Glossary

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ADHD(also: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, ADD, Attention Deficit Disorder)

A neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by persistent patterns of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity that interfere with functioning and development. ADHD affects working memory, executive function, and the ability to sustain attention on tasks. For digital…

Arteriovenous Malformation(also: AVM)

A tangle of abnormal blood vessels connecting arteries and veins directly, bypassing the normal capillary network. AVMs most often occur in the brain or spinal cord and can rupture, causing hemorrhagic stroke, seizures, or progressive neurological damage. When an AVM affects…

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder(also: ADHD)

A neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by persistent patterns of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity that interfere with functioning and development. ADHD affects approximately 7.6% of children and 6.8% of adults worldwide and has three presentations: predominantly…

Auditory Processing(also: Auditory Processing Disorder, Central Auditory Processing)

The brain ability to interpret and make sense of sounds, particularly speech. Auditory processing difficulties—which commonly co-occur with ADHD—can make it challenging to distinguish speech from background noise, process rapid speech, and maintain attention to spoken content.…

Autism Spectrum(also: Autism Spectrum Disorder, ASD, Autism Spectrum Condition)

A neurodevelopmental condition characterized by differences in social communication, interaction patterns, and restricted or repetitive behaviors, interests, or activities. The spectrum concept reflects the wide variation in how autism presents—ranging from individuals who need…

Autism Spectrum Disorder(also: ASD, Autism, Autistic Spectrum Condition)

A neurodevelopmental condition characterized by differences in social communication and interaction, along with restricted or repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities. Autism exists on a spectrum with widely varying support needs. Many autistic people experience…

Blind(also: Blindness)

A visual impairment severe enough that a person cannot use vision as their primary means of perceiving information, typically defined legally in the United States as best-corrected visual acuity of 20/200 or worse in the better eye, or a visual field of 20 degrees or less.…

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome(also: CTS, Carpal Tunnel)

A condition caused by compression of the median nerve as it passes through the carpal tunnel in the wrist, resulting in numbness, tingling, weakness, and pain in the hand and fingers. Carpal tunnel syndrome is commonly associated with repetitive hand and wrist movements,…

Cerebellar Ataxia(also: Ataxic Dysarthria)

A neurological condition caused by damage to the cerebellum that affects coordination, balance, and motor control. In speech, cerebellar ataxia produces ataxic dysarthria characterized by irregular speech rhythm, explosive or scanning speech patterns, imprecise consonants, and…

Comorbidity(also: Co-occurring Conditions, Dual Diagnosis)

The simultaneous presence of two or more medical conditions or disorders in the same individual. Comorbidity is extremely common in neurodevelopmental and mental health conditions—for example, ADHD frequently co-occurs with anxiety, depression, autism, learning disabilities, and…

Congenital Blindness(also: Congenital Vision Loss)

Blindness or severe visual impairment present from birth or very early childhood, as opposed to acquired or adventitious blindness that develops later in life. The distinction is significant for accessibility because congenitally blind individuals may have different information…

Deafness

A hearing loss profound enough that a person cannot rely on hearing as the primary channel for language and environmental awareness, typically defined audiologically as a loss of 90 decibels or more in the better ear. Deafness exists on a spectrum and has strong cultural…

Hemiparesis(also: Hemiplegia, One-Sided Weakness)

Weakness or partial paralysis affecting one side of the body, commonly resulting from stroke, traumatic brain injury, or neurological conditions. Hemiparesis affects motor control, coordination, and strength in the arm, leg, and sometimes face on the affected side. People with…

Hyperactivity

A core symptom of ADHD characterized by excessive movement, restlessness, difficulty remaining seated or still, and feeling driven as if by a motor. In adults, hyperactivity often manifests as internal restlessness rather than obvious physical activity. For digital…

Impulsivity(also: Impulsiveness)

