Glossary
Searchable terminology from accessibility, web standards, and related fields.
117 results found in Communication.
- AAC Device (AAC System, Communication Device)
- A dedicated hardware device or software application designed to support augmentative and alternative communication for people who cannot rely on natural speech. AAC devices range from low-tech options…
- AI-Mediated Communication (AI-Assisted Communication)
- Communication that is facilitated, enhanced, or generated with the assistance of artificial intelligence tools. This includes AI-powered text generation, speech-to-text transcription, real-time transl…
- Aided AAC (Aided Augmentative and Alternative Communication)
- The branch of Augmentative and Alternative Communication that relies on an external tool to produce or carry the message — ranging from low-tech paper communication boards and picture-exchange cards t…
- Alphabet Board (Letter Board, Spelling Board, Communication Board)
- A low-technology communication tool displaying letters of the alphabet that enables people who cannot speak to spell out words and messages by pointing to, gazing at, or otherwise indicating individua…
- American Sign Language (ASL, Ameslan)
- A complete, natural language that uses hand movements, facial expressions, and body posture to convey meaning, serving as the primary language of many Deaf people in the United States and parts of Can…
- Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS, Motor Neurone Disease, MND, Lou Gehrig's Disease)
- A progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects motor neurons controlling voluntary muscle movement, leading to progressive weakness, muscle wasting, and eventually loss of the ability to speak, …
- Aphasia
- A language disorder that affects a person's ability to communicate, including difficulties with speaking, understanding speech, reading, and writing. Aphasia typically results from brain injury, most …
- Articulation (Speech Articulation, Articulation Skills)
- The physical production of speech sounds through coordinated movement of the articulators—tongue, lips, teeth, palate, jaw, and respiratory system. Articulation disorders occur when a person has diffi…
- Articulation Work (Care Articulation, Need Articulation)
- The often invisible labor of putting thoughts, needs, and feelings into words, particularly in care relationships. Articulation work involves expressing what support is needed, coordinating care activ…
- Assistive Communication (Assisted Communication)
- Any method, device, or system used to supplement or replace natural speech and writing for people who have difficulty with spoken or written language. Assistive communication encompasses a broad range…
- Asynchronous Communication (Async Communication)
- Communication that does not occur in real time, allowing participants to send and receive messages at different times. In educational and workplace contexts, examples include email, discussion forums,…
- Augmentative Communication (AAC, Augmentative and Alternative Communication)
- Methods, tools, and strategies used to supplement or replace spoken or written communication for people who have difficulty producing or comprehending speech and language. AAC ranges from low-tech app…
- Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)
- A set of tools, strategies, and techniques used to supplement or replace spoken or written communication for people with complex communication needs. AAC ranges from low-tech options like picture boar…
- Caregiver Support (Carer Support, Family Support)
- Assistance, training, and resources provided to family members, paid carers, and other individuals who support people with disabilities in daily life. In the context of assistive technology, caregiver…
- Choice-Making (Choice Board, Aided Choice)
- A structured communication and learning strategy in which an individual is presented with two or more options and supported to make a selection, often using pictures, objects, or symbols. Choice-makin…
- Clear Face Mask (Transparent Face Mask, Window Face Mask, See-Through Mask)
- A face covering that incorporates a transparent panel over the mouth area, allowing deaf and hard of hearing people to lip-read and observe facial expressions during conversation. Clear face masks eme…
- Collective Communication Access (CCA)
- A framework developed by McDonnell et al. (2023) that reconceptualises communication access as a shared, co-constructed practice distributed across everyone involved in an interaction, rather than as …
- 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…
- Common Ground (Grounding, Mutual Understanding)
- The shared knowledge, beliefs, and assumptions that conversation participants use to understand each other. In communication theory, grounding is the process by which speakers establish and maintain t…
- Communication Access
- The right and ability of all people to communicate and be understood, regardless of the mode or method of communication they use. Communication access encompasses the provision of supports, technologi…