Glossary

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Ability-based calibration(also: Adaptive calibration, Movement range calibration)

The process of adjusting a technology system's input sensitivity and thresholds to match an individual user's physical capabilities and range of motion, rather than assuming a normative body. In motion-based gaming and rehabilitation, ability-based calibration typically involves…

Adaptive User Interface(also: AUI, Adaptive Interface, Self-Adapting Interface)

A user interface that automatically detects changes in user behavior or ability and adjusts its presentation or functionality accordingly, without requiring the user to manually configure settings. In accessibility, adaptive user interfaces can monitor pointing performance…

Age-Related Dexterity Changes(also: Motor Decline in Aging, Age-Related Motor Impairment)

The gradual decline in fine motor control, hand-eye coordination, and manual dexterity that commonly occurs with aging, affecting the ability to use input devices like mice, keyboards, and touchscreens. These changes are caused by factors including reduced spatial abilities,…

Alternative Input Device(also: Alternative Input, Adapted Input, Alternative Access)

Any computer input device used in place of a standard keyboard and mouse by people who cannot operate conventional input hardware due to physical, motor, or other disabilities. Alternative input devices include head controls, eye-gaze systems, sip-and-puff switches, single…

Ambiguous keyboard(also: T9 input, Multi-tap disambiguation)

A text entry method in which multiple letters are mapped to each physical key, requiring disambiguation algorithms (typically dictionary-based) to determine the intended word from the sequence of key presses. Originally popularized by T9 predictive text on mobile phone numeric…

Ankle-Foot Orthosis(also: AFO)

A lower-limb orthosis that supports the ankle and foot, typically prescribed to control foot drop, improve toe clearance during swing, and stabilise the ankle during stance. AFOs come in solid, hinged, posterior leaf-spring (PLS), and dynamic forms, made from thermoplastics,…

Apraxia(also: Apraxia of Speech, Childhood Apraxia of Speech, CAS)

A motor speech disorder in which the brain has difficulty coordinating the muscle movements needed to produce speech, despite the muscles themselves not being weak. The person knows what they want to say but their brain has difficulty planning and sequencing the precise…

Area Pointing(also: Point and Click, Mouse Pointing)

Area pointing is the conventional target-acquisition paradigm in graphical user interfaces, in which the user must move a cursor inside a confined two-dimensional target region and then execute a click (or equivalent dwell, tap, or activation action) to select it. Targets such…

AssistiveTouch

An iOS accessibility feature that provides an on-screen menu of customizable touch-based shortcuts, allowing users to perform gestures and actions that might otherwise require physical buttons or complex multi-finger gestures. AssistiveTouch is particularly helpful for people…

Auto-Aim(also: Lock-On Targeting, Target Assist, Aim Assist)

An accessibility feature in games and virtual environments that helps users locate and track targets without requiring precise manual aiming. Auto-aim typically scans the environment for objects of interest and automatically adjusts the user's view or cursor to face or track the…

Autofill(also: Form Autofill, Auto-fill)

A browser or operating-system feature that automatically populates form fields (name, address, email, payment details) from stored user data. From an accessibility standpoint, autofill reduces typing effort for users with motor impairments, cognitive disabilities, dyslexia, and…

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