Glossary

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Code Walkthrough

A form of peer review in which a developer leads colleagues through a segment of code, explaining its logic, structure, and design decisions line by line. Unlike pair programming where both developers actively write code, a walkthrough is typically led by one person while others…

Code-Based Modeling(also: Programmatic Modeling, Scripted 3-D Modeling)

An approach to creating 3-D models by writing code rather than using visual direct manipulation interfaces. Code-based modeling tools like OpenSCAD allow users to define shapes, transformations, and boolean operations through programming languages. This approach is inherently…

Code-switching(also: Language switching, Code-mixing)

Code-switching is the practice of alternating between two or more languages, dialects, or communication styles within a single conversation or even a single sentence. It is common in multilingual households, immigrant communities, and among speakers of non-standard dialects.…

Codebook (Research)(also: Coding Manual, Qualitative Codebook)

A codebook is a structured set of codes, definitions, and application rules used to systematically analyse qualitative data (interview transcripts, observation notes, documents) or to extract data from literature for review work. It typically specifies each code's name,…

Coercion Resistance(also: Receipt-Freeness, Anti-Coercion)

Coercion resistance is a security property of voting systems that prevents a coercer from verifying how a voter cast their ballot, even if the voter cooperates with the coercer. A related but weaker property, receipt-freeness, means the voter cannot produce proof of their vote…

CogTool

A cognitive modeling tool developed at Carnegie Mellon University that generates quantitative predictions of human task performance times based on the Keystroke-Level Model (KLM) and the ACT-R cognitive architecture. Designers create storyboards of user interface screens and…

Cognitive Accessibility(also: Cognitive A11y)

The practice of designing digital content and interfaces to be usable by people with cognitive, intellectual, learning, and neurological disabilities. Cognitive accessibility addresses barriers related to attention, memory, problem-solving, comprehension, and executive function.…

Cognitive Accessibility Guidelines(also: COGA, Making Content Usable for People with Cognitive and Learning Disabilities)

W3C guidance for making web content accessible to people with cognitive and learning disabilities, including intellectual disabilities, autism, dementia, ADHD, dyslexia, and dyscalculia. Published as a W3C Working Draft, COGA provides design patterns for supporting users in…

Cognitive Aging(also: Age-Related Cognitive Decline)

Cognitive aging refers to the normal, gradual changes in cognitive function that occur as people grow older. These changes typically include declines in processing speed, working memory capacity, selective attention, and fluid intelligence (the ability to reason about novel…

Cognitive Artifact(also: Cognitive Artefact)

An artificial device — physical or digital — designed or appropriated to maintain, display, or operate on information in ways that support human cognitive performance. The term was codified by Don Norman to describe how objects like calendars, shopping lists, sticky notes,…

Cognitive Assessment(also: Neuropsychological assessment, Cognitive testing)

Structured evaluation of cognitive abilities — attention, memory, executive function, language, visuospatial processing, and more — using standardized tasks, questionnaires, or interactive assessments. Cognitive assessments support clinical diagnosis, screening for decline or…

Cognitive Assistance(also: Cognitive Aid, AI-Powered Assistance, Assisted Cognition)

Technology that uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to supplement or expand human cognitive and perceptual abilities. In accessibility contexts, cognitive assistance systems recognise people, objects, text, and environments and convey that information through…

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy(also: CBT)

A widely used, evidence-based form of psychotherapy that focuses on identifying and modifying dysfunctional thought patterns and behaviors. CBT is based on the premise that thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are interconnected, and that changing negative thinking patterns can…

Cognitive Cycle(also: Cognitive Processing Time, Cognitive Response Time)

In the Model Human Processor framework, the cognitive cycle represents the time required for a person to process perceived information and make a decision about how to respond. A single cognitive cycle is approximately 70-110 milliseconds. Research with motion-impaired users has…

Cognitive Decline(also: Cognitive Deterioration, Cognitive Aging)

A gradual reduction in cognitive abilities such as memory, attention, language, reasoning, and executive function that may occur as part of normal aging or as a symptom of neurological conditions such as mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia. Cognitive decline exists on a…

Cognitive Demand(also: Cognitive Complexity, Cognitive Requirements)

The amount of mental effort, attention, and processing required to use a technology, interface, or system. High cognitive demand in assistive technology interfaces can prevent adoption by users with cognitive impairments, fatigue, or limited experience with technology.…

Cognitive Disability(also: Cognitive Impairment, Cognitive Disabilities)

A broad term encompassing conditions that affect cognitive processes such as memory, attention, perception, learning, language, and executive function. Cognitive disabilities include intellectual disabilities, traumatic brain injuries, neurodegenerative conditions, and…

