Glossary

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Locomotion(also: VR Locomotion)

Methods by which users navigate and move through virtual environments in VR. Common locomotion techniques include free-roam (physical walking that maps to virtual movement), joystick-based continuous movement, teleportation (pointing to a destination and instantly moving there),…

Locomotion Technique(also: VR Locomotion, Virtual Travel Technique)

A locomotion technique is a method for navigating or moving through a virtual environment in virtual reality (VR). Because physical space is limited and many users are seated, locomotion techniques simulate travel without requiring real-world walking. Common approaches include…

Mobile Virtual Reality(also: Mobile VR, Smartphone VR)

Virtual reality systems delivered through a smartphone and consumer-grade accessories (wireless headphones, simple hand-held mounts) rather than a dedicated head-mounted display and PC rig. For accessibility, mobile VR is significant because it uses devices that blind and…

Motion Sickness(also: Cybersickness, Simulator Sickness, VR Sickness)

A condition characterized by nausea, disorientation, and discomfort experienced when using virtual reality, simulators, or viewing motion-heavy content. In VR accessibility, motion sickness disproportionately affects some users and must be considered in interface design.…

Networked Minds Social Presence Inventory(also: Networked Minds Measure of Social Presence, NMSPI)

The Networked Minds Social Presence Inventory is a self-report questionnaire developed by Biocca, Harms and colleagues to measure social presence - the sense of 'being together' with another person - in mediated environments such as video calls, virtual reality or augmented…

Object Hierarchy(also: Object Group, Hierarchical Object Organization)

A structured organization of objects into parent-child relationships that allows users to navigate from high-level categories to increasingly specific details. In accessible virtual environments, object hierarchies enable BLV users to progressively explore complex scenes by…

Olfactory Display(also: Olfactory Interface, Olfactory Feedback, Smell Display)

An olfactory display is a hardware system that delivers controlled scent stimuli to a user, typically as part of a virtual reality, augmented reality, or multisensory interaction system. Designs range from desk-mounted vapour generators to head-mounted, hand-held, and neck-worn…

Optic Flow(also: Visual Flow, Optical Flow)

The pattern of apparent motion of objects, surfaces, and edges in a visual scene caused by relative movement between the observer and the scene. Optic flow provides critical information about self-motion, speed, direction, and the structure of the environment. It plays a key…

Physical Layer Accessibility

The dimension of VR accessibility concerned with whether users can physically access and operate VR hardware and interaction paradigms. This includes the setup process (putting on head-mounted displays, adjusting straps), manipulating controllers or using hand tracking, and…

Point-of-Interest Techniques(also: POI Techniques)

Interaction methods in VR that allow users to select and navigate to specific points of interest in the virtual environment, designed to be accessible for people with limited mobility. These techniques typically allow users to highlight, select, and move to predetermined…

Presence(also: Virtual Presence, Sense of Presence)

The subjective sense of being in a virtual environment, often described as the feeling of "being there" rather than simply observing a digital display. Presence is a central construct in VR research and is influenced by sensory fidelity, interaction naturalness, avatar…

Proteus Effect

The Proteus Effect is a phenomenon, first described by Yee and Bailenson (2007), in which the appearance of a person's avatar influences how they think, behave and interact in virtual or augmented environments. For example, users assigned taller or more attractive avatars tend…

Ray Casting(also: Raycasting)

An interaction technique in 3-D environments where an invisible ray is projected from a point (such as a user's finger position or controller) into the virtual scene to determine which object the ray intersects first. In VR accessibility, ray casting translates 2-D touch input…

Remote Accessibility Assessment(also: Virtual Accessibility Assessment, Pre-Visit Accessibility Check)

The practice of evaluating the physical accessibility of an unfamiliar environment without being physically present. Wheelchair users and others with mobility disabilities routinely assess spaces in advance to avoid dangerous, inaccessible, or frustrating situations. Current…

Scene Reading(also: Scene Reader, 3-D Screen Reading)

An interaction paradigm that extends touch-based screen reading concepts from 2-D interfaces to 3-D virtual environments, enabling blind and low vision users to explore virtual scenes nonvisually. Scene reading provides semantic information about virtual objects and their…

Self-Representation(also: Digital Self-Representation, Avatar Self-Representation)

The way individuals choose to present themselves in digital or virtual environments, particularly through customizable avatars. For people with disabilities, self-representation involves decisions about whether and how to disclose disability status in spaces where appearance is…

Sense of Presence(also: Virtual Presence, Spatial Presence)

