Glossary

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ADKAR(also: ADKAR Model, ADKAR Change Management Model)

A goal-oriented change management model developed by Prosci that identifies five sequential outcomes an individual must achieve for organizational change to succeed: Awareness of the need for change, Desire to support and participate in it, Knowledge of how to change, Ability to…

AccessComputing

An NSF-funded alliance led by the University of Washington that works to increase the participation of people with disabilities in computing fields. AccessComputing connects students with disabilities to mentors, internships, and resources in computing education and careers,…

Accessibility Awareness

The level of knowledge and understanding that individuals, particularly software developers and designers, have about accessibility requirements, standards, and the needs of people with disabilities. Research consistently shows that low accessibility awareness among industry…

Accessibility Champion(also: Accessibility Hero, Accessibility Advocate, A11y Champion)

An individual within an organization or institution who takes personal responsibility for promoting and advancing accessibility practices, often without formal mandate or recognition. Accessibility champions raise awareness among colleagues, influence procurement and development…

Accessibility Education(also: A11y Education)

The teaching and learning of accessibility principles, practices, and standards across educational settings. Accessibility education encompasses both teaching students with disabilities in accessible ways and teaching all students about accessibility so they can create inclusive…

Accessibility Maturity(also: Accessibility Maturity Model, Digital Accessibility Maturity)

A framework for assessing how well an organization has integrated accessibility into its culture, processes, and products, typically measured across dimensions such as leadership commitment, policy, training, procurement, design and development practices, testing, and user…

Accessibility Maturity Model(also: Accessibility Maturity, Digital Accessibility Maturity)

A framework for assessing how well an organization has integrated accessibility into its culture, processes, and outputs. Maturity models typically progress through stages from ad hoc or reactive approaches (where accessibility depends on individual champions) to embedded and…

Accessibility Policy(also: Web Accessibility Policy, Digital Accessibility Policy)

A formal organizational document that defines an institution's commitment to digital accessibility, typically specifying the standards to be followed (such as WCAG conformance levels), roles and responsibilities, timelines for compliance, and mechanisms for monitoring and…

Accessibility conformance report(also: ACR, VPAT, Voluntary Product Accessibility Template)

A document that records the degree to which a product or service meets accessibility standards such as WCAG, Section 508, or EN 301 549. In enterprise settings, conformance reports are a primary deliverable of the accessibility testing process, used to communicate compliance…

Accessibility education(also: A11y education, Accessibility curriculum)

The integration of accessibility and universal design topics into formal educational programs, particularly in computer science, design, and engineering curricula. Effective accessibility education combines theoretical understanding of disability models and standards with…

Accessibility ontology(also: A11y ontology, Accessibility knowledge graph)

A formal, structured representation of accessibility concepts, their properties, and the relationships between them, typically expressed in OWL (Web Ontology Language). Accessibility ontologies model domains such as disabilities, assistive technologies, standards, testing…

Accessible Public Procurement(also: Accessible Procurement, ICT Procurement)

The practice of requiring accessibility standards to be met when government authorities purchase goods, services, and works using public money. Because governments are often the largest buyers in a market, accessible procurement policies have significant power to drive…

Accessible Workplace(also: Inclusive Workplace, Accessible Work Environment)

A work environment—including its physical spaces, digital tools, and organizational practices—designed to be usable by all employees regardless of ability or age. In the digital context, an accessible workplace ensures that internal ICT systems such as HR platforms, financial…

Accommodation Process(also: Accommodation Workflow, Accommodation Request Process)

The organizational workflow through which workplace accommodations for employees with disabilities are requested, negotiated, implemented, and monitored. The accommodation process typically involves multiple stakeholders including the employee, human resources, supervisors, IT…

Administrative Burden(also: Bureaucratic Burden, Process Burden)

The cumulative effort, time, stress, and negative impacts that result from navigating administrative processes such as applying for benefits, gaining medical evidence, completing forms, and interacting with multiple organisations to achieve a particular goal. For disabled…

BS 8878(also: British Standard 8878, Web Accessibility Code of Practice)

A British Standard published in 2010 that provides a code of practice for web accessibility. BS 8878 defines a 16-step process for implementing web accessibility within organisations, taking a user-centred approach that goes beyond technical conformance with WCAG. It emphasises…

