Glossary

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IAccessible2(also: IA2)

An open accessibility API specification originally developed by IBM and donated to the Linux Foundation. IAccessible2 extends Microsoft Active Accessibility (MSAA) to support the richer semantic information needed by Web 2.0 applications, including WAI-ARIA roles, states, and…

IBM Home Page Reader(also: Home Page Reader, HPR)

IBM Home Page Reader (HPR) was a pioneering voice browser developed by IBM that provided audio-based web browsing for people with visual disabilities. Unlike screen readers that operate as an overlay on top of a visual browser, Home Page Reader was a self-contained browser that…

Ideographic Characters(also: Ideographs, Logograms, CJK Characters)

Ideographic characters are written symbols that represent a word, morpheme, or concept rather than an individual sound, as used in Chinese (Hanzi), Japanese (Kanji), and historically Korean (Hanja). Because a single writing system can include thousands of distinct characters —…

Image Accessibility(also: Visual Content Accessibility)

The practice of making images perceivable and understandable to people who cannot see them, primarily through alternative text descriptions. Image accessibility is a foundational requirement of WCAG (Success Criterion 1.1.1) and involves providing text alternatives that convey…

Image Map(also: Clickable Map, Imagemap)

An HTML feature that allows different regions of a single image to be designated as separate hyperlinks, each pointing to a different URL. Image maps can be client-side (coordinates and links defined in HTML MAP and AREA elements) or server-side (click coordinates sent to the…

Information Foraging(also: Information Foraging Theory)

A theoretical framework from cognitive science that models how people search for and navigate to information, drawing an analogy to animal foraging behaviour. Users assess "information scent" — cues like link text, headings, and page structure — to decide whether to continue…

Information Overload(also: Cognitive Overload, Information Overwhelm)

The state of being overwhelmed by the volume of information presented, making it difficult to identify relevant content, make decisions, or complete tasks effectively. In web accessibility contexts, information overload disproportionately affects screen reader users who must…

Information Retrieval(also: IR)

The science of searching for and extracting relevant information from large collections of documents or data. In accessibility, information retrieval techniques such as keyword extraction, text summarisation, and relevance ranking are used to help blind and visually impaired…

Information Seeking(also: Information Retrieval Behavior, Information Search)

The process of actively looking for specific information to answer a question, complete a task, or satisfy an information need. Information seeking on the web involves formulating queries, navigating search results, scanning pages for relevant content, and synthesizing…

Information wayfinding(also: Digital wayfinding, Information navigation)

The process of orienting oneself within and navigating through digital information spaces such as websites, applications, or documents, analogous to physical wayfinding through buildings or cities. For screen reader users, information wayfinding relies on structural cues like…

Interactive Description(also: Dynamic Description)

A design approach for providing accessible descriptions of interactive digital content that updates in real time as users navigate and manipulate elements. Unlike static alternative text, interactive descriptions consist of two complementary structures: state descriptions that…

Interface Consistency(also: Consistent Navigation, Consistent Identification, UI Consistency)

Interface consistency is a design principle requiring that navigational mechanisms, visual layouts, and interactive components appear and behave in the same way across different pages, screens, or applications. In accessibility, consistency is critical because users who rely on…

Internet Archive(also: Wayback Machine, Web Archive)

A non-profit digital library founded in 1996 that archives web pages, books, audio, video, and software for free public access. Its Wayback Machine service stores historical snapshots of websites, allowing researchers to view how web pages appeared at specific points in time. In…

Internet Health(also: Web Health)

A concept describing the overall state of the internet as a public resource, encompassing factors such as accessibility, privacy, security, openness, and digital inclusion. In the context of web accessibility, Internet Health refers specifically to how well the web serves people…

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