Glossary
Searchable terminology from accessibility, web standards, and related fields.
840 results found in assistive technology.
- Chest-Mounted Camera (Body-Worn Camera, Torso Camera)
- A wearable camera mounted on the user's chest or torso to capture a first-person perspective of activities. In accessibility research, chest-mounted cameras are used to record BLV users' daily activit…
- Chord Entry (Chording, Chord Input, Chordal Input)
- A method of text input where multiple keys are pressed simultaneously to produce a single character, rather than pressing keys sequentially. In braille keyboards such as the Perkins Brailler, chord en…
- ClearSpeak
- A set of rules for generating natural-sounding spoken descriptions of mathematical expressions, developed by ETS (Educational Testing Service). ClearSpeak uses conversational phrasing like "the fracti…
- Clock Face Method (Clock Position Method, Clock Face Orientation, Clock Method)
- A technique for describing the spatial position of objects relative to a person by using the positions on an analog clock face. For example, an item directly in front of a person is at 12 o'clock, to …
- Cloud Accessibility (Cloud-Based Accessibility)
- The use of cloud computing technologies to deliver, manage, and personalize accessibility features and assistive technologies. Cloud accessibility enables users to store their accessibility preference…
- Cloud-Based Assistive Technology (Assistive Technology as a Service, ATaaS, Cloud AT)
- An approach to delivering assistive technology through cloud computing, where personalised accessibility software configurations, preferences, and tools are stored remotely and delivered on demand to …
- Cochlear implant (CI, Bionic ear)
- A surgically implanted electronic device that provides a sense of sound to a person with severe to profound sensorineural hearing loss by directly stimulating the auditory nerve, bypassing damaged hai…
- Cognitive Scaffolding (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…
- Cognitive Training (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 co…
- Collaborative Robot (Cobot, Co-Robot)
- A robot designed to work alongside humans in shared workspaces, as opposed to traditional industrial robots that operate in isolation. Cobots are of particular interest for workplace inclusion because…
- Collaborative Troubleshooting (Cooperative Problem-Solving)
- A process where two or more people work together to identify, diagnose, and resolve technical problems, sharing knowledge and strategies to reach a solution. In assistive technology contexts, collabor…
- Collaborative virtual environment (CVE, Shared virtual space)
- A computer-based distributed virtual space where multiple users can interact with one another and with virtual objects in real time from separate physical locations. For children with autism, CVEs off…
- Color Sonification (Colour Sonification, Color-Audio Encoding)
- The process of translating colour information into audible sound signals, enabling people who are blind or have visual impairments to perceive colour through hearing. Color sonification systems typica…
- Colour blindness (Color blindness, Colour vision deficiency, CVD)
- A condition affecting the perception of colour, caused by absent or altered photoreceptors in the retina. The main types are classified by which colour receptors are affected: protanopia (absent red r…
- Combination Repertoire
- A type of technology repertoire where multiple tools work together simultaneously to provide access for a single task. For example, a person who is deaf and hard of hearing might use automatic caption…
- Communication Board (AAC Board, Symbol Board, Choice Board)
- A low-tech or digital display of symbols, pictures, words, or phrases arranged on a surface that a person with complex communication needs can point to, touch, or select to express messages. Communica…
- Communication Diary (Communication Notebook, Communication Book)
- A low-tech, typically paper-based personal resource used by individuals with communication difficulties to support daily interactions. Communication diaries may contain written keywords, names, drawin…
- Communication Partner (Conversational Partner, Interaction Partner)
- A person who regularly interacts with an AAC user and supports their communication, including family members, caregivers, teachers, therapists, and peers. Communication partners play a critical role i…
- Communitas
- A sense of community, solidarity, and mutual support that emerges among people sharing a liminal or