Change Management(also: Organizational Change Management)

A structured approach for transitioning individuals, teams, and organizations from a current state to a desired future state. In accessibility, change management addresses the human and organizational factors that determine whether accessibility improvements are adopted and…

Community Advocate(also: Peer Advocate, AT Champion)

An individual, often a person with a disability or caregiver, who voluntarily promotes awareness of assistive technology programs and resources within their community. Community advocates play a crucial role in expanding the reach of AT services by sharing information through…

Community of Practice(also: CoP)

A group of people who share a common interest or concern and learn together through regular interaction, sharing knowledge, and collaborative problem-solving. In technology adoption contexts, communities of practice form organically when groups such as older adults in…

Complex Adaptive System(also: CAS)

A system composed of many interconnected, diverse components that interact and adapt in response to each other and their environment, producing emergent behaviors that cannot be predicted from the properties of individual parts. Education systems, healthcare systems, and the Web…

Content Author(also: Content Editor, Content Creator, Web Author)

A person who creates, edits, and publishes content on a website or digital platform, typically using a content management system rather than writing code directly. Content authors are responsible for many accessibility-critical decisions including writing alternative text for…

Continuing Professional Development(also: CPD, Professional Development)

The ongoing process through which professionals maintain, update, and expand their knowledge and skills throughout their careers. In the context of digital accessibility, CPD programs train developers, designers, content creators, and educators on inclusive design practices,…

Corporate Accessibility(also: Enterprise Accessibility, Organizational Accessibility Programme)

The structured efforts by companies and organisations to ensure their products, services, and communications are accessible to people with disabilities. Corporate accessibility encompasses accessibility policies, dedicated accessibility teams, feedback channels for users with…

Cross-Sector Partnership(also: Multi-Sector Collaboration)

A collaborative arrangement between organizations from different sectors, such as universities, government agencies, nonprofits, and communities, working together toward shared goals. In assistive technology, cross-sector partnerships can combine academic research expertise with…

Cultural Competence(also: Cultural Competency, Cultural Responsiveness)

The ability of service providers, organisations, and systems to effectively deliver services that meet the social, cultural, and linguistic needs of diverse populations. In accessibility and healthcare contexts, cultural competence involves understanding how cultural beliefs,…

Culture of Accessibility

An organizational or institutional environment in which accessibility is embedded as a core value throughout all processes, practices, and products rather than treated as an afterthought or compliance requirement. In educational contexts, a culture of accessibility means…

Curation(also: Content Curation, Accessibility Curation)

The process of selecting, organizing, and presenting digital content or resources to serve a particular audience or purpose. In accessibility contexts, curation refers to the proactive work of identifying web content that presents barriers and creating alternative, accessible…

Digital Campus(also: Virtual Campus, Online Campus)

The entirety of an educational institution's online presence, platforms, tools, and digital resources used to deliver learning experiences. The digital campus encompasses learning management systems, course content, assessment tools, library resources, and support services…

Disability Services(also: Disability Service Office, DSO, Disability Resource Center)

Disability services refers to the office or department within an educational institution or organization responsible for coordinating accommodations and support for people with disabilities. In higher education, these offices verify disability documentation, issue accommodation…

Disclosure of Disability(also: Disability Disclosure, Self-Disclosure)

The decision by a person with a disability to reveal their disability status to others, whether in educational, professional, or social settings. Disclosure is a complex and deeply personal decision influenced by factors including the nature of the disability, social stigma,…

Empathy Lab(also: Accessibility Lab, Assistive Technology Lab, AT Lab)

A dedicated physical or virtual space where designers, developers, and other team members can experience digital products using assistive technologies and simulations of various disabilities. Empathy labs typically include screen readers, switch devices, eye-tracking systems,…

Empathy in Design(also: Design Empathy, Empathic Design)

Empathy in design refers to the ability and practice of understanding and sharing the feelings, perspectives, and experiences of the people who will use a product or service. In accessibility contexts, empathy involves recognizing the challenges faced by people with disabilities…

Gatekeeping(also: Access Gatekeeping)

