Glossary

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Accordion Interface(also: Accordion Widget, Collapsible Sections, Disclosure Widget)

A user interface pattern that presents content in vertically stacked sections, each with a header that can be expanded or collapsed to show or hide the associated content. Accordions are particularly useful for accessibility because they allow users to navigate a hierarchical…

Adaptive Cursor(also: Adaptive Navigation Cursor)

A cursor or navigation pointer whose speed, sensitivity, or behavior dynamically adjusts based on context such as the amount of content, the current navigation granularity, or user preferences. In text editing for blind users, an adaptive cursor might move more slowly through…

Adaptive User Interface(also: AUI, Adaptive Interface, Self-Adapting Interface)

A user interface that automatically detects changes in user behavior or ability and adjusts its presentation or functionality accordingly, without requiring the user to manually configure settings. In accessibility, adaptive user interfaces can monitor pointing performance…

Ambient Display(also: Ambient Interface, Peripheral Display)

A display or interface that communicates information through subtle environmental changes — such as colour shifts, lighting changes, or gentle sounds — that can be perceived at the periphery of a user's attention without demanding direct focus. In accessibility contexts, ambient…

Area Pointing(also: Point and Click, Mouse Pointing)

Area pointing is the conventional target-acquisition paradigm in graphical user interfaces, in which the user must move a cursor inside a confined two-dimensional target region and then execute a click (or equivalent dwell, tap, or activation action) to select it. Targets such…

Audio Cues(also: Earcons, Auditory Icons, Sound Cues)

Non-speech sounds used in software interfaces to convey information, status changes, or events that would otherwise be communicated only visually. In accessible development environments, audio cues can indicate errors, warnings, code changes, and navigation events, providing…

Audio Customization(also: Audio Control, Sound Customization)

The ability for users to modify the audio characteristics of media content, including removing background sounds, enhancing speech clarity, adjusting volume levels for different audio channels, and controlling audio effects. Audio customization for accessibility goes beyond…

Audio-Tactile Interface(also: Audio-Haptic Interface, Multimodal Tactile Interface)

A user interface that combines tactile (touch-based) interaction with auditory feedback to convey information that is otherwise visual. Audio-tactile interfaces are widely used in accessibility to make graphical content such as charts, maps, and diagrams accessible to blind and…

Auditory Menu(also: Audio Menu, Speaking Menu)

A user interface menu that conveys its content and structure through audio rather than visual display. Auditory menus typically use text-to-speech to read menu item names and may incorporate non-speech sounds such as earcons, spearcons, or tones to provide contextual information…

Auditory Scrollbar(also: Audio Scrollbar, Sonic Scrollbar)

A non-speech audio cue that conveys a user's position within a list or menu, functioning as an auditory analogue to a visual scrollbar. Auditory scrollbars use variations in pitch, tone patterns, or grouped sounds to communicate contextual information such as how many items are…

Aural Interface(also: Voice Interface, Voice-Controlled Interface, Voice User Interface)

An aural interface is a user interface that relies primarily on spoken language for both input (voice commands) and output (spoken responses). Examples include Amazon Alexa, Apple Siri, and Google Assistant. While aural interfaces have become increasingly popular due to their…

Breadcrumb(also: Breadcrumb Navigation, Breadcrumb Trail, Breadcrumbs)

A secondary navigation pattern that displays the user's current location within a site or application hierarchy as a series of linked steps, typically separated by arrows or slashes. Breadcrumbs help users understand where they are in a structure and navigate back to higher…

Broad-Shallow Interface(also: Broad-Shallow UI, Single-Page Interface)

A user interface design pattern that presents a large amount of information on fewer screens, typically requiring scrolling to view all content. Most mainstream apps, including Google Calendar, use this approach. While efficient for experienced users who can quickly scan and…

Camera Guidance(also: Camera Aiming Assistance, Framing Assistance)

Non-visual feedback systems that help blind users position a camera to capture usable images of documents, objects, or scenes. Guidance may include spoken directional instructions (e.g., "move up", "move left"), audio tones indicating proximity to a target, or vibration…

Carousel(also: Image Carousel, Content Carousel, Slider Carousel)

A UI pattern that displays a rotating series of content items (images, cards, teasers) in a single area, typically navigated by swipe, arrows, or auto-advance. Carousels pose well-known accessibility risks: auto-rotation can violate WCAG 2.2.2 (Pause, Stop, Hide), items beyond…

Command-Line Interface(also: CLI, Command-Driven Interface, Command Interface)

A user interface style in which the user types textual commands, usually following a defined syntax, to drive a system. Command-line interfaces are typically fast and powerful for expert users, scriptable, and efficient for repetitive work, but require users to memorise commands…

