Glossary

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DBSCAN(also: Density-Based Spatial Clustering of Applications with Noise)

A density-based clustering algorithm introduced by Ester, Kriegel, Sander, and Xu (1996) that groups data points located in dense neighbourhoods and labels sparse points as noise. Unlike k-means, DBSCAN does not require the user to specify the number of clusters in advance and…

Data Annotation(also: Data labeling, AI labeling)

The process of attaching labels, transcriptions, bounding boxes, or other structured metadata to raw data so that it can be used to train, evaluate, or benchmark machine-learning models. Annotation is typically performed by human workers - in-house experts, clinicians,…

Data Feminism

A framework developed by Catherine D'Ignazio and Lauren Klein that applies intersectional feminist thought to the practice of working with data, offering seven principles including examining power, challenging power, elevating emotion and embodiment, rethinking binaries,…

Data Mining(also: Knowledge Discovery, KDD, Knowledge Discovery in Databases)

Data mining is the computational process of discovering patterns, rules, and relationships in large datasets, drawing on techniques from statistics, machine learning, and database systems. Common tasks include classification, clustering, association-rule mining, anomaly…

Data Sharing(also: Open Data, Data Dissemination)

The practice of making research data available to other researchers or the public for reuse, replication, and further analysis. In accessibility research, data sharing presents unique tensions: datasets sourced from people with disabilities are essential for building inclusive…

Data Stewardship(also: Dataset Stewardship, Data Governance)

The responsible management of data throughout its lifecycle, including decisions about collection, storage, access, sharing, and disposal. In accessibility research, participatory data stewardship involves disabled data contributors in decisions about how their data is used,…

Dataset Collection(also: Data Collection Protocol)

The process of gathering, curating, and documenting data used to train, evaluate, or benchmark machine learning systems. In accessibility contexts, dataset collection decisions — who contributes, what objects or scenarios are captured, how quality is assessed, how privacy is…

Deaf Epistemology(also: Deaf Ways of Knowing)

A body of theory and practice that recognizes Deaf communities as producers of distinct knowledge grounded in visual-spatial modalities, embodied interaction, sign language, and community experience. Deaf epistemologies foreground visual primacy, sightlines, and shared cultural…

Decision Tree(also: Classification Tree, Regression Tree, C4.5)

A decision tree is a supervised machine-learning model that represents a classification or regression decision as a tree of yes/no tests on input features, with predictions at the leaves. Well-known algorithms include ID3, C4.5, CART, and Random Forests. Decision trees are…

Decolonial Computing(also: Decolonial AI)

An evolution of postcolonial computing that moves beyond critique to explore practices and pedagogies that center the voices, knowledge, and experiences of marginalized communities in technology design and research. Decolonial computing actively seeks to dismantle power…

Decolonial Learning(also: Decolonial Design Practice)

A preparatory and ongoing phase in community-based research in which researchers — typically affiliated with Global North institutions or corporations — work to understand the historical, political, and cultural context of a community before setting a research agenda, and cede…

Delphi Method(also: Delphi Technique, Delphi Interview)

A structured research technique originally developed by the RAND Corporation for forecasting, in which a panel of experts participates in multiple rounds of questioning to reach consensus on a topic. In accessibility and HCI research, the Delphi method is used to gather expert…

Deployment Study(also: Field Deployment, In-the-Wild Study)

A research method where technology is placed in users' real-world environments for an extended period to observe natural usage patterns, adoption behaviors, and long-term experiences. Unlike controlled lab studies, deployment studies capture ecological validity by revealing how…

Design Fiction(also: Speculative Fiction, Diegetic Prototype)

A design research practice that creates fictional but plausible artifacts, scenarios, or narratives set in imagined futures to provoke discussion, surface assumptions, and explore the social and ethical implications of emerging technologies. Unlike traditional prototyping,…

Design Probe(also: Technology Probe, Design Provocation)

A research method in which a functional or semi-functional prototype is deployed with participants not primarily to test usability, but to provoke discussion, elicit design insights, and explore future possibilities. Design probes are deliberately open-ended, encouraging…

Design Workshop(also: Design Session)

A structured session where participants collaborate to generate ideas, create prototypes, and provide feedback on designs. Design workshops are a common method in user-centered and participatory design for involving end users in the development process. However, traditional…

Diary Study(also: Diary Method, Experience Sampling)

A longitudinal research method in which participants record their experiences, behaviors, and reflections over an extended period (days to weeks) while interacting with a system or technology in their natural environment. In accessibility research, diary studies are particularly…

Diegetic Prototype(also: Diegetic Prop)

A research and design method that uses modified versions of real-world content to demonstrate potential future interventions or technologies within a familiar context. In accessibility research, diegetic prototypes allow participants to experience and evaluate proposed…

Digital Ethnography(also: Virtual Ethnography, Netnography, Online Ethnography)

A qualitative research method that applies ethnographic principles to study online communities, digital cultures, and technology-mediated social interactions. Digital ethnography involves systematic observation and analysis of online behavior, content, and interactions in their…

Digital Phenotyping(also: Active Digital Phenotyping, Passive Digital Phenotyping, Behavioral Phenotyping)

The use of data from digital devices (smartphones, computers, wearables) to quantify behavioral and physiological characteristics relevant to health or ability. Passive digital phenotyping collects data unobtrusively during natural device use (e.g., analyzing typing patterns or…

Disability-Centered Dataset(also: Disability-First Dataset, Accessibility Dataset)

A research dataset specifically designed to capture the practices, environments, and experiences of people with disabilities, rather than retrofitting general-purpose datasets for accessibility evaluation. Disability-centered datasets reflect the real variability, messiness, and…

Disabled researcher(also: Researcher with disability, VI researcher)

A researcher who has a disability and conducts academic research, often — but not exclusively — in disability-related fields. Disabled researchers bring unique lived experience and situated knowledge to their work, which can deepen understanding and reduce bias. However, they…

Discourse Analysis(also: Critical Discourse Analysis, CDA)

A research methodology that examines how language constructs meaning, power relations, identities, and social realities. Critical discourse analysis specifically investigates how language in texts, media, and institutions reflects and reproduces social inequalities. In…

Dual-Positioned Researcher(also: Dual Positioning, Insider-Outsider Researcher)

A researcher who holds both the role of investigator and the lived experience of the condition or community being studied — for example, a person with OCD studying OCD, or a Deaf researcher studying Deaf users. Dual-positioned researchers bring interpretive depth and epistemic…

Duoethnography

A collaborative qualitative research method in which two researchers with differing perspectives examine a shared topic through dialogue, juxtaposing their personal experiences to generate deeper understanding. Unlike traditional ethnography, duoethnography treats the…

Dyadic Interaction(also: Dyad Interaction, Paired Interaction)

Social interaction between two individuals, studied as the fundamental unit of social exchange. In accessibility and intervention research, dyadic interaction is often examined in contexts such as child-caregiver pairs, student-peer partnerships, or client-therapist…

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