Spatial Assessment
Also known as: Spatial Descriptor
The use of spatial attributes such as distance, dimensions, and location to describe objects in a visual scene. Research with blind users has found that spatial assessment descriptors are problematic because they rely on sighted language and assumptions — distance is relative to camera position, dimensions lack context without reference objects, and location descriptions assume a visual frame of reference. Disability studies scholars argue that spatial concepts like "straight ahead" carry sighted subjectivities that are rarely questioned.
Category: accessibility principles · assistive technology
Related: Assessment Descriptor · Sighted Bias · Visual Description