Glossary

Search results

AAC

Abbreviation for Augmentative and Alternative Communication. AAC encompasses all forms of communication other than oral speech that are used to express thoughts, needs, wants, and ideas. This includes both unaided systems (such as gestures, sign language, and facial expressions)…

AAC Device(also: AAC System, Communication Device)

A dedicated hardware device or software application designed to support augmentative and alternative communication for people who cannot rely on natural speech. AAC devices range from low-tech options (communication boards, picture cards) to high-tech systems (speech-generating…

AI-Mediated Communication(also: AI-Assisted Communication)

Communication that is facilitated, enhanced, or generated with the assistance of artificial intelligence tools. This includes AI-powered text generation, speech-to-text transcription, real-time translation, message drafting, and communication augmentation for people with speech…

ASL Linguistic Markers(also: Non-Manual Markers, Non-Manual Signals, ASL Facial Grammar)

Facial expressions, head movements, and body postures that serve grammatical and semantic functions in American Sign Language and other sign languages, distinct from emotional facial expressions. Common ASL linguistic markers include MM (meaning effortlessly or regularly,…

Active Listening(also: Attentive Listening)

A communication technique where the listener fully concentrates on, understands, and responds to a speaker, demonstrating engagement through verbal and non-verbal feedback. Active listening behaviors include maintaining eye contact, nodding, providing verbal acknowledgments,…

Aided AAC(also: Aided Augmentative and Alternative Communication)

The branch of Augmentative and Alternative Communication that relies on an external tool to produce or carry the message — ranging from low-tech paper communication boards and picture-exchange cards to high-tech tablet apps and dedicated speech-generating devices accessed via…

Aided Language Stimulation(also: Aided Language Modeling, Aided Language Input, ALgS)

A communication intervention technique in which a conversation partner models language on an AAC device while speaking, pointing to symbols on the learner's communication system as they talk. This includes describing their own actions, narrating the learner's actions, providing…

Algospeak(also: Algorithm-Friendly Language, Algo-Speak)

The practice of using code words, creative spellings, or substitutions in online content to avoid algorithmic detection, censorship, or demonetization by social media platforms. Examples include spelling "lesbian" as "le$bian" or "le dollar bean" on TikTok. While algospeak…

Alphabet Board(also: Letter Board, Spelling Board, Communication Board)

A low-technology communication tool displaying letters of the alphabet that enables people who cannot speak to spell out words and messages by pointing to, gazing at, or otherwise indicating individual letters. Alphabet boards are among the simplest and most widely used AAC…

American Sign Language(also: ASL)

A complete, natural language with its own grammar, syntax, and vocabulary, expressed through hand shapes, facial expressions, and body movements, used primarily by Deaf communities in the United States and parts of Canada. ASL is not a signed version of English—it has distinct…

American Sign Language(also: ASL, Ameslan)

A complete, natural language that uses hand movements, facial expressions, and body posture to convey meaning, serving as the primary language of many Deaf people in the United States and parts of Canada. ASL has its own grammar and syntax distinct from English and is not a…

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis(also: ALS, Motor Neurone Disease, MND)

A progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects motor neurons controlling voluntary muscle movement, leading to progressive weakness, muscle wasting, and eventually loss of the ability to speak, swallow, and breathe. ALS is one of the primary conditions for which gaze-based…

Aphasia

A language disorder that affects a person's ability to communicate, including difficulties with speaking, understanding speech, reading, and writing. Aphasia typically results from brain injury, most commonly stroke, and its severity and specific manifestations vary widely. In…

Articulation(also: Speech Articulation, Articulation Skills)

The physical production of speech sounds through coordinated movement of the articulators—tongue, lips, teeth, palate, jaw, and respiratory system. Articulation disorders occur when a person has difficulty producing specific speech sounds correctly, which may involve…

Articulation Disorder(also: speech sound disorder, phonological disorder)

A speech impairment characterized by difficulty producing speech sounds or phonemes correctly. Articulation disorders are classified into three categories: organic (caused by hearing loss or structural abnormalities), motor (caused by neurological conditions affecting motor…

Articulation Work(also: Care Articulation, Need Articulation)

The often invisible labor of putting thoughts, needs, and feelings into words, particularly in care relationships. Articulation work involves expressing what support is needed, coordinating care activities, and communicating between care partners. This concept, originating from…

Assistive Communication(also: Assisted Communication)