Compound Controls(also: Composite Widgets, Complex Controls)

User interface components that combine multiple interactive elements into a single logical control, such as a group of radio buttons, a set of checkboxes with a shared label, a combobox (combining a text input with a dropdown list), or a date picker with multiple fields.…

Context-Aware Interface(also: Context-Sensitive Interface, Adaptive Interface)

A user interface that dynamically adapts its content, features, or behavior based on the user's current context, such as their location, current task, time of day, or the website they are visiting. In cognitive accessibility, context-aware interfaces are particularly valuable…

Conversational Interface(also: Conversational UI, Voice User Interface, VUI)

A user interface that enables interaction through natural language, either spoken or typed, allowing users to communicate with a system using conversational dialogue rather than traditional graphical controls. Conversational interfaces include voice assistants, chatbots, and…

Conversational User Interface(also: CUI, Conversational Interface, Dialogue Interface)

A user interface that enables interaction through natural language conversation, either via voice (spoken dialogue) or text (chat). Conversational user interfaces encompass voice assistants, chatbots, and dialogue systems that interpret user intent and respond in natural…

Cookie Notice(also: Cookie Banner, Cookie Consent Banner, Cookie Popup)

A user interface element that appears on websites to inform visitors about the use of cookies and other tracking technologies, typically requesting consent to store data on their device. Cookie notices are required under privacy regulations like GDPR and the ePrivacy Directive.…

Cursor Movement(also: Cursor Navigation, Pointer Movement, Mouse Movement)

The process of controlling the position of a pointer or cursor on screen using an input device such as a mouse, trackpad, or joystick. Cursor movement efficiency is a key metric in accessibility research, measured through movement time, velocity, and path directness. Users with…

Dark Patterns(also: Deceptive Design Patterns, Deceptive Patterns, Manipulative Design)

User interface designs that trick or manipulate users into taking actions they did not intend, such as subscribing to services, sharing personal data, or accepting unfavorable terms. In the context of privacy, dark patterns in cookie notices might include pre-selected consent…

Dialog Interface(also: Dialogue Interface, Conversational Interface)

A user interface paradigm in which interaction occurs through a structured exchange of prompts and responses, typically using speech or text. In assistive technology contexts, dialog interfaces present content and navigation options through audio prompts, allowing users to make…

Directional Guidance(also: Navigation Guidance, Orientation Feedback)

Real-time feedback that helps users maintain correct positioning or navigate toward a target, commonly provided through audio cues (such as pitch changes) or haptic signals (such as vibration patterns). In accessible reading systems, directional guidance indicates when a user…

Eye Cursor(also: Gaze Cursor)

A visual indicator displayed on screen that shows where an eye tracking system has determined the user is currently looking. The eye cursor serves the same function as a mouse cursor but is controlled by eye gaze rather than hand movement. Because eye gaze is inherently less…

Facial Avatar(also: Singing head, Talking head avatar)

A digital, animated representation of a face — typically rendered as a 3D or stylized 2D character from the neck up — driven by audio, video, or data signals to produce expressive facial behavior such as lip-sync, emotional expression, gaze, and head motion. In accessibility…

Focus and Context(also: Focus+Context, Detail in Context)

An information visualization and interaction design principle that simultaneously presents detailed information about a specific item of interest (focus) alongside an overview of the surrounding structure or environment (context). In accessibility, the focus+context approach is…

Form Accessibility(also: Accessible Forms, Form A11y)

The practice of designing and implementing digital forms so they can be effectively completed by people using assistive technologies, particularly screen readers. Key requirements include: every form field must have a programmatically associated label that clearly describes the…

Form Labeling(also: Form Labels, Input Labels, Programmatic Labels)

The practice of providing descriptive text labels that are programmatically associated with their corresponding form input fields, enabling screen readers to announce what information is expected in each field. Proper form labeling uses HTML label elements with a "for" attribute…

Ghost Cursor(also: Phantom Cursor, Proxy Cursor)

A visual indicator displayed on screen that shows a potential cursor position, used in speech-based and alternative cursor movement systems. Multiple ghost cursors can be displayed simultaneously, typically aligned in a row or column, allowing users to quickly specify an…

Graphical User Interface(also: GUI, WIMP Interface)

A visual interface paradigm based on windows, icons, menus, and pointer (WIMP) interaction, which became dominant in personal computing from the late 1980s onward. GUIs represented a major accessibility challenge when they replaced text-based command lines: screen readers…

Guided Incremental Search(also: Step-by-Step Search, Faceted Browsing)

A web navigation pattern in which users are led through a series of small, sequential choices — such as selecting categories, subcategories, and filters — to progressively narrow search results toward a target. While this approach reduces the cognitive demand of each individual…