The subjective feeling of "being there" in a virtual environment, encompassing spatial presence (feeling physically located in the virtual space), involvement (attention directed at the virtual world), and experienced realism (how lifelike the environment feels). Sense of…

Shared Movement(also: Linked Locomotion, Guided Movement)

A virtual reality interaction technique that allows one user to move through a virtual environment by attaching to or following another user's avatar, inspired by the physical sighted guide technique used by blind and low vision people. In shared movement, a user can grab a…

Sighted Guide(also: Sighted Guide Technique, Human Guide)

A technique in which a sighted person assists a blind or low vision individual with navigation and orientation by serving as a visual reference and mobility aid. In physical settings, the blind person typically holds the guide's arm just above the elbow and walks a half-step…

Simulator Sickness(also: VR Sickness, Cybersickness, Motion Sickness in VR)

A form of motion sickness experienced in virtual reality caused by a mismatch between visual perception of movement and the vestibular system's sense of physical motion. Symptoms include nausea, dizziness, disorientation, and eye strain. Simulator sickness can be triggered by…

Snap Turn(also: Snap Rotation, Comfort Turn)

A virtual reality locomotion technique that rotates the user's viewpoint in discrete angular increments rather than continuous smooth rotation. Typically triggered by a thumbstick or controller input, snap turns rotate the view by a fixed amount (commonly 30-45 degrees) to…

Social Presence(also: Co-Presence, Telepresence)

The sense of being together with another person in a mediated environment, whether through video conferencing, virtual reality, or other communication technologies. In accessibility contexts, social presence is crucial for remote therapy, telerehabilitation, and virtual support…

Social VR(also: Social Virtual Reality)

Virtual reality platforms and applications designed for social interaction, where users represented by avatars can meet, communicate, and engage in shared activities in virtual spaces. Popular social VR platforms include VRChat and Engage. In accessibility research, social VR…

Social Virtual Reality(also: Social VR, SVR)

Virtual reality platforms designed primarily for social interaction, where users meet, communicate, and engage in shared activities through avatars in three-dimensional virtual spaces. Examples include VRChat, AltspaceVR, and Rec Room. Social VR presents unique accessibility…

Sound Visualization(also: Audio Visualization, Sound-to-Visual Mapping)

The practice of representing audio information through visual means, enabling Deaf or Hard-of-hearing individuals to perceive sound-based information that would otherwise be inaccessible. Sound visualization goes beyond simple captioning to convey characteristics like loudness…

Spatial Computing(also: Spatial interaction)

A paradigm of computing in which digital content is rendered and interacted with in three-dimensional physical space, typically via head-worn augmented or mixed reality devices (e.g., HoloLens, Magic Leap, Apple Vision Pro, Snap Spectacles) that track head pose, hands, eyes, and…

Spatial Scene Reading(also: Direct Touch Scene Reading)

A mode of scene reading interaction where users continuously drag their finger across a touchscreen to freely explore a virtual environment, with objects identified and announced as the finger passes over them. Spatial scene reading preserves the spatial relationship between…

Teleportation(also: VR Teleportation)

A VR locomotion method where users point to a destination in the virtual environment and are instantly transported there, bypassing the need for physical movement or continuous virtual walking. Teleportation is generally more accessible than free-roam locomotion for wheelchair…

Telepresence

The extent to which a user feels present in a remote or virtual environment rather than their actual physical location. In VR contexts, telepresence describes the sensation of being transported to the virtual world. For disabled users, VR telepresence offers unique opportunities…

Temporal Factors in Accessibility(also: Time-Based Accessibility, Fluctuating Access Needs)

The recognition that accessibility needs are not static but vary over time due to factors such as daily form (good days versus bad days), fatigue accumulating during use, medication schedules, pain cycles, and progressive conditions. In VR contexts, temporal factors mean that a…

Therapeutic VR(also: VR Therapy, Virtual Reality Therapy, VR-Based Intervention)

The use of virtual reality technology for therapeutic purposes, including rehabilitation, mental health treatment, skills training, and cognitive development. Therapeutic VR leverages immersive environments to create controlled, repeatable scenarios that support goals such as…

Unimanual Input(also: One-Handed Input, Single-Handed Interaction)

Interaction techniques designed to be operated with only one hand, enabling access for users who cannot use both hands due to disability, injury, or situational constraints. In VR contexts, unimanual input is important for users with upper limb impairments, amputations, or…

VR Accessibility Training(also: Virtual Reality Training for Accessibility, VR-Based AT Training)

The use of virtual reality environments to teach people with disabilities how to use assistive technologies or navigate unfamiliar real-world scenarios in a safe, controlled setting. VR training allows users to practice spatial and physical skills — such as aiming a smartphone…