Any method, device, or system used to supplement or replace natural speech and writing for people who have difficulty with spoken or written language. Assistive communication encompasses a broad range of approaches, from low-tech solutions like picture boards and communication…

Asynchronous Communication(also: Async Communication)

Communication that does not occur in real time, allowing participants to send and receive messages at different times. In educational and workplace contexts, examples include email, discussion forums, recorded lectures, and messaging platforms. Asynchronous communication…

Augmentative Communication(also: AAC, Augmentative and Alternative Communication)

Methods, tools, and strategies used to supplement or replace spoken or written communication for people who have difficulty producing or comprehending speech and language. AAC ranges from low-tech approaches like picture boards and sign language to high-tech devices with speech…

Augmentative and Alternative Communication(also: AAC)

A broad set of strategies, tools, and technologies used to supplement or replace spoken or written communication for people with complex communication needs. AAC ranges from low-tech solutions like picture boards and communication books to high-tech speech-generating devices,…

Augmentative and Alternative Communication(also: AAC)

A set of tools, strategies, and techniques used to supplement or replace spoken or written communication for people with complex communication needs. AAC ranges from low-tech options like picture boards and symbol cards to high-tech solutions including speech-generating devices…

Augmented Communicator(also: AC, AAC User, Aided Communicator)

A person who uses augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) technology to express themselves, typically because a disability affects their ability to produce speech. Augmented communicators use devices ranging from simple picture boards to sophisticated speech-generating…

Backchannel Feedback(also: Backchannel, Backchanneling, Backchannel Cues)

Verbal or non-verbal signals given by a listener during a conversation to show attention, understanding, or agreement without taking over the speaking turn. Common examples include head nods, vocalizations like mm-hmm, thumbs-up gestures, and brief verbal affirmations.…

Backchanneling(also: Backchannel, Listener Feedback, Active Listening Signals)

The verbal and non-verbal signals that listeners produce during conversation to indicate engagement, understanding, agreement, or encouragement without taking a full speaking turn. Backchanneling includes utterances like "uh-huh," "mm-hmm," "yeah," and "right," as well as…

British Sign Language(also: BSL)

The primary sign language used by deaf communities in the United Kingdom, recognized as an official language under the British Sign Language Act 2022. BSL is distinct from American Sign Language (ASL) and other sign languages, with its own grammar, syntax, and vocabulary. A key…

Caregiver Support(also: Carer Support, Family Support)

Assistance, training, and resources provided to family members, paid carers, and other individuals who support people with disabilities in daily life. In the context of assistive technology, caregiver support is essential because caregivers often play a critical role in setting…

Choice-Making(also: Choice Board, Aided Choice)

A structured communication and learning strategy in which an individual is presented with two or more options and supported to make a selection, often using pictures, objects, or symbols. Choice-making is a foundational skill in autism education and therapy, serving multiple…

Clear Face Mask(also: Transparent Face Mask, Window Face Mask, See-Through Mask)

A face covering that incorporates a transparent panel over the mouth area, allowing deaf and hard of hearing people to lip-read and observe facial expressions during conversation. Clear face masks emerged as an important accessibility solution during the COVID-19 pandemic, when…

Code-switching(also: Language switching, Code-mixing)

Code-switching is the practice of alternating between two or more languages, dialects, or communication styles within a single conversation or even a single sentence. It is common in multilingual households, immigrant communities, and among speakers of non-standard dialects.…

Cognitive-Communication Needs(also: CCN, Cognitive-Communication Disorders)

Difficulties in communication that arise from underlying cognitive deficits in areas such as attention, memory, organization, problem-solving, and executive function, rather than from primary language impairments. Cognitive-communication needs commonly result from traumatic…

Collective Communication Access(also: CCA)

A framework developed by McDonnell et al. (2023) that reconceptualises communication access as a shared, co-constructed practice distributed across everyone involved in an interaction, rather than as an individual accommodation provided to disabled participants. CCA argues that…

Comic Strip Conversations(also: CSC)

A visual-support technique developed by Carol Gray (1994) for autistic children and adolescents, in which a social interaction is illustrated as a short comic strip with simple stick figures, speech bubbles, thought bubbles, and colour codes for emotion. By externalising who…

Common Ground(also: Shared Understanding, Mutual Knowledge)

The mutual knowledge, beliefs, and assumptions shared between people communicating or collaborating. In accessibility and inclusive design, establishing common ground is essential for effective collaboration between people with different sensory abilities. Sighted people often…