Hamburger Menu(also: Hamburger Icon, Menu Icon)

A UI pattern using three stacked horizontal lines (☰) to hide and reveal a primary navigation menu, most commonly on mobile interfaces. Accessibility considerations include the need for an accessible name (e.g., aria-label="Menu"), keyboard operability, proper focus management…

Haptic Interface(also: Haptic Device, Tactile Interface, Touch Interface)

An interface that communicates with users through the sense of touch, using vibrations, forces, or textures to convey information. Haptic interfaces can range from simple vibration motors in mobile devices to sophisticated force-feedback controllers and custom tactile displays.…

Haptic User Interface(also: Haptic UI, Haptic Interface)

A user interface that communicates information through the sense of touch, enabling users to interact with virtual or digital objects by feeling their physical properties such as shape, texture, weight, temperature, and vibration. Haptic user interfaces typically employ…

Human-Machine Interface(also: HMI, Human-Computer Interface)

The point of interaction between a human user and a machine, system, or device, encompassing the hardware and software through which users communicate with and control technology. In the context of accessible design, HMIs include physical controls (buttons, levers, keypads),…

Icon(also: Icons, UI Icon)

A small graphical symbol used in graphical user interfaces (GUIs) to represent an application, file, function, or object. Icons rely on visual recognition rather than text reading, which can be both an advantage and a barrier for users with visual impairments depending on…

Image-Based Interface(also: Photo-Based Interface, Picture-Based Interface)

A user interface design approach that uses photographs, icons, or other visual images as the primary means of interaction and identification, minimizing or eliminating the need for text. Image-based interfaces are particularly valuable for users with cognitive disabilities, low…

In-situ Highlighting(also: In-situ Guidance, In-situ Instruction, On-screen Highlighting)

In-situ highlighting is a tutorial technique that overlays visual indicators directly on the live application interface to show the user exactly where to tap, look, or interact next - rather than describing the action in a separate text or video tutorial. Common implementations…

Interactive Television(also: iTV, Interactive TV)

Interactive television (iTV) refers to television systems that allow viewers to interact with content beyond simply watching, through features such as voting on polls, accessing supplemental information, navigating menus, and using applications displayed on the TV screen. iTV…

Keyboard Shortcut(also: Hotkey, Keyboard Accelerator, Access Key)

A key or combination of keys that triggers a specific command or function in software without requiring navigation through menus or interface elements. Keyboard shortcuts are essential for accessibility, enabling users who cannot use a mouse—including screen reader users, people…

Layout Customization(also: Visual Layout Control)

The ability to modify the spatial arrangement and visibility of visual elements within a video or interface. In video accessibility for ADHD, layout customization allows viewers to choose which visual elements to display (speaker, content, overlays) and how they are sized and…

Manipulable UI Component(also: Interactive UI Component, Actionable UI Element)

An on-screen user-interface element that can be acted upon by the user — tapped, clicked, toggled, dragged, or typed into — as distinct from purely informational elements such as static text or images. Common examples include buttons, icons, text buttons, checkboxes, switches,…

Menu Selection(also: Menu Navigation, Menu Selection Task)

A fundamental computer interaction task in which a user chooses an option from a set of items presented in a menu structure, typically involving locating the target item, moving the cursor to it, and clicking to select. Menu selection performance is commonly measured by task…

Menu-Driven Interface(also: Menu-Based Interface, Menu Selection Interface)

A user interface style in which the available actions at each point in the interaction are presented to the user as an on-screen list, and the user selects an option by number, letter, keystroke, or pointer. Menu-driven interfaces reduce the need to memorise commands and are…

Midas Touch Problem(also: Midas Touch Effect)

The Midas Touch problem is a well-known challenge in gaze-based and dwell-time-based computer interfaces where everything the user looks at or pauses the cursor over is interpreted as a selection command. Named after King Midas who turned everything he touched to gold, the…

Mouse Pointer(also: Cursor, Screen Pointer, Onscreen Pointer)

The small graphical indicator on a computer screen that represents the position of a pointing device such as a mouse, trackpad, or stylus. The mouse pointer is used to identify and interact with interface elements in graphical user interfaces through pointing, clicking, and…

MultiTap(also: Multi-Tap)

A standard text-entry method used on mobile phone keypads where groups of three or four letters are assigned to each numeric key, and users press the key consecutively to cycle through the available letters. For example, pressing the "2" key once produces "a," twice produces…

Multimodal Feedback(also: Multi-Sensory Feedback)

The simultaneous or coordinated use of multiple sensory channels — such as auditory, tactile, and visual — to convey information to a user. In accessibility, multimodal feedback is essential for creating inclusive interfaces that do not rely on a single sense. Combining audio…