Glossary

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SAPI(also: Speech Application Programming Interface, Microsoft SAPI)

The Speech Application Programming Interface (SAPI) is a Microsoft Windows API that enables applications to use speech recognition and text-to-speech synthesis. SAPI provides a standardized interface between speech engines and applications, meaning that a synthetic voice built…

SLPAT(also: Speech and Language Processing for Assistive Technologies)

A special interest group jointly supported by the Association for Computational Linguistics (ACL) and the International Speech Communication Association (ISCA), focused on speech and language technology for assistive applications. SLPAT brings together researchers from…

SMART Matrix(also: Systems-Market Framework)

A framework for understanding assistive technology ecosystems developed by MacLachlan et al. that analyzes AT provision at three levels: micro (individual user — matching products to needs), meso (service provider — availability of assessment, training, maintenance services),…

Safe Walking Technology(also: Safe Walking Aids, Walking Safety Devices)

Assistive technologies designed to help people with cognitive impairments, particularly dementia, walk safely outdoors. These devices typically combine GPS tracking, navigation assistance, fall detection, and emergency communication features. Safe walking technology aims to…

Scaffolded Learning(also: Scaffolding, Graduated Support)

An instructional approach that provides structured, temporary support to help learners progressively build skills, with support gradually reduced as competence increases. In assistive technology training, scaffolded learning involves starting with simplified configurations…

Scanning(also: Switch Scanning, Sequential Scanning)

An input method used in augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) that allows users with severe motor impairments to make selections using one or more switches. The system sequentially highlights items in a vocabulary set, and the user activates a switch when the desired…

Scanning(also: Switch Scanning, Automatic Scanning)

An indirect selection method used in augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) and assistive technology where items (letters, words, or commands) are highlighted sequentially by the system, and the user activates a switch to select the currently highlighted item. In…

Scanning Delay(also: Tscan, Scan Rate, Dwell Time)

The time interval a scanning system waits before automatically advancing to highlight the next item. Setting scanning delay appropriately is critical for switch access users: too short causes selection errors because the user cannot respond quickly enough; too long dramatically…

Scanning Rate(also: Scan Rate, Scan Speed, Dwell Time)

The speed at which options in a scanning interface are sequentially highlighted, typically measured in seconds per item. The scanning rate is a critical configuration parameter in switch-access systems — too fast and the user cannot react in time to make a selection, too slow…

Scanning System(also: Automatic Scanning, Group Scanning, Row-Column Scanning)

An assistive technology input method in which selectable items are sequentially highlighted on screen, and the user activates a switch (or other simple input) when the desired item is highlighted. Scanning systems are designed for people with severe motor disabilities who can…

Scanning interface(also: Switch scanning, Single-switch access)

An interaction method in which items on a screen are sequentially highlighted one at a time (or in groups), and the user activates a switch to select the currently highlighted item. Scanning interfaces provide computer access for individuals with severe motor impairments who can…

Scatter Plot Accessibility

The set of techniques and design considerations for making scatter plot data visualizations accessible to people with disabilities, particularly blind and low-vision users. Scatter plots present unique accessibility challenges compared to line or bar charts because their data…

Scene Classification(also: Scene Recognition, Scene Understanding)

Scene classification is a computer vision task that categorizes images or video frames into predefined scene types such as indoor/outdoor, kitchen, office, or street. For accessibility, scene classification helps automated systems provide context about environments in image…

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…

Scene Text Recognition(also: Scene Text Detection, Text in the Wild, Environmental Text Detection)

The computer vision task of detecting and reading text that appears naturally in real-world environments, such as street signs, product labels, shop names, and building numbers. Unlike optical character recognition (OCR) for scanned documents where text layout is predictable,…

Scene simplification(also: Visual decluttering, Complexity reduction)

An assistive technology approach that reduces visual complexity in real-world or digital scenes by highlighting relevant objects, suppressing background clutter, and isolating key information. Scene simplification is particularly important for people with cerebral visual…

Screen Curtain(also: Display Curtain)

Screen Curtain is an accessibility feature available on iOS and some other platforms that turns off the device's display while keeping the device fully functional and responsive to touch input and screen reader output. Originally designed to save battery power for blind users…

Screen Magnification(also: Screen Magnifier, Zoom)

