Glossary
Searchable terminology from accessibility, web standards, and related fields.
899 results found in Assistive Technology.
- Tactilization (Tactile Rendering, Haptic Rendering)
- The process of converting visual or abstract information into tactile representations that can be perceived through the sense of touch. In accessibility, tactilization transforms content such as web p…
- Tacton (Tactile Icon, Vibrotactile Pattern)
- A structured and abstract vibrotactile message designed to communicate complex information to users non-visually, analogous to how icons communicate information visually or earcons communicate through…
- Tactor (Vibrotactile Actuator, Tactile Actuator, Vibration Motor)
- A small electromechanical device that produces vibrations against the skin to convey information through the sense of touch. Tactors are the fundamental components of tactile displays and wearable hap…
- TalkBack (Android TalkBack, Google TalkBack)
- The built-in screen reader for Android devices, developed by Google as part of the Android Accessibility Suite. TalkBack provides spoken feedback, vibration, and other audible cues to help blind and v…
- Talking Browser (Talking Web Browser, Speaking Browser)
- A historical term for a specialised web browser that converts on-screen content into synthesised speech, enabling blind and low-vision users to browse the web through audio rather than through a separ…
- Talking Head (Virtual Talking Head, Animated Face, 3D Talking Head, Virtual Speech Tutor)
- A talking head is a computer-generated 3D or 2D animated representation of a human face and articulatory system that produces visible speech movements synchronised with audio output. In accessibility …
- Talking Lights
- Talking Lights is a commercial location-signalling system that modulates ordinary fluorescent light fixtures to transmit an inaudible digital signal, which a hand-held receiver carried by a blind user…
- Talking Signs (Talking Sign)
- An assistive technology system that uses infrared (IR) frequency modulated voice signals to transmit spoken information about signage to people with vision loss. Developed by the Smith-Kettlewell Eye …
- Tangible Interface (Tangible User Interface, TUI)
- A user interface that uses physical objects as representations and controls for digital information, allowing users to interact through touch and manipulation of tangible artifacts. In accessibility c…
- Tangible Programming (Physical Programming, Tangible Coding, Tactile Programming)
- A programming approach that uses physical objects — such as blocks, cards, or robots — that users can manipulate with their hands to create programs, rather than typing code or dragging on-screen elem…
- Tangible interaction (Tangible user interface, TUI, Physical computing)
- An interaction paradigm in which users manipulate physical objects and materials to interact with digital information, bridging the gap between the physical and digital worlds. Tangible interfaces lev…
- Task Prompting (Task Prompting System, Cognitive Prompting)
- Task prompting is an assistive technology approach that provides step-by-step instructions or cues to guide individuals with cognitive impairments through multi-step tasks. Prompts can be delivered th…
- Teachable Object Recognition (Teachable Object Recognizer, TOR, Personalized Object Recognition)
- A machine learning approach that allows users to train an object recognition system to identify their own personal items by providing a small number of training examples, typically photos or videos. T…
- Technology Abandonment (Device Abandonment, Technology Discontinuance)
- The phenomenon where users stop using a technology or assistive device after initial adoption, often due to poor usability, lack of perceived benefit, inadequate training, or misalignment with actual …
- Technology Acceptance (Technology Adoption, TAM)
- The process by which individuals evaluate, adopt, and integrate new technology into their routines, often modeled through frameworks like the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) which emphasizes perceiv…
- Technology Acceptance Model (TAM)
- A theoretical framework originally developed by Fred Davis in 1989 that explains how users come to accept and use a technology. TAM posits that technology adoption depends on two primary factors: perc…
- Technology Adoption (AT Adoption, Technology Uptake)
- The process by which individuals begin using and integrating new technology into their daily routines. In accessibility contexts, technology adoption encompasses the decision to acquire assistive tech…
- Technology Dependency (Tech Dependency, Digital Dependency)
- The state of relying on technology to perform tasks that one might otherwise accomplish independently, or the risk that technology use persists beyond the original need. In disability and accessibilit…
- Technology Ecosystem (Tech Ecosystem)
- The interconnected network of hardware, software, services, infrastructure, professionals, and support systems that collectively determine whether a technology can be effectively used and sustained. I…
- Technology interdependence (Technological interdependence, Multi-tool strategy)
- The strategic use of multiple complementary technologies in combination to accomplish tasks that no single tool can fully support. For people with disabilities, technology interdependence is particula…