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Scanpath Trend Analysis(also: STA)

A method for analysing multiple eye-tracking scanpaths to identify a single representative trending path that captures the most common viewing patterns across a group of users. STA determines which visual elements of a web page are most frequently visited and in what order,…

Scat Singing(also: Scatting, Vocal scat)

A jazz-rooted vocal technique in which a singer improvises melodic and rhythmic lines using nonsense syllables (such as 'doo', 'bop', 'ba', 'da', 'shoo') rather than words. Scat lets the voice function as an instrument, carrying melody, articulation, phrasing, and vocal timbre…

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…

Scenario-Based Evaluation(also: Path-Based Testing, User Journey Testing)

An accessibility evaluation approach that assesses the complete user experience across a sequence of steps needed to accomplish a task, rather than testing individual pages in isolation. For example, evaluating an e-commerce checkout means testing every step from product search…

Scenario-based design(also: SBD, Scenario-driven design)

A design methodology that uses narrative descriptions of how people interact with technology in specific contexts to drive the design process. Scenarios ground abstract requirements in concrete human experiences, helping designers anticipate real-world use situations including…

Scene Change Detection(also: Shot Boundary Detection, Scene Transition Detection)

An automated technique for identifying transitions between different scenes or shots in video content by analyzing visual differences between consecutive frames. In audio description workflows, scene change detection helps determine optimal moments for inserting descriptions, as…

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 Description(also: SD, Visual Description)

A textual description of the visual elements in a video scene — including objects, people, settings, actions, and visual cues — that can be converted into audio through text-to-speech technology. Scene descriptions serve as the basis for audio descriptions, making video content…

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 Segmentation(also: Scene Detection, Shot Boundary Detection)

Scene segmentation is the process of automatically dividing a video into discrete scenes or segments based on visual changes such as cuts, transitions, or the appearance of new elements in the frame. In the context of accessibility, scene segmentation is a foundational component…

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…

Scheduling Anxiety(also: Calendar Anxiety)

The psychological stress and worry experienced by blind and low vision users related to managing their schedules using inaccessible calendar tools. Scheduling anxiety encompasses fear of missed appointments due to unreliable assistive technology integration, uncertainty about…

Schema(also: Script, Mental Schema, Cognitive Schema)

A cognitive framework or mental model that organises knowledge about a typical sequence of events in a familiar situation. In accessibility and AAC design, schemas are used to structure interfaces so that prestored messages or navigation options mirror the expected progression…

Schizophrenia(also: Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders)

A chronic psychiatric condition characterized by disturbances in thought, perception, emotion, and behavior, including symptoms such as hallucinations, delusions, disorganized thinking, reduced emotional expression, and cognitive difficulties with memory, attention, and…

School Management Resistance(also: Administrative Resistance)

Opposition or skepticism from school leadership and administration toward the integration of technology in educational settings. In schools for the blind in India, management resistance manifests as policies restricting mobile phone use, interpreting technology use as laziness…

School for the Blind(also: Blind School, Residential Blind School)

A specialized educational institution that serves students with vision impairments, often as a residential facility where students live on campus. In India and other Global South countries, schools for the blind are frequently underfunded, teacher-constrained, and reliant on…

Science Communication(also: SciComm, Science Outreach)

The practice of informing, educating, and engaging public audiences about scientific topics and findings. Accessible science communication ensures that people with disabilities can participate fully in science learning through accommodations such as tactile models, audio…

Science Communicator(also: SC, Museum Science Communicator)

A trained staff member in a science museum whose role is to explain exhibits, demonstrate phenomena, and answer visitor questions. Science Communicators are central to several accessibility interventions for blind visitors because they provide the interpretive, social, and…

Science Museum(also: Science Center, Science Centre)

An institution dedicated to informally communicating science to the public through interactive exhibits, multimedia displays, hands-on workshops, and themed experiences. Unlike traditional collection-based museums, science museums emphasize engagement, experimentation, and…

Scoliosis

A structural condition in which the spine develops a sideways curvature, often in an 'S' or 'C' shape. Scoliosis ranges from mild curves requiring only monitoring to severe cases that can affect posture, breathing, mobility, and chronic pain, and it is sometimes associated with…

Scoping Review(also: Scoping Study)

A scoping review is a type of research synthesis that systematically maps the existing literature on a broad topic to identify key concepts, gaps in evidence, and types of available research. Unlike systematic reviews that answer specific questions, scoping reviews chart the…

Score Prediction(also: Predicted grade, Comprehension self-prediction)

A subjective-response evaluation item in which a research participant, immediately after reading a passage and before learning their actual comprehension-question score, estimates the percentage of questions they will have answered correctly. Score prediction is used in…

Score Reading

The act of interpreting and following a musical score, typically referring to the reading of classical or polyphonic music where multiple parts or voices must be tracked simultaneously. Score reading is distinct from simpler music reading in that it involves comprehending…

Scotoma(also: Blind Spot, Visual Field Defect)

An area of partial or complete loss of vision within the visual field, surrounded by areas of relatively normal or less affected vision. Scotomas can result from conditions such as macular degeneration (central scotoma), glaucoma (peripheral scotomas), or retinal damage. People…

Scotoma(also: Blind Spot, Visual Field Defect)

An area of partial or complete loss of vision within an otherwise normal visual field. Scotomas can be central (affecting the area of sharpest vision) or peripheral, and may be caused by conditions such as macular degeneration, glaucoma, optic neuritis, or retinal damage. In the…

Scotopic Sensitivity(also: Irlen Syndrome, Visual Stress, Meares-Irlen Syndrome)

A visual-perceptual condition in which certain wavelengths of light cause discomfort, distortion, or difficulty when reading. People with scotopic sensitivity may experience text appearing to shimmer, move, or blur on the page, particularly with high-contrast black text on white…

Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome(also: Irlen Syndrome, Visual Stress, Meares-Irlen Syndrome)

A perceptual processing condition in which the brain has difficulty handling certain visual information, particularly high-contrast patterns like black text on a bright white background. People with scotopic sensitivity may experience text appearing to move, shimmer, or blur on…

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 Compatibility(also: Screen Reader Support, Screen Reader Accessible)

The degree to which a digital interface, website, application, or document can be effectively used with screen reader software. Screen reader compatibility requires proper semantic HTML structure, meaningful heading hierarchies, labeled form elements, appropriate ARIA…

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…

Screenshorting(also: Screenshot Tweeting, Text as Image)

The practice of sharing text content as a screenshot or image rather than as actual text, often to circumvent character limits, preserve formatting, or avoid attribution. On social media platforms, users frequently post screenshots of text messages, articles, or other tweets as…

Scribe(also: Amanuensis, Exam Writer)

A person who writes or types on behalf of a student with a disability during examinations, transcribing the student's dictated answers. In India, students with vision impairments typically complete exams in Braille up to 9th grade but must transition to using scribes for public…