Common Ground(also: Grounding, Mutual Understanding)

The shared knowledge, beliefs, and assumptions that conversation participants use to understand each other. In communication theory, grounding is the process by which speakers establish and maintain this mutual understanding through strategies such as referencing shared context,…

Communication Access

The right and ability of all people to communicate and be understood, regardless of the mode or method of communication they use. Communication access encompasses the provision of supports, technologies, and environments that enable effective communication for people with…

Communication Asymmetry(also: Interaction Asymmetry, Communication Imbalance)

The imbalance in communication capabilities, speed, or modalities between conversation partners. In AAC contexts, communication asymmetry arises because AAC users communicate at 12-18 words per minute compared to 125-185 for typical speakers, creating fundamental differences in…

Communication Board(also: AAC Board, Symbol Board, Choice Board)

A low-tech or digital display of symbols, pictures, words, or phrases arranged on a surface that a person with complex communication needs can point to, touch, or select to express messages. Communication boards can be static (fixed vocabulary on a single page) or dynamic…

Communication Breakdown(also: Conversational Breakdown, Communication Failure)

A disruption in conversation where the intended message is not successfully conveyed or understood, leading to confusion, misunderstanding, or loss of conversational coherence. In AAC communication, breakdowns can occur when backchanneling cues are missed (because the partner is…

Communication Disability(also: Communication Impairment, Complex Communication Needs)

A condition that significantly limits a person's ability to communicate through speech, language, or other conventional means. Communication disabilities can result from neurological conditions (cerebral palsy, stroke, ALS, Parkinson's disease), developmental conditions,…

Communication Impairment(also: CI, Communication Disorder, Communication Disability)

Damage to brain functions responsible for language and memory that impairs the expression and understanding of spoken and written language. Communication impairments can result from neurological disease, stroke, or acquired brain injury, and include conditions such as aphasia…

Communication Partner(also: Conversational Partner, Interaction Partner)

A person who regularly interacts with an AAC user and supports their communication, including family members, caregivers, teachers, therapists, and peers. Communication partners play a critical role in AAC success — they model AAC use, create opportunities for communication,…

Communication Partner Training(also: Conversation Partner Training)

Structured training for the people who regularly communicate with an AAC user — including family members, caregivers, teachers, and peers — to help them support effective communication. Communication partner training teaches strategies such as allowing extra time for AAC…

Communication Privacy Management Theory(also: CPM, CPM Theory)

A communication theory developed by Sandra Petronio that treats private information as something people own and collectively manage through negotiated rules about boundaries, co-ownership, and turbulence (boundary violations). CPM is widely used to analyse online…

Complex Communication Needs(also: CCN)

A term describing the communication challenges faced by individuals who cannot rely on speech alone to meet all their communication needs in daily life. People with complex communication needs may use a combination of speech, gestures, sign language, communication boards, and…

Computer-Mediated Communication(also: CMC)

Communication that occurs through digital devices and platforms, including text messaging, email, video conferencing, voice chat, and social media. Computer-mediated communication raises accessibility challenges because many platforms assume users can see, hear, type, or speak.…

Computerized Visual Communication(also: C-VIC)

A computer-based assistive technology system that enables people with aphasia to communicate by arranging icons and images on screen to form sentences, which can then be translated into spoken or written language. C-VIC systems use structured visual vocabularies where users…

Conversational Agency(also: Communicative Agency)

An individual's capacity to express themselves and achieve their communicative goals within a conversation. Conversational agency encompasses not just the ability to transmit messages but also the ability to shape conversation flow, express personality, negotiate meaning, and…

Conversational Flow(also: Dialogue Flow, Conversation Rhythm)

The natural rhythm and progression of a conversation, including the smooth exchange of turns, timely responses, appropriate pauses, and coherent topic development. Conversational flow depends on both partners' ability to produce and perceive turn-taking cues, backchanneling…

Conversational Management(also: Conversation Management, Interactional Management)

The processes by which interlocutors jointly regulate the structure of a conversation - taking and ceding turns, pre-empting interruptions, shifting attention and topic, repairing misunderstandings, and maintaining flow over time. In AAC research, conversational management is a…

Conversational Scaffolding(also: Scaffolded Interaction)

Human or technology-provided support, prompts, or guidance that helps individuals accomplish communication tasks they might struggle with independently. In voice assistant contexts, scaffolding includes features like setting up calendars, providing reminders, and offering…