Cognitive Disability(also: Cognitive Impairment, Intellectual and Cognitive Disability)

A broad category of disabilities affecting cognitive functions such as memory, attention, problem-solving, reading, language comprehension, and executive function. Cognitive disabilities can be developmental (such as Down Syndrome or Autism Spectrum Disorder), acquired (such as…

Cognitive Disability(also: Cognitive Impairment, Intellectual and Developmental Disability)

A broad category of disabilities affecting cognitive functions such as memory, attention, problem-solving, learning, and information processing. Cognitive disabilities may be developmental (present from birth or early childhood, such as Down syndrome or intellectual disability)…

Cognitive Dysfunction(also: Cognitive Impairment, Cognitive Disability)

A broad term encompassing conditions that affect cognitive functions such as memory, attention, problem-solving, learning, language, and executive function. Cognitive dysfunction ranges from mild impairments (age-related memory decline, mild cognitive impairment) to major…

Cognitive Flexibility(also: Mental Flexibility, Set Shifting, Task Switching)

The executive function that allows a person to adapt their thinking and behavior in response to changing demands, switch between tasks, or consider multiple perspectives simultaneously. Cognitive flexibility is often challenged in autism, ADHD, and other neurodevelopmental…

Cognitive Forcing Function(also: Cognitive Forcing)

A design technique that deliberately disrupts automatic cognitive processing to prompt users to engage in more deliberate, analytical thinking. In human-AI interaction, cognitive forcing functions are used to reduce over-reliance on AI outputs — for example, by asking users to…

Cognitive Impairment(also: Cognitive Disability, Intellectual Disability, Cognitive Decline)

A broad category encompassing conditions that affect cognitive functions such as memory, attention, language, problem-solving, and executive function. Cognitive impairments range from mild (noticeable but not interfering significantly with daily life) to severe, and may be…

Cognitive Interviewing

A qualitative research technique used to explore how survey respondents understand and mentally process assessment questions. Cognitive interviewing involves asking participants to think aloud as they interpret and answer questions, revealing misunderstandings, ambiguities, and…

Cognitive Load(also: Mental Load, Cognitive Demand)

The total amount of mental effort required to complete a task, encompassing the processing, storage, and management of information in working memory. Cognitive load theory distinguishes between intrinsic load (inherent task complexity), extraneous load (unnecessary complexity…

Cognitive Load Theory(also: CLT)

An instructional design theory proposing that learning is hindered when too much information is processed at once, overwhelming working memory. In sign language learning, cognitive load is particularly high because learners must simultaneously process and produce multiple…

Cognitive Map(also: Cognitive Mapping)

An internal mental representation of spatial relationships within an environment, formed through direct experience, exploration, or learning from maps and descriptions. Cognitive maps allow people to understand where they are relative to other locations, plan routes, and orient…

Cognitive Orthosis(also: Cognitive Prosthesis, Cognitive Assistive Device)

A technology-based device or system designed to compensate for cognitive deficits by supporting functions such as memory, planning, attention, and task sequencing. Analogous to a physical orthosis that supports a weakened limb, a cognitive orthosis augments impaired cognitive…

Cognitive Orthotic(also: Cognitive Orthosis, Cognitive Support Device)

A cognitive orthotic is an assistive technology device or system designed to compensate for cognitive impairments by providing external support for functions such as memory, planning, sequencing, and decision-making. Analogous to a physical orthotic that supports a weakened…

Cognitive Overload(also: Information Overload, Cognitive Load)

A state in which the amount of information or the complexity of a task exceeds a person's processing capacity, leading to reduced performance, comprehension, or decision-making ability. In accessibility contexts, blind users of visual assistance technologies may experience…

Cognitive Prosthesis(also: Cognitive Prosthetic, Digital Memory Aid)

A cognitive prosthesis is a technology-based system designed to supplement or replace cognitive functions that have been impaired due to conditions such as dementia, traumatic brain injury, or other neurological disorders. These systems can range from simple reminder apps to…

Cognitive Rehabilitation(also: Cognitive Rehab, Neuropsychological Rehabilitation)

A structured program of therapeutic activities designed to restore or compensate for cognitive functions impaired by brain injury, stroke, or other neurological conditions. Cognitive rehabilitation targets specific domains such as memory, attention, executive function, language,…

Cognitive Scaffolding(also: Scaffolded Support, Guided Task Support)

External supports or structures that help a person complete cognitive tasks they might not be able to manage independently. In education, scaffolding refers to temporary supports removed as competence grows; in accessibility, it often means persistent supports embedded in…

