Glossary
Searchable terminology from accessibility, web standards, and related fields.
26 results found in Autism.
- ABC Model (Antecedent-Behavior-Consequence, ABC Analysis, ABC Framework)
- A behavioural-science framework, rooted in B. F. Skinner's operant conditioning, that analyses any observed behaviour as a three-part sequence: Antecedent (the situation, trigger, or context immediate…
- Autistic Joy
- A concept articulated by Elliot Wassell and widely discussed in autistic communities describing the intense, absorbing pleasure autistic people can experience in special interests, sensory engagement,…
- Behavior Rehearsal (Behavioral Rehearsal)
- Behavior rehearsal is a structured practice technique, introduced by Brownsmith in behavioural psychology and widely used in social-skills training, in which a learner repeatedly practises a target be…
- Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire (CAT-Q)
- A 25-item self-report questionnaire developed by Hull, Mandy, Lai, Baron-Cohen and colleagues (2019) for adults to self-assess autistic masking (camouflaging) behaviours. Items are rated on a 7-point …
- Challenging Behavior (Problem Behavior, Behaviors of Concern)
- Actions by individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities that pose risks to themselves or others, or significantly interfere with daily activities and learning. In the context of autism,…
- Comic Strip Conversations (CSC)
- A visual-support technique developed by Carol Gray (1994) for autistic children and adolescents, in which a social interaction is illustrated as a short comic strip with simple stick figures, speech b…
- Computer Feedback System (CFS, Computerized Feedback System)
- A technology system that detects a user's behavior — such as vocalizations, movements, or physiological signals — and provides immediate audio, visual, or haptic responses mapped to that behavior. In …
- Deep Pressure Therapy (DPT, Deep Pressure Stimulation, Deep Touch Pressure)
- A therapeutic approach that uses firm, distributed tactile pressure — such as from weighted blankets, compression garments, or inflatable vests — to reduce anxiety, stress, and physiological arousal. …
- Demand Avoidance (Pathological Demand Avoidance, PDA, Persistent Drive for Autonomy)
- An inner resistance to perceived demands — even self-imposed ones — that can lead to inability to start, change, or complete tasks. Demand avoidance is associated with an autism profile sometimes call…
- Digital Stimming (Digital self-stimulation)
- The deliberate, controlled engagement with digital content — typically apps, videos, or sites commonly labeled as 'distracting' — as a self-regulatory or soothing behavior, analogous to physical stimm…
- Emotion Regulation (Affect Regulation, Self-Regulation of Emotion)
- The processes by which a person monitors, evaluates, and modifies emotional reactions to achieve goals or meet situational demands — including selecting or changing situations, directing attention, re…
- Facilitated Communication (FC, Supported Typing)
- A technique in which a facilitator provides physical support to a person with a communication disability — typically by holding or steadying the person's hand, arm, or wrist — as they point to letters…
- Generative Thinking (Generative Cognition, Creative Problem Solving)
- Generative thinking is the cognitive ability to spontaneously produce novel ideas, solutions, or approaches to problems without external prompting. In the context of autism and cognitive accessibility…
- Hand-Eye Coordination (Visuomotor Coordination, Eye-Hand Coordination)
- The ability of the visual system to coordinate information received through the eyes to control and guide hand movements in accomplishing tasks such as writing, catching a ball, or using a touchscreen…
- Interaction Framing (Narrative Framing, Framing (Interaction Design))
- Interaction framing refers to the way a system positions the user's role and the meaning of their input, independent of the underlying mechanics. The same choice can be framed as completing a task ("s…
- Monotropism
- A cognitive theory of autism, developed by Dinah Murray, Mike Lesser, and Wenn Lawson, that describes autistic attention as tending to be pulled strongly into a narrow focus (one "attention tunnel") r…
- Narrative Skills (Narrative Competence, Storytelling Skills)
- The ability to recount events — real or imagined — as a coherent, temporally ordered, causally linked story that another person can follow. Narrative skills rest on autobiographical memory retrieval, …
- Power Cards
- Power Cards are a visual teaching strategy developed by Elisa Gagnon for autistic learners and others with social-communication differences. A Power Card is a small, portable card that pairs a brief s…
- Restricted Interests (Circumscribed Interests, Special Interests, Focused Interests)
- A characteristic of autism spectrum disorder where individuals develop intense, narrowly focused interests in specific topics, objects, or activities. These interests may be unusual in their subject m…
- Self-Management (Self-Management Intervention, Self-Management Strategy)
- Self-management is a behavioral intervention approach in which individuals learn to independently monitor, evaluate, and modify their own behavior to achieve specific goals. In disability contexts, se…