Glossary

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Abandonment of Assistive Technology(also: Assistive Technology Abandonment, AT Abandonment, Assistive Technology Discontinuance)

Abandonment of assistive technology is the well-documented phenomenon in which a substantial proportion of assistive devices acquired by disabled users — commonly reported in the literature at roughly one-third or higher — end up unused or discarded within a few years of…

Ability Assumptions(also: Ability-Based Assumptions, Normative Assumptions)

Ability assumptions are the implicit expectations that technology designers build into systems about users' physical, sensory, and cognitive capabilities. These assumptions — about how fast someone moves, their range of motion, body proportions, grip strength, speech patterns,…

Ability Bias(also: Ability-Based Bias, Disability Bias)

A form of social bias encoded in artificial intelligence systems, particularly large language models, that reflects stereotypical or discriminatory assumptions about people with disabilities. Ability bias manifests through linguistic associations that link specific disabilities…

Ability Heuristics

A set of nine accessibility-focused design heuristics — Adaptability, Equitable Experience, Flexible Task Completion, Efficiency and Effectiveness of User Action, Multiple Modalities, Understandable Messages, Ease of Adoption, Ability Data Transparency, and Help, Support, and…

Ability Model(also: Ability-Based User Model)

A representation of a user that focuses on what they can do rather than demographic characteristics or disability categories. Unlike traditional user models that capture preferences, background, or impairment labels, ability models document the specific abilities a user has for…

Ability assumption in AI(also: Visual ability assumption, Sighted bias in AI)

The tendency of AI systems to assume users possess typical sensory, cognitive, or physical abilities, leading to inappropriate responses or instructions. In the context of visual AI assistants for blind users, ability assumptions manifest as the system asking users to "read the…

Ability requirement(also: Ability demand, Interaction prerequisite)

A capability that a person must possess in order to use a technology system, created implicitly by the system's design. AI systems generate new ability requirements: voice assistants require recognizable speech production, autonomous vehicles require pedestrians to look and move…

Ability-Based Design(also: ABD)

A design paradigm for accessible technology introduced by Jacob Wobbrock and colleagues that emphasizes adapting systems to meet users' abilities rather than requiring users to adapt to systems. Ability-based design applies "design-for-one" strategies universally, positioning…

Ability-Based Design(also: ABD)

A design philosophy that focuses on what users can do rather than what they cannot, adapting systems to leverage each individual's specific abilities. Instead of designing for a "typical" user and then adding accessibility accommodations, ability-based design starts from the…

Ability-Diverse Collaboration(also: Cross-Ability Collaboration, Mixed-Ability Collaboration)

A framework for understanding collaborative interactions between individuals with different abilities, where participants strategically combine and share their capabilities to achieve shared outcomes. The Ability-Diverse Collaboration Framework identifies two key modes of…

Ability-Mediating Design

A design framework introduced by Radu-Daniel Vatavu that focuses on how interactive systems mediate and reshape users' abilities rather than adapting to fixed abilities. Its core principles are mediation (systems empower users with enhanced skills), world coverage (systems…

Ability-based calibration(also: Adaptive calibration, Movement range calibration)

The process of adjusting a technology system's input sensitivity and thresholds to match an individual user's physical capabilities and range of motion, rather than assuming a normative body. In motion-based gaming and rehabilitation, ability-based calibration typically involves…

Ability-based design(also: ABD)

An accessibility framework that shifts the design focus from disability (what users cannot do) to ability (what users can do), arguing that interactive systems should adapt to users' actual capabilities rather than requiring users to conform to standard interfaces. Proposed by…

Ablation Study(also: Ablation Experiment)

A methodology, common in machine-learning and systems research, in which individual components of a system are systematically removed or disabled to measure their contribution to overall performance. In accessibility testing research, ablation studies are used to justify design…

Ableism(also: Disability discrimination, Disablism)

Discrimination, prejudice, or social bias against people with disabilities, rooted in the assumption that typical abilities are superior and that disabled people need to be fixed or are inherently less capable. Ableism operates at multiple levels: structural (inaccessible…

Ableist Language(also: Disability Slurs, Derogatory Disability Language)

Ableist language refers to words, phrases, and framings that demean, stereotype, or pathologize people with disabilities — from explicit slurs such as 'cripple,' 'handicap,' 'retard,' or 'lame' used pejoratively, to subtler framings like 'suffers from,' 'wheelchair-bound,' or…