Cognitive Stimulation(also: Cognitive Stimulation Therapy, CST)

A structured programme of activities and discussions designed to engage and stimulate cognitive abilities — including memory, attention, language, and problem-solving — in people with mild to moderate dementia. Cognitive stimulation therapy (CST) is one of the few…

Cognitive Strategy Prompting(also: Cognitive Scaffolding, Strategy Prompting)

A design technique that provides cues or prompts within an interface to help users employ effective cognitive strategies for completing tasks, particularly benefiting users experiencing age-related cognitive decline or cognitive disabilities. Examples include framing tasks using…

Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning(also: CTML, multimedia learning theory)

A theory developed by Richard E. Mayer proposing that people learn more effectively from words and pictures together than from words alone, because the brain processes visual and auditory information through separate working-memory channels. CTML underpins design principles such…

Cognitive Training(also: Brain Training, Cognitive Remediation)

Structured programs or applications that use repeated practice on standardized tasks to improve specific cognitive functions such as working memory, attention, or processing speed. In accessibility contexts, cognitive training is particularly relevant for people with learning…

Cognitive Usability

The extent to which a system, interface, or information resource can be effectively used by people with varying cognitive abilities and processing styles. Cognitive usability goes beyond traditional usability measures (efficiency, effectiveness, satisfaction) to specifically…

Cognitive Walkthrough(also: Expert Walkthrough)

An accessibility and usability evaluation method in which one or more experts step through a series of tasks from the perspective of a target user, identifying potential barriers and difficulties at each step. In accessibility evaluations, cognitive walkthroughs often involve…

Cognitive accessibility(also: Cognitive a11y, COGA)

The practice of designing digital content, interfaces, and interactions so they are usable by people with cognitive, learning, and neurological disabilities, including conditions such as dementia, intellectual disabilities, attention deficit disorders, and learning disabilities.…

Cognitive load(also: Mental load, Cognitive burden, Cognitive demand)

The total amount of mental effort required to complete a task, encompassing the processing of information, decision-making, remembering instructions, and managing attention. Cognitive load theory, developed by John Sweller in the 1980s, distinguishes between intrinsic load…

Cognitive mapping(also: Mental mapping, Spatial cognitive map)

Cognitive mapping refers to the mental process by which individuals construct, store, recall, and apply internal representations of their spatial environment to navigate and orient themselves. These mental maps encode relationships between landmarks, routes, and regions, and…

Cognitive-Communication Needs(also: CCN, Cognitive-Communication Disorders)

Difficulties in communication that arise from underlying cognitive deficits in areas such as attention, memory, organization, problem-solving, and executive function, rather than from primary language impairments. Cognitive-communication needs commonly result from traumatic…

Cognitively Assistive Robot(also: CAR)

A category of socially assistive robot designed specifically to support people with cognitive impairments — most commonly mild cognitive impairment (MCI), dementia, traumatic brain injury, or learning disabilities — in everyday cognitive tasks such as remembering appointments,…

Coh-Metrix

A web-based tool developed at the University of Memphis that analyses text on more than a hundred measures of language, cohesion, and readability, including referential and semantic cohesion, lexical diversity, syntactic complexity, and latent semantic analysis. Coh-Metrix moves…

Cohen's Kappa(also: Kappa Statistic, Kappa Coefficient)

A statistical measure of inter-rater reliability that accounts for agreement occurring by chance, used to assess the consistency between two or more raters coding qualitative data. Values range from -1 to 1, where 1 indicates perfect agreement, 0 indicates agreement no better…

Collaboration Awareness(also: Workspace awareness, Collaborator awareness)

The ongoing, up-to-the-moment understanding of what collaborators are doing, where they are working, and what has recently changed in a shared workspace. In sighted collaboration, awareness is typically conveyed through visual cues — cursors, avatars, highlights, and selection…

Collaborative Access(also: Collective Access)

An approach to accessibility that frames access as a shared, negotiated process involving multiple stakeholders rather than an individual accommodation provided to a single person. Collaborative access recognizes that achieving inclusion often requires coordination between…

Collaborative Accessibility(also: Accessible Collaboration)

Design approaches that ensure collaborative activities and shared workspaces are accessible to people with disabilities. Collaborative accessibility focuses on enabling meaningful participation in group tasks, communication, and creative activities by addressing barriers in…

Collaborative Accessibility Authoring(also: Collaborative Authoring, Crowdsourced Accessibility)

An approach to web accessibility in which a community of volunteers collaboratively creates, maintains, and shares accessibility fixes for websites they do not own or control. Rather than relying solely on site owners to make their content accessible, collaborative authoring…