Software or built-in operating system features that enlarge a portion of the screen display to make content more readable for people with low vision. Screen magnification tools are available on all major platforms, including the Zoom function on macOS and iOS, Magnifier on…

Screen Magnification(also: Screen Magnifier, Display Magnification)

Software or operating system features that enlarge a portion of the screen content to make it readable for people with low vision. Common modalities include full-screen magnification (which expands the entire display around a movable center point) and lens magnification (which…

Screen Magnifier(also: Screen Magnification Software, Magnification Software)

An assistive technology application that enlarges a portion of the screen display to make content more readable for people with low vision. Screen magnifiers work by rendering a zoomed-in view of the area around the cursor or focus point, often providing additional features such…

Screen Reader(also: Screen Reading Software)

Assistive technology software that converts on-screen text, interface elements, and structured content into synthesized speech or Braille output, enabling blind and low vision users to navigate and interact with computers, smartphones, and the web. Major screen readers include…

Screen Reader(also: Screen Reading Software)

An assistive technology application that converts digital text and interface elements into synthesized speech or braille output, enabling people who are blind or have low vision to interact with computers, smartphones, and other digital devices. Screen readers interpret the…

Screen Reader Navigation(also: Keyboard Navigation with Screen Reader, Sequential Navigation)

The methods by which blind and visually impaired users move through digital content using a screen reader, primarily via keyboard shortcuts and gestures rather than a mouse or visual scanning. Screen reader navigation is fundamentally one-dimensional and sequential—users…

Screen Reader Output(also: Screen Reader Speech)

The audio or braille output generated by screen reader software as it interprets and conveys on-screen content to blind and low vision users. Screen reader output quality significantly impacts reading comprehension and efficiency, as the linearization of visual content into…

Screen Reader Plugin(also: Screen Reader Add-on, Screen Reader Script, Screen Reader Extension)

A small piece of code that extends or modifies the functionality of a screen reader application. Screen reader plugins can make inaccessible applications accessible, customize the screen reader's behavior for specific software, add new keyboard shortcuts, and provide additional…

Screen Reader Plugin(also: Add-on, Extension, Script)

A small piece of software that extends or modifies the functionality of a screen reader. Plugins allow users to customize their screen reader experience, make partially accessible applications more usable, add keyboard shortcuts, receive custom audio feedback, and interface with…

Screen Reader Proxy

An interface that sits between an automated agent or testing tool and an application, translating programmatic inputs (swipe, double-tap, type) into genuine screen reader gestures and capturing the resulting announcements as structured transcripts. Unlike driving an app via its…

Screen Reader Rotor(also: VoiceOver Rotor, Rotor Control)

A virtual control in screen readers like VoiceOver that allows users to change navigation settings and access different options by performing a rotation gesture on the touchscreen. The rotor lets users switch between navigation modes (headings, links, words, characters) and…

Screen Reader User(also: SRU)

A person who uses screen reader software as their primary means of accessing digital content, typically someone who is blind or has low vision. Screen reader users interact with web content through audio output and keyboard or gesture-based navigation, experiencing pages…

Screen Reader/2(also: IBM Screen Reader/2, SR/2)

Screen Reader/2 was an early screen reader developed by IBM for the OS/2 operating system, first released in the early 1990s. It was one of the pioneering commercial screen readers, providing blind and visually impaired users with text-to-speech and audio output to access…

Screen Recognition

A computer vision feature in Apple's VoiceOver screen reader that automatically interprets the pixels of a graphical user interface to identify and label interactive elements when applications have not properly implemented accessibility APIs. Screen Recognition analyses the…

Screen magnifier(also: Screen magnification software, Zoom software)

Assistive software that enlarges a portion of the screen display to make content visible for people with low vision. Users navigate the magnified view by panning with the mouse or keyboard, seeing only a fraction of the full screen at any time. Popular screen magnifiers include…

Screen reader

An assistive technology application that converts digital text and interface elements into synthesized speech or braille output. Screen readers enable blind and low-vision users to interact with computers, smartphones, and web content. Common screen readers include JAWS, NVDA,…

Screen-Free Editing(also: Screenless Editing, Eyes-Free Editing)

Text editing that does not require visual interaction with or physical contact with a device screen. Screen-free editing approaches use alternative input methods such as mid-air gestures, voice commands, or wearable device controls to manipulate text. This is particularly…