A core symptom of ADHD characterized by acting without forethought, difficulty waiting, interrupting others, and making hasty decisions without considering consequences. In digital contexts, impulsivity can lead to premature form submissions, unintended purchases, accidental…

Inattention(also: Inattentiveness)

A core symptom of ADHD characterized by difficulty sustaining focus, being easily distracted by irrelevant stimuli, difficulty following through on instructions, and appearing not to listen when spoken to directly. In digital accessibility, inattention impacts the ability to…

Intellectual Disability(also: ID, Cognitive Disability, Learning Disability (UK))

A disability characterized by significant limitations in intellectual functioning (reasoning, learning, problem-solving) and adaptive behavior (conceptual, social, and practical skills) that originates before age 22. Intellectual disabilities exist on a spectrum from mild to…

Motor Impairment(also: Motor Disability, Physical Disability, Movement Impairment)

A condition that affects a person ability to control physical movements, including fine motor skills (small precise movements like typing) and gross motor skills (larger movements like reaching). Motor impairments can result from conditions such as cerebral palsy, muscular…

Movement Disorder(also: Motor Disorder)

A group of neurological conditions that affect the speed, fluency, quality, and ease of movement. Movement disorders can cause excessive or reduced movement that may or may not be voluntary. Common types include Parkinson's disease, essential tremor, dystonia, and Huntington's…

Multiple Disabilities(also: Multi-impairment, Multiple Impairments, Combined Disabilities)

The presence of two or more disabilities in the same individual, such as combined motor and visual impairments, or deafblindness. People with multiple disabilities often face compounded accessibility barriers because assistive technologies and accessibility features are…

Neurodegenerative Disease(also: Neurodegenerative Disorder, Neurodegeneration)

A category of diseases characterized by progressive loss of structure or function of neurons, including death of nerve cells. Common neurodegenerative diseases include Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). These…

Neurodevelopmental Disorder(also: NDD)

A group of conditions that arise during the developmental period and are characterized by developmental deficits that produce impairments in personal, social, academic, or occupational functioning. Neurodevelopmental disorders include ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, intellectual…

Neurodevelopmental Disorder(also: NDD, Neurodevelopmental Disability)

An umbrella term for a group of conditions that originate during the developmental period and involve impairments in cognitive, social, emotional, or motor functioning. Common neurodevelopmental disorders include autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, intellectual disability, and…

Paralysis(also: Paralyzed, Paresis)

The partial or complete loss of voluntary muscle function, resulting from damage to the motor nervous system. Common causes include spinal cord injury, stroke, traumatic brain injury, motor neuron diseases such as ALS, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, and brainstem lesions…

Print Disabilities(also: Print Disability, Print Impairment)

A broad term encompassing any condition that prevents a person from effectively reading standard printed text. Print disabilities include blindness and low vision, but also extend to learning disabilities such as dyslexia, physical disabilities that prevent holding or…

Sensory Integration(also: Sensory Processing, SI)

The neurological process of organizing sensory information from the body and environment to produce appropriate responses. Sensory integration dysfunction (also called sensory processing disorder) occurs when the brain has difficulty processing and responding to sensory input,…

Spastic Diplegia(also: Diplegic Cerebral Palsy)

A form of cerebral palsy characterised by muscle stiffness (spasticity) that primarily affects the lower limbs, though the upper limbs may also be mildly affected. It is one of the most common types of cerebral palsy. People with spastic diplegia may walk independently, use…

Spastic Triplegia(also: Triplegic Cerebral Palsy)

A form of cerebral palsy in which three limbs are affected by spasticity (muscle stiffness), typically both legs and one arm. This condition presents unique challenges for assistive technology use because the individual has limited function in three limbs while retaining…

Visually Impaired(also: Vision Impairment, Visual Impairment, BVI)

An umbrella term for any degree of reduced visual function that cannot be fully corrected with standard glasses or contact lenses, ranging from mild low vision to total blindness. The term is frequently combined as BVI (blind and visually impaired) in accessibility research to…

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