Glossary

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Machine Teaching(also: Interactive Machine Teaching)

A paradigm in human-computer interaction where non-expert users guide the training of machine learning models through interactive feedback, such as providing examples, labels, or corrections. Unlike traditional machine learning where data scientists prepare datasets and tune…

Mental Workload(also: Cognitive Load, Cognitive Workload)

The amount of cognitive effort and mental resources required to complete a task. In accessibility contexts, mental workload is an important measure of how demanding an interface is to use — an interface may be technically functional but impose excessive cognitive burden on users…

Menu Selection(also: Menu Navigation, Menu Selection Task)

A fundamental computer interaction task in which a user chooses an option from a set of items presented in a menu structure, typically involving locating the target item, moving the cursor to it, and clicking to select. Menu selection performance is commonly measured by task…

Metacommunication(also: Designer-User Metacommunication)

In semiotic engineering, metacommunication refers to the overarching communication that takes place between a software designer and a user through the medium of the computer interface. The interface acts as the designer's deputy, conveying messages about what the system does,…

Metamessage(also: Designer's Metamessage)

In Semiotic Engineering theory, the overarching one-way message that a designer sends to users through the system's interface, communicating who the system is for, what it can do, how to use it, and why it was designed that way. The metamessage is encoded through interface signs…

Microinteraction(also: Micro-interaction, Quick interaction)

A brief, high-frequency interaction with a device that typically takes a sighted user less than four seconds to complete, such as checking the time, glancing at a notification, or adjusting the volume. Microinteractions are significant for accessibility because they expose…

Mixed-Initiative Design(also: Mixed-Initiative Interaction)

An interaction design approach in which both the system and the user can take initiative in directing the flow of interaction, rather than one party being entirely in control. In accessibility contexts, mixed-initiative design is used to balance automated system actions (such as…

Mixed-Initiative Interaction(also: Mixed-Initiative Systems, Human-Agent Collaboration)

An interaction paradigm in which both the human user and the computer system can take initiative in directing the task, rather than one party being entirely in control. In accessibility contexts, mixed-initiative interaction is particularly important for AI-powered assistive…

Mixed-ability group(also: Mixed-ability setting, Inclusive group)

A group composed of individuals with and without disabilities who participate together in shared activities such as research, education, or design. Mixed-ability groups are valued in accessibility practice because they reflect real-world diversity and can foster inclusive design…

Modality(also: Interaction Modality, Interface Modality)

The sensory channel or communication method through which a user interacts with a computer system, such as visual (graphical displays), auditory (speech or non-speech audio), tactile (braille, haptic feedback), or textual (command-line) output, and keyboard, mouse, voice,…

Model Human Processor(also: MHP, Human Processor Model)

A cognitive architecture developed by Card, Moran, and Newell (1983) that models human information processing as three interconnected subsystems: perceptual, cognitive, and motor processors, each with characteristic cycle times. The perceptual processor (~100ms) handles sensory…

Motor Function Time(also: Motor Response Time, Motor Cycle Time)

The time required to execute a physical action such as pressing or releasing a key, clicking a mouse button, or moving a pointing device. In the Model Human Processor, motor function time for able-bodied users averages approximately 70 milliseconds per action. For motor-impaired…

Multimodal Features(also: multimodal data, multimodal fusion)

Information extracted from multiple sensory channels or data types—such as combining visual (RGB), depth, audio, and skeletal data—to improve recognition accuracy. In accessibility systems, multimodal approaches often outperform single-modality methods because different data…

Multimodal Natural Language Generation(also: Multimodal NLG)

Natural language generation systems that produce output coordinated across more than one modality — typically combinations of text or speech with graphics, maps, animation, gesture, or tactile output. Multimodal NLG systems decompose their output into several "channels" that are…

14 results.