Glossary
Searchable terminology from accessibility, web standards, and related fields.
840 results found in assistive technology.
- 2D Tactile Display (Two-Dimensional Tactile Display, Graphical Tactile Display)
- A type of tactile display that presents information across a two-dimensional surface, enabling blind and low vision users to access complex graphical data such as diagrams, charts, maps, and graphical…
- 3D Audio (Three-Dimensional Audio, Binaural Audio, Immersive Audio)
- Audio technology that creates the perception of sound sources positioned in three-dimensional space around the listener, including above, below, and at varying distances. 3D audio uses head-related tr…
- 3D Printed Model (3D Print, Additive Manufacturing Model)
- A physical object created through additive manufacturing (layer-by-layer material deposition) that can serve as an accessible learning tool for blind and low vision users. 3D printing enables rapid, c…
- 3D Printing for Accessibility (Accessible 3D Printing, Additive Manufacturing for Accessibility)
- The use of 3D printing technology to create custom assistive devices, tactile materials, and accessible objects for people with disabilities. Applications include tactile graphics and maps, customized…
- 3D-Printed Assistive Technology (3D-Printed AT)
- Assistive devices manufactured using 3D printing technology, typically fused deposition modeling with thermoplastic materials like PLA. These devices can be rapidly prototyped and customized to indivi…
- AAC
- Abbreviation for Augmentative and Alternative Communication. AAC encompasses all forms of communication other than oral speech that are used to express thoughts, needs, wants, and ideas. This includes…
- AAC Abandonment (AAC Device Abandonment, AT Abandonment)
- The widespread phenomenon of users discontinuing their use of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices, particularly common among people with aphasia. Abandonment is driven by multiple…
- AAC Symbol Set (Symbol Set, Communication Symbol Set, Pictographic Symbol Set)
- A standardised collection of pictographic images used in augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) to represent words, phrases, or concepts. Each symbol in a set is mapped to specific vocabular…
- ABC Notation (ABC Text, ABC Music Notation)
- A shorthand ASCII text format for representing music notation using plain characters that can be read directly by screen readers. In ABC notation, pitch is represented by letters (A-G for different oc…
- AI Homogenization (AI-Driven Homogenization, Generative AI Homogenization Effect)
- The tendency for generative AI systems to produce outputs that converge toward similar patterns, reducing the diversity and uniqueness of results across different users and contexts. In accessibility …
- AI hallucination (Model hallucination, Confabulation)
- The generation of plausible-sounding but factually incorrect or fabricated information by AI systems, particularly large language and multimodal models. In accessibility applications, AI hallucination…
- AI sycophancy (Sycophantic AI, AI agreeableness bias)
- The tendency of AI systems, particularly large language models, to provide overly affirmative, agreeable, or encouraging responses that cater to the user rather than providing accurate information. In…
- ASL education technology (Sign language learning technology)
- Technology designed to support the teaching and learning of American Sign Language, ranging from video-based instructional platforms and feedback systems to computer vision tools that analyse signing …
- ASR Captioning (Automatic Captioning, Live Auto-Captioning, AI Captioning)
- The use of automatic speech recognition (ASR) technology to generate real-time text captions of spoken language, commonly used as an accessibility tool for Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals in meet…
- AT Abandonment (Assistive Technology Abandonment, Device Abandonment)
- The discontinuation of use of an assistive technology device by its intended user. AT abandonment rates are significant, with research showing that up to one-third of all assistive devices are abandon…
- AT Impact Framework (ATIF, Assistive Technology Impact Framework)
- A multi-level conceptual framework for evaluating the impact of assistive technology interventions on quality of life, developed from longitudinal research with smartphone users with sensory disabilit…
- AT Information Access (Assistive Technology Information Access)
- The ability of people with disabilities, caregivers, professionals, and other stakeholders to find, understand, and use information about assistive technology products and services. Effective AT infor…
- AT Service Delivery (Assistive Technology Service Delivery)
- The systems, processes, and organizational structures through which assistive technology devices and services reach end users. Effective AT service delivery encompasses needs assessment, device select…
- ATK (Accessibility Toolkit, Linux Accessibility Toolkit, AT-SPI)
- ATK (Accessibility Toolkit) is the accessibility framework for the Linux desktop environment, providing an API through which applications expose their user interface elements to assistive technologies…
- Abacus (Cranmer Abacus, Counting Frame)
- A manual calculating tool consisting of a frame with rods and movable beads used for arithmetic operations. For visually impaired users, adapted versions like the Cranmer abacus feature beads that sta…