Screenless Interaction(also: Screen-Free Interaction, Displayless Interaction)

Interaction with digital systems that does not require a visual display, enabling users to operate devices while untethered from screens. For people who are blind, screenless interaction eliminates the need to hold and touch a phone screen to find visual affordances they cannot…

See-Through Display(also: Optical See-Through Display, Transparent Display, OST Display)

A display technology that allows users to view digital content overlaid on the real world by projecting images onto a transparent or semi-transparent surface. Unlike opaque (occlusive) displays that block the user's view of the environment, see-through displays preserve direct…

Seeing AI

A free AI-powered app developed by Microsoft for blind and low vision users that uses computer vision and AI to describe the visual world. Features include reading short text, documents, and handwriting; identifying products via barcodes; recognizing people and their emotions;…

Selection Keyboard(also: On-Screen Keyboard, Scanning Keyboard, Virtual Keyboard)

A text entry interface where characters are displayed in a grid on screen and users select them by navigating a cursor or highlight to the desired character using an alternative input device such as a joystick, switch, or eye tracker. Selection keyboards are commonly used by…

Self-Adaptive System(also: Self-Adapting System, Adaptive Interface)

A software or hardware system that automatically monitors user behaviour and adjusts its configuration or interface to better suit the user's needs without requiring explicit manual intervention. In accessibility, self-adaptive systems can detect changes in a user's motor…

Self-Monitoring(also: Self-Recording, Self-Observation)

Self-monitoring is the practice of systematically observing and recording one's own behavior, emotions, or activities, typically as part of a broader self-management or behavioral intervention program. In accessibility and disability contexts, self-monitoring tools —…

Self-Voicing Browser(also: Self-Voicing Web Browser, Talking Browser, Self-Talking Browser)

A self-voicing browser is a web browser that includes built-in text-to-speech capabilities, allowing it to read web content aloud without requiring a separate screen reader application. Unlike traditional screen readers that operate as standalone assistive technology layered on…

Self-Voicing Interface(also: Self-Voicing, Self-Voicing Application)

A software application or interface that includes its own built-in speech output capability, rather than relying on a separate screen reader to interpret and voice its content. Self-voicing interfaces generate speech directly, giving them greater control over what is spoken and…

Self-adapting user interface(also: Adaptive user interface, Adaptive UI)

A user interface that dynamically modifies its presentation, interaction modalities, or behaviour in response to changing conditions such as user capabilities, environmental factors, device characteristics, or content requirements. Unlike adaptable interfaces (which users…

Self-localization(also: Indoor Localization, Position Estimation)

The process by which a system or device determines its own position within an environment, typically using a combination of sensors, maps, and reference points. In assistive technology for blind and visually impaired users, self-localization is a critical component of indoor…

Semantic Compaction(also: Minspeak)

A method of encoding language for augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) that maps concepts onto sequences of multi-meaning icons. Each icon is deliberately ambiguous, and meaning is resolved when icons are combined into sequences called iconic sentences. For example,…

Semantic Description(also: SD, Navigational Semantic Description)

A formal representation of the meaningful structure and navigational relationships within a complex document component such as an HTML table, frame, or XML fragment. Semantic descriptions capture what groups of content mean and how they relate to each other, going beyond…

Semantic Disambiguation(also: Word Sense Disambiguation)

Semantic disambiguation is the process of determining the intended meaning of a word, symbol, or input when multiple interpretations are possible. In accessibility and assistive technology contexts, semantic disambiguation is important in communication aids, predictive text…

Semantic Enrichment(also: Semantic Annotation, Semantic Markup Enhancement)

Semantic enrichment is the process of adding meaningful structural and contextual information to content that may lack it in its original representation. In the context of web accessibility, this often involves augmenting presentation-oriented markup with data attributes or…

Semantic Hierarchy(also: Semantic Tree, Component Hierarchy)

A structured, tree-based representation of a complex object that organizes its components by meaning and relationship rather than by raw data. In accessible 3-D modeling, a semantic hierarchy breaks down a model into named, meaningful parts (e.g., "snowman body" containing…

Semantic Model(also: Semantic Tree, Semantic Web Model)

An abstract representation of a web page that captures the meaning and relationships of its content, rather than its raw HTML structure. Unlike the Document Object Model (DOM), which represents syntactic elements, a semantic model groups related elements into meaningful entities…