Glossary
Terms used in accessibility research and practice. Each entry has a definition, common aliases, and category tags.
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- Earcon(also: Auditory icon)
- A brief, distinctive sound used in a user interface to convey information, status, or feedback non-visually. Earcons serve a similar function to visual icons but through the auditory channel. In accessible interfaces, earcons can augment or replace visual cues — for example, a…
- Ecological Metaphor(also: Ecological Validity, Ecological Mapping)
- A design principle in sonification and auditory display where the mapping between data and sound aligns with users' real-world sensory and cognitive experience. For example, mapping obstacle distance to pulse rate (like sonar or parking sensors), height to pitch (higher…
- Emotional Design
- A framework developed by Don Norman describing how people evaluate and form attachments to products through three cognitive levels: visceral (immediate sensory and aesthetic responses), behavioral (functional performance and usability), and reflective (personal meaning,…
- Error Tolerance(also: Error Prevention, Forgiveness)
- A design principle requiring that systems anticipate, prevent, and gracefully handle user errors. In accessible design, error tolerance means providing clear validation messages, allowing users to undo actions, confirming destructive operations, and ensuring that mistakes do not…
- Extraneous Cognitive Load(also: Extraneous Load)
- One of three types of cognitive load identified by cognitive load theory, referring to the unnecessary mental effort caused by poor instructional design or interface presentation rather than the learning material itself. Extraneous load arises from confusing layouts, irrelevant…
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