities and elderly people with reduced functional capabilities, have equal access to information and services made available through electronic and digital technologies. eAccessibility encompasses websites,…