Glossary
Terms used in accessibility research and practice. Each entry has a definition, common aliases, and category tags.
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- Decoding(also: Word Decoding, Phonetic Decoding)
- The process of translating written symbols (letters or graphemes) into their corresponding sounds (phonemes) to recognize and read words. Decoding is a foundational reading skill described in the Simple View of Reading model, where reading comprehension equals the product of…
- Learning Disability(also: Specific Learning Disability, Learning Disorder)
- A neurological condition that affects the brain's ability to receive, process, store, respond to, or communicate information. Learning disabilities include dyslexia (reading), dyscalculia (mathematics), dysgraphia (writing), and other specific processing difficulties. Learning…
- Makaton
- A language programme that uses a combination of speech, signs (borrowed from British Sign Language), and graphic symbols to support communication for people who have difficulty with spoken language. Unlike BSL, which is a complete natural language with its own grammar, Makaton…
- Mixed Dyslexia
- A subtype of dyslexia that combines features of both surface and phonological dyslexia, typically presenting as discourse-related difficulties including fixation issues and problems recognizing punctuation. Mixed dyslexia is generally considered more complex than either pure…
- Phoneme-Grapheme Mapping(also: Phoneme-Grapheme Correspondence, Alphabetic Principle)
- The relationship between speech sounds (phonemes) and their written representations (graphemes), which is foundational to reading in alphabetic writing systems. Mastering phoneme-grapheme mapping — the alphabetic principle — is essential for fluent word recognition and a key…
- Phonological Dyslexia
- A subtype of dyslexia characterized by difficulty with sound-based word decoding, including problems with orthographically similar words (e.g., confusing "addition" and "audition"), number and letter recognition, and errors related to word substitutions, additions, or omissions.…
- Reading Disability(also: Reading Difficulty, Reading Disorder)
- A condition that impacts a person's ability to read and develop literacy skills. Reading disabilities encompass a wide range of conditions including dyslexia, alexia, and difficulties arising from intellectual disabilities, cognitive impairments, sensory disabilities, or…
- Surface Dyslexia
- A subtype of dyslexia characterized by difficulty with whole-word recognition and irregular word reading, often resulting in confusion with homophonic or pseudo-homophonic words (such as "weather" and "whether"). People with surface dyslexia can typically sound out words using…
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