VR Controllers(also: Virtual Reality Controllers, Motion Controllers)

Handheld input devices used to interact with virtual reality environments, typically requiring users to grip, hold, and manipulate buttons, triggers, and joysticks. Standard VR controllers present significant accessibility barriers for users with limited hand strength, reduced…

VR Gaming Accessibility

The practice of making virtual reality games playable and enjoyable by people with disabilities. VR gaming presents unique accessibility challenges beyond traditional game accessibility because of its body-centric nature, requiring physical movement, spatial awareness, and…

VR-ASL(also: Virtual Reality American Sign Language)

A simplified adaptation of American Sign Language (ASL) designed for use in virtual reality environments where current controller tracking technology cannot capture the full range of hand and finger movements required for standard ASL. VR-ASL modifies or substitutes signs to…

VRChat

VRChat is a mainstream, user-generated social virtual reality platform where people gather as avatars in user-created 'worlds' that range from quiet scenic environments to busy public social hubs. Users communicate through spatialised voice chat, simple gestures and virtual…

VRML(also: Virtual Reality Modeling Language)

A file format and markup language for describing interactive 3D objects and environments on the web, first standardized in 1995. VRML allowed users to view, rotate, and navigate 3D scenes in web browsers using plugin viewers. In accessibility, VRML was used in early projects to…

Virtual Acoustic Environment(also: Audio Virtual Environment, Acoustic Virtual Environment)

A computer-generated environment that uses audio as the primary medium for representing spaces, objects, and interactions, enabling users to navigate and interact with a virtual world through sound. Virtual acoustic environments are particularly valuable for blind users,…

Virtual Reality(also: VR, Immersive Virtual Environment)

A computer-generated simulation of a three-dimensional environment that users can interact with using specialized hardware such as headsets, motion controllers, or body tracking sensors. In accessibility contexts, virtual reality offers potential benefits for training and…

Virtual Reality Accessibility(also: VR Accessibility)

The practice of designing Virtual Reality systems, applications, and experiences to be usable by people with disabilities. VR accessibility encompasses three interconnected layers: the physical layer (hardware, controllers, head-mounted displays, and interaction paradigms), the…

Virtual Texture(also: Simulated Texture, Haptic Texture)

A virtual texture is a computer-generated tactile surface property rendered through a haptic device, simulating the feel of roughness, smoothness, or other surface characteristics without a physical material being present. Virtual textures are created by varying the resistance,…

Virtual World(also: Virtual Environment, Online Virtual World)

A computer-simulated environment where users interact with each other and digital objects through graphical representations, often in real time. Virtual worlds range from 2D browser-based platforms to fully immersive 3D social VR environments accessed through head-mounted…

Virtual World Accessibility(also: Metaverse Accessibility, VR Accessibility for Blind Users)

Virtual world accessibility refers to the design and implementation of techniques that enable people with disabilities, particularly blind and visually impaired users, to participate in 3D virtual environments such as online virtual worlds, VR platforms, and metaverse…

Visual Fidelity(also: Graphical Fidelity, VF)

The degree to which a virtual environment replicates the visual detail, realism, and complexity of real-world settings. In accessibility contexts, visual fidelity affects cognitive load and task performance differently across user populations. Research shows that individuals…

Wearable Immersive Virtual Reality(also: WIVR, Wearable VR)

A category of virtual reality systems designed to be worn on the body, typically using lightweight, portable headsets such as smartphone-based viewers (e.g., Google Cardboard). WIVR prioritizes affordability, portability, and ease of use over the high fidelity of tethered VR…

Wheelchair User

A person who uses a manual or powered wheelchair as their primary means of mobility. In VR accessibility research, wheelchair users face specific challenges including: controllers that require both hands (preventing simultaneous wheelchair operation), HMD cables that can catch…

World Design(also: Virtual World Design, Environment Design)

The creation and structuring of virtual environments in VR, including architecture, terrain, objects, lighting, and interactive elements. In accessibility contexts, world design directly impacts whether disabled users can navigate and engage with virtual spaces. Key…

XR Accessibility(also: Extended Reality Accessibility, Immersive Accessibility)

The practice of designing virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR) experiences that are usable by people with disabilities. XR accessibility encompasses challenges across motor, visual, auditory, cognitive, and vestibular domains, including the…

iGroup Presence Questionnaire(also: IPQ)

A standardized questionnaire for measuring the sense of presence experienced in virtual environments, developed by the iGroup consortium. The IPQ assesses three sub-scales: spatial presence (feeling physically present in the virtual world), involvement (attention focused on the…