Gatekeeping in accessibility contexts refers to practices, policies, or attitudes that create unnecessary barriers to disabled people receiving the accommodations or access they need. This can include requiring excessive documentation to prove disability, questioning whether…

Imposter syndrome(also: Impostor phenomenon)

A psychological pattern in which individuals doubt their accomplishments and fear being exposed as a fraud, despite evidence of competence. Imposter syndrome is particularly prevalent among neurodivergent individuals in professional settings, where internalized stigma about…

Inclusive Procurement(also: Accessible Procurement)

The practice of embedding accessibility requirements into purchasing and contracting processes for products and services, particularly ICT systems. Inclusive procurement ensures that organizations evaluate vendors on their ability to meet accessibility standards such as EN 301…

Interdependent Accessibility(also: Interdependence Framework, Access Interdependence)

A framework for understanding accessibility as a collective, co-created responsibility rather than an individual accommodation. Interdependent accessibility recognizes that access is produced through relationships and collaboration between disabled and non-disabled people,…

Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration(also: Multi-Stakeholder Design)

A collaborative approach that involves diverse groups of people with different roles, expertise, and lived experiences in the design and development process. In accessible design, multi-stakeholder collaboration typically brings together end users with disabilities, domain…

Partial disclosure(also: Curated disclosure, Selective information sharing)

A disclosure strategy in which individuals share some information about their disability or neurodivergence while withholding specific details, often framing their needs in more socially accepted terms. For example, a neurodivergent worker might describe needing a quiet…

ProcureAccess(also: Procure Access)

A business-to-business initiative run by the non-profit Disability:IN that asks organisations to commit to embedding accessibility and disability inclusion into their technology procurement processes. Signatories pledge to require accessibility conformance information (such as…

Readily Achievable(also: Readily Achievable Barrier Removal)

A legal concept from the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) meaning that barrier removal is easily accomplishable and able to be carried out without much difficulty or expense. What qualifies as readily achievable is measured in context — large, well-resourced organizations…

Reasonable accommodation(also: Reasonable adjustment, Workplace accommodation)

A modification or adjustment to a job, work environment, or workplace process that enables an employee with a disability to perform essential job functions and enjoy equal employment opportunities. Reasonable accommodations can include flexible work hours, quiet workspaces,…

Remediation(also: Accessibility Remediation, Barrier Remediation)

The process of identifying and fixing accessibility barriers in existing digital content, tools, or platforms after they have been created or deployed. Remediation is typically a reactive approach to accessibility, addressing problems found through audits or user complaints.…

SERPA(also: Streamlined Evaluation and Reporting Process for Accessibility)

A programmer-centric methodology for conducting and reporting website accessibility evaluations, proposed by Law, Jacko, and Edwards in 2005. SERPA restructures the traditional accessibility evaluation process around the needs and constraints of the developers who must implement…

Service Learning(also: Community-Based Learning)

A teaching method that combines academic instruction with meaningful community service, allowing students to learn through hands-on participation that addresses real needs. In accessibility education, service learning often involves students working directly with people with…

Sociotechnical Infrastructure

The interconnected system of social structures, organizational practices, technical tools, and institutional arrangements that collectively support a technology-based service or program. In assistive technology distribution, sociotechnical infrastructure encompasses not just the…

Teach Access

A collaborative initiative bringing together technology companies, academic institutions, and advocacy organizations to advance accessibility education. Teach Access provides resources, curriculum materials, and community connections to help educators integrate accessibility…

VPAT(also: Voluntary Product Accessibility Template, Accessibility Conformance Report, ACR)

A standardized document in which vendors report how well their product or service conforms to accessibility standards such as WCAG, Section 508, and EN 301 549. Originally created by the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI), VPATs help procurement teams assess the…

Wicked Problem

A problem that is difficult or impossible to solve because of incomplete, contradictory, and changing requirements that are often difficult to recognize. Wicked problems resist traditional problem-solving approaches because effects cannot be isolated, outcomes are unpredictable,…

Workplace disclosure model(also: Disclosure decision model, Joachim and Acorn framework)

A theoretical framework for understanding how individuals with invisible disabilities decide whether, when, and how to disclose their condition at work, and the outcomes that follow. The Joachim and Acorn model categorizes disclosure types by intention and timing: protective…

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