Glossary

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GAIA(also: Guidelines for Accessible Interfaces for people with Autism, Guidelines for Accessible Interfaces for Autism)

A set of design guidelines specifically developed to make digital interfaces more accessible for autistic users. GAIA addresses common barriers that autistic people face when using technology, including sensory overload from animations and complex layouts, difficulty with…

GDPR(also: General Data Protection Regulation)

A comprehensive data privacy regulation enacted by the European Union in 2018 that governs how organizations collect, store, process, and share personal data of EU residents. GDPR establishes key principles including consent (users must actively agree to data collection), the…

GIF(also: Graphics Interchange Format, Animated GIF)

A file format originally created in 1987 for bundling multiple images that evolved into a widely used medium for short, silent, looping animations on the web and social media. GIFs are primarily used in online conversation to express emotions, reactions, and cultural references…

GIGW(also: Guidelines for Indian Government Websites)

A set of guidelines published by the Government of India that establishes standards for the design, development, and management of Indian government websites. GIGW includes requirements for web accessibility, ensuring that government digital services are usable by people with…

GIS(also: Geographic Information System, Geographic Information Systems)

A class of software systems — such as ArcGIS, QGIS, and open-source geospatial libraries — that capture, store, manipulate, analyze, and visualize geographic and spatial data by linking location coordinates with attribute information. GIS underpins urban planning, public health,…

GLAM(also: Galleries, Libraries, Archives, and Museums, Cultural Heritage Institutions)

An umbrella acronym for cultural-heritage institutions: Galleries, Libraries, Archives, and Museums. GLAM is a common scoping term in accessibility research because these institutions hold large collections of materials that are often not born-accessible — digitised texts,…

GOMS(also: Goals, Operators, Methods, and Selection rules, KLM, Keystroke-Level Model)

A family of human-computer interaction models used to predict how long it will take a user to complete a task with a given interface. GOMS stands for Goals, Operators, Methods, and Selection rules — the four components used to describe user behavior. The simplest variant, the…

GPS(also: Global Positioning System, GNSS, Satellite Navigation)

The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a satellite-based navigation system that provides location and time information to receivers on Earth. For accessibility, GPS is foundational to wayfinding apps used by blind and low-vision travelers, enabling turn-by-turn navigation and…

GPS Navigation(also: Satellite Navigation, GNSS Navigation)

GPS (Global Positioning System) navigation uses satellite signals to determine a device's location and provide directions to a destination. For people with disabilities, GPS navigation apps on smartphones have become essential wayfinding tools, offering turn-by-turn directions…

GPS Tracking(also: GPS Monitoring, Electronic Tracking, Location Tracking)

The use of Global Positioning System technology to monitor and record the geographic location of a person or device in real time. In accessibility and dementia care contexts, GPS tracking is used in safe walking aids and wearable devices to help caregivers locate people who may…

GUI Testing(also: Graphical User Interface Testing, UI Testing)

GUI testing is a software testing methodology that validates application behaviour by interacting with the graphical user interface, including clicking buttons, entering text, and navigating menus, rather than testing code directly. GUI testing is especially relevant to…

GUI Widget(also: UI Widget, User Interface Widget, Control)

A graphical user interface element that users can interact with or that displays information, such as buttons, text fields, images, checkboxes, and sliders. In mobile accessibility, widget types determine which accessibility requirements apply—interactive widgets like buttons…

Gait(also: Walking Pattern, Locomotion Pattern)

The pattern of movement during walking, characterized by measurable parameters including walking velocity, cadence (steps per minute), step length, stride length, step time, cycle time, and swing time. Gait analysis is important in accessibility and rehabilitation because many…

Gait Analysis(also: Gait Assessment, Walking Analysis)

The systematic study of human locomotion using observation, measurement, and analysis of body mechanics during walking. Gait analysis measures parameters such as stride length, step duration, joint angles, stance and swing phase timing, and symmetry between left and right legs.…

Gait Cycle(also: Walking cycle)

The repeating pattern of leg movement during walking, defined from one foot contact with the ground to the next contact of the same foot. The cycle is divided into two main phases: the stance phase (foot on ground, bearing weight), which includes heel strike, midstance, and…

Gait Disturbance(also: Gait Abnormality, Gait Impairment, Gait Deviation)

Any deviation from a person's normal walking pattern, including decreased walking velocity, reduced step and stride length, increased step time, asymmetrical gait, and instability. Gait disturbances can result from neurological conditions (multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's…

Gait Training(also: Gait Rehabilitation)