Ableist Microaggressions Scale(also: AMS)

A validated measurement instrument developed by Conover, Israel, and Nylund-Gibson (2017) to systematically assess the frequency and impact of subtle, everyday expressions of ableism. The AMS organises disability microaggressions into four empirically supported domains —…

Ableist microaggression(also: Disability microaggression, Casual ableism)

A subtle, often unintentional comment, question, or behavior that communicates hostile, derogatory, or negative assumptions about disability. Examples include unsolicited compliments on "bravery" for performing routine tasks, expressions of surprise at a disabled person's…

Above the Fold(also: Above-the-fold, First Screen Content)

Content that is visible on a web page without requiring the user to scroll. The term originates from newspaper publishing where important headlines appeared above the physical fold of the paper. In digital accessibility and usability, above-the-fold placement is significant…

Abstract Syntax Tree(also: AST, Syntax Tree)

A hierarchical tree representation of source code structure that captures the syntactic relationships between programming constructs like functions, classes, loops, and statements. In accessibility, AST-based navigation tools like StructJumper allow blind programmers to traverse…

Abstract Widget(also: Abstract Interaction Object)

A user interface component defined by its semantic purpose and interaction behavior rather than its visual appearance. Abstract widgets specify what a user can do (select from options, enter text, trigger a command) without prescribing how the interaction is rendered — it could…

Abundant Design(also: Abundant UI Design)

A design approach for cognitively accessible interfaces in which primary actions are represented by multiple redundant cues — short text, an icon, a distinctive color, and ample size — so users can identify the control through whichever channel suits them. Contrasts with minimal…

Academic Ableism

Systemic discrimination against disabled people within academic institutions and research practices. In higher education, academic ableism manifests through inaccessible learning environments, expectations of productivity that do not account for disability, and research…

Academic Accessibility(also: Accessibility in academia, Scholarly accessibility)

The degree to which the tools, publications, venues, and institutional practices of academic research and higher education are usable by disabled students, faculty, and researchers. Academic accessibility spans scholarly PDFs and figures, reference and qualitative-analysis…

Academic Accommodation(also: Educational Accommodation, Reasonable Adjustment in Education)

Modifications to academic requirements, procedures, or environments that enable students and scholars with disabilities to participate equally in educational activities. Academic accommodations may include extended time for exams, alternative format materials, note-taking…

Academic Accommodations(also: Educational Accommodations, Disability Accommodations)

Modifications to academic requirements, environments, or procedures provided to students with disabilities to ensure equal access to education. Common accommodations include extended test time, note-taking services, priority seating, alternative format materials, and reduced…

Accelerated Speech(also: Time-Compressed Speech, Speed-Up Speech)

Audio output played at faster than normal speaking rate, commonly used by people with visual impairments when interacting with screen readers and other audio-based assistive technologies. Research shows that experienced screen reader users can comprehend speech at up to 500…

Accelerometer

A sensor that measures acceleration forces, including the constant force of gravity, along one or more axes. Accelerometers in smartphones and wearable devices detect device orientation, movement, and gestures. In accessibility applications, accelerometer data enables…

Acceptance Testing(also: User Acceptance Testing, UAT, Acceptance Tests)

A form of software testing that validates whether a system meets its specified requirements from the end user's perspective. In accessibility, acceptance tests simulate real user interaction scenarios — such as navigating a web page using only the keyboard or activating…

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy(also: ACT)

A form of cognitive behavioral therapy that encourages acceptance of unwanted thoughts and feelings rather than fighting or suppressing them, combined with commitment to actions aligned with personal values. For OCD, ACT teaches individuals to acknowledge obsessive thoughts…

Access Barrier(also: Accessibility Barrier, Barrier to Access)

Any obstacle that prevents or diminishes a disabled person's ability to complete a task, participate in an activity, or access information. Access barriers are not limited to complete inability (failure points) but also include situations where tasks can be completed but with…

Access Barriers(also: Barriers to Access)

Obstacles that prevent or impede disabled people from fully participating in activities, accessing services, or using technologies. Access barriers can be physical (inaccessible buildings), digital (websites without screen reader support), attitudinal (employer discrimination),…

Access Conflict(also: Accessibility Conflict, Competing Access Needs)

A situation in which the accessibility requirements of one person conflict with or undermine the accessibility requirements of another person. For example, a student prone to migraines may need low lighting in a classroom, while a student with low vision requires bright, direct…

Access Differential(also: Accessibility Gap, Access Gap)

Access differential is the gap between the access that nondisabled people experience and the access that people with disabilities experience when using the same technologies, services, or environments. Unlike a binary view of accessibility (accessible or not), access…

Access For All(also: ISO/IEC 24751, IMS Access For All, AfA)

An international standard (ISO/IEC 24751) for describing user accessibility needs and preferences in a portable, application-independent format. Originally developed by the IMS Global Learning Consortium for educational contexts, it was adopted as an ISO standard and uses XML…

Access Friction(also: Accessibility Friction)

The effort, frustration, or barriers encountered when attempting to access technology, services, or environments. Access friction can range from minor inconveniences to complete exclusion and may result from poorly designed interfaces, lack of accommodations, bureaucratic…

Access Intimacy

A concept coined by disability justice activist Mia Mingus describing the elusive, deeply felt connection that occurs when someone else genuinely understands and responds to your access needs. Access intimacy goes beyond formal accommodations to encompass the relational and…

Access Keys(also: Accesskeys, Keyboard Shortcuts)

Access keys are keyboard shortcuts defined in HTML using the accesskey attribute that allow users to activate or focus on specific elements — such as links or form controls — by pressing a key combination. Introduced as an accessibility feature to help keyboard-only users…

Access Labor(also: Accommodation Labor, Disability Labor)

The uncompensated work that disabled people must perform to secure, maintain, and manage their own accessibility accommodations within systems not designed for them. Access labor includes navigating bureaucratic accommodation processes, self-advocating with institutions and…

Access Needs(also: Accessibility Needs, Access Requirements)

The specific requirements a person has in order to access information, environments, services, or activities on an equal basis. Access needs vary by individual and context, and may relate to sensory, cognitive, physical, or communication requirements. The concept of access needs…

Access Work(also: Access Labour)

The often invisible labor that disabled people and their allies perform to negotiate, secure, and maintain access to spaces, services, and activities. Access work includes tasks such as researching accommodations, communicating needs, navigating institutional processes, and…

Access aisle

A marked, level area adjacent to an accessible parking space that provides critical clearance for people with disabilities to deploy wheelchairs, ramps, or other mobility devices when entering and exiting vehicles. Access aisles must be at least 60 inches wide and are typically…

Access as Friction

A disability-studies framing, articulated by Jackson, Haagaard, and Williams, that reframes accessibility work as productive friction rather than seamless accommodation. Rather than smoothing every interaction, "access as friction" calls for designs that make users pause,…

Access hack(also: Accessibility workaround, Adaptive strategy, Crip hack)

A creative workaround, adaptation, or improvised solution that a disabled person develops to navigate an inaccessible tool, environment, or system. Access hacks range from physical modifications (adapting a kitchen tool for one-handed use) to digital strategies (using keyboard…

Access labour(also: Access labor, Disability labour, Accommodation labour)

The additional physical, cognitive, and emotional work that disabled people must perform to navigate inaccessible environments, systems, and social situations. This includes researching whether venues are accessible, requesting and negotiating accommodations, educating…

Access to Information(also: Information Access)

In the context of web accessibility, the concept that certain accessibility criteria are fundamentally about whether users can reach and perceive content at all, as distinct from criteria that improve the quality or experience of that access. Access to information serves as a…

Access-Stabilising Support

A design framing, introduced by Bhuiyan et al. (2026), that positions AI in Deaf education not as an autonomous translator or replacement instructor but as a mediated tool whose role is to preserve visual access, reinforce teacher-validated signs, and sustain comprehension…

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,…

AccessForAll(also: Access For All, AfA)

AccessForAll is an accessibility framework originating from the IMS Global Learning Consortium and later standardized by ISO, based on the principle that accessibility is best achieved by matching content and environments to individual users' needs and preferences rather than…

AccessiWeb(also: AccessiWeb Reference List)

A French web accessibility methodology and reference list developed by BrailleNet, providing a practical application framework based on WCAG. AccessiWeb translates WCAG success criteria into testable criteria organized for use in conformance audits, quality assurance, and…