Gait training is therapeutic practice aimed at improving walking function - velocity, stride length, symmetry, stability, and cadence - in people with neurological or musculoskeletal impairments. It is central to rehabilitation after stroke, spinal cord injury, and lower-limb…

Gait analysis(also: Walking pattern analysis, Locomotion analysis)

The systematic study of human walking patterns, including step frequency, stride length, body sway, and turning behaviour, using sensors or observation. In accessibility research, gait analysis reveals that blind people who use white canes or guide dogs have distinct walking…

Gallaudet University

A federally chartered private university in Washington, D.C., and the only university in the world designed specifically for deaf and hard of hearing students, with all programs and services tailored to their needs. Founded in 1864 and named after Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet, a…

Galvanic Skin Response(also: GSR, Electrodermal Activity, EDA)

A physiological measurement technique that detects changes in the electrical conductance of the skin caused by sweat gland activity. Because sweat glands are controlled by the sympathetic nervous system, GSR provides an objective indicator of emotional arousal, stress, and…

Game Accessibility(also: Accessible Gaming, Inclusive Game Design)

The practice of designing video games so they can be enjoyed by players with disabilities, including visual, hearing, motor, and cognitive impairments. Game accessibility encompasses a wide range of considerations: remappable controls and alternative input devices for motor…

Game Accessibility Guidelines(also: GAG)

A community-maintained reference (gameaccessibilityguidelines.com) co-authored by game developers, academics, and specialists, organising recommendations for making video games more accessible across motor, visual, cognitive, speech, and hearing disabilities. The guidelines are…

Game Captioning(also: Video Game Captions, Gaming Subtitles, In-Game Captions)

The practice of displaying text representations of dialogue, sound effects, and other audio content within video games for deaf and hard-of-hearing players. Game captioning differs from film or television captioning because games are interactive rather than passive — players…

Game accessibility(also: Gaming accessibility, Accessible gaming)

The practice of designing video games and interactive entertainment so they can be played and enjoyed by people with disabilities. Game accessibility encompasses a wide range of considerations including remappable controls for motor impairments, audio cues and sonification for…

Game theory

A branch of applied mathematics that models strategic decision making in competitive or cooperative environments. In accessibility research, game theory has been applied to model the allocation of scarce resources in adaptive user interfaces — for example, when multiple content…

Game-Based Assessment(also: Gamified assessment, Serious-game assessment)

The use of purpose-built games or playful interactive experiences to measure cognitive, behavioral, or skill-based constructs that would traditionally be assessed through structured tests or questionnaires. Game-based assessments embed validated task parameters (e.g.,…

Game-Based Therapy(also: Therapeutic Gaming, Serious Games for Rehabilitation, Gamification of Therapy)

The use of video games and interactive digital experiences as therapeutic interventions, particularly for physical or cognitive rehabilitation. Game-based therapy leverages engaging gameplay mechanics to motivate patients through repetitive exercises that might otherwise feel…

Games for Health(also: Health Games, Therapeutic Games, Medical Games)

Digital games designed to promote health outcomes, deliver therapy, support rehabilitation, or encourage healthy behaviors. Unlike entertainment games, games for health have specific therapeutic or health-promoting objectives integrated into gameplay. In accessibility contexts,…

Gamification(also: Game-Based Learning)

The application of game design elements and principles in non-game contexts to increase engagement, motivation, and learning outcomes. In reading accessibility, gamification has been used in literacy development tools for children with disabilities, including reading therapy…

Gamification

The application of game design elements — such as points, rewards, competition, collection mechanics, and progress tracking — in non-game contexts to increase engagement and motivation. In accessibility work, gamification has been used to encourage people to contribute…

Gamification(also: Games with a Purpose, GWAP)

The application of game design elements — such as points, levels, leaderboards, and time challenges — to non-game tasks in order to increase engagement and motivation. In accessibility, gamification has been used to crowdsource tasks that are difficult to automate, such as…

Gamified evaluation(also: Game-based assessment, Gamified testing)

A research methodology that incorporates game design elements — such as challenges, scoring, progressive difficulty, and rewards — into the evaluation of technology or user performance, to increase participant engagement, motivation, and retention. In accessibility research,…

Gaming accessibility(also: Game accessibility, Accessible gaming)

The design and development of video games and gaming experiences that can be enjoyed by people with a wide range of abilities, including those with motor, sensory, cognitive, and communication disabilities. Gaming accessibility encompasses features such as remappable controls,…

Gaokao(also: National College Entrance Examination)

The national college entrance examination in mainland China, taken annually by high school students to determine admission to Chinese universities. Since 2017, the Chinese Ministry of Education has formally permitted reasonable accommodations for disabled students on the gaokao,…

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…

Gaussian Blur(also: Gaussian Filter)

An image processing technique that smooths an image by averaging pixel values using a Gaussian (bell-curve) weighted function, creating a soft, out-of-focus appearance. In video accessibility, Gaussian blur is applied to video backgrounds to reduce visual distractions while…

Gaussian Mixture Model(also: GMM)

A Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM) is a probabilistic model that represents data as a weighted combination of multiple Gaussian (normal) distributions. Each component Gaussian has its own mean and covariance, allowing GMMs to model complex, multimodal distributions. In speech…

Gaze(also: Eye Gaze, Gaze Direction, Point of Regard)

The direction in which a person is looking, typically measured as the point of visual fixation on a display or in a physical environment. Gaze tracking technology captures where users look and for how long, enabling gaze-based input for motor-impaired users who cannot use…

Gaze Fixation(also: Eye Fixation, Visual Fixation)

The act of maintaining one's gaze steadily on a specific point or target, as opposed to saccadic eye movements between points. In gaze-based assistive technology, gaze fixation is the primary mechanism for making selections — users fixate on a desired target for a set dwell time…

Gaze Input(also: Eye Tracking Input, Gaze-Based Interaction, Eye Control)

An input method that uses eye-tracking technology to detect where a user is looking, enabling interaction with digital interfaces through eye movements such as fixation (dwelling on a target), smooth pursuit (following a moving target), or blinks. Gaze input is a critical…

Gaze Interaction(also: Gaze-Based Interaction, Gaze Input, Eye Gaze Control)

Gaze interaction is a method of controlling computers and devices by tracking where a person is looking on the screen. Using eye-tracking technology, the system detects the user's point of gaze and translates it into cursor movement or selection actions, often combined with…

Gaze Reinstatement(also: Gaze Reinstatement Effect, Looking-at-Nothing Paradigm)

Gaze reinstatement is the cognitive phenomenon in which a person mentally recalling or imagining a previously seen scene reproduces, on a blank or unrelated surface, eye movement patterns similar to those made when the scene was first viewed. The effect was demonstrated through…

Gaze Switching(also: Visual Attention Switching, Split Attention)

The act of shifting visual focus between two or more information sources, such as between captions and presentation slides in a classroom, or between a sign language interpreter and a speaker. Gaze switching is particularly costly for deaf and hard of hearing students who rely…

Gaze Tracking(also: Eye Tracking, Eye Gaze Tracking)

Technology that measures and records eye movements to determine where a person is looking, for how long, and in what pattern. In low-vision research and rehabilitation, gaze tracking can reveal visual strategies such as fixation patterns, saccade paths, and preferred retinal…

Gaze Typing(also: Eye Typing, Gaze-Based Text Entry, Eye-Typing)

A text input method that uses eye tracking technology to allow users to type by looking at keys on a virtual on-screen keyboard. The most common technique is dwell-based selection, where the user fixates on a letter for a set duration (typically 300-1000 milliseconds) to select…

Gaze-Based Communication(also: Eye Gaze Communication, Gaze-Based AAC)

A form of augmentative and alternative communication that uses eye movement tracking to enable people with severe motor and speech impairments to select words, phrases, symbols, or commands on a screen. Users make selections by fixating their gaze on a target for a set dwell…

Gaze-Based Interaction(also: Gaze Input, Eye-Gaze Interaction, Gaze Control)

An interaction method where users control digital interfaces by directing their visual gaze at on-screen targets, typically detected through eye tracking or head orientation tracking. In accessibility contexts, gaze-based interaction provides an alternative input modality for…

Gazepoint(also: Gaze Point, Point of Gaze)

The specific point on a screen or surface where a person is looking at any given moment, as determined by an eye tracking system. The gazepoint is calculated from the gaze vector — the line extending from the eye to the display — and is typically reported as x,y coordinates. Eye…

GenAI Accessibility(also: Generative AI Accessibility)

The design and implementation of generative AI tools—including large language model chatbots, AI image describers, and multimodal AI systems—so they can be fully and equitably used by people with disabilities. While text-based GenAI interfaces appear superficially accessible,…

Gender recognition(also: Automatic gender recognition, AGR, Gender classification)

AI technology that attempts to infer a person's gender from visual features such as facial characteristics, body shape, or voice. Gender recognition systems are controversial in accessibility contexts because they typically enforce binary gender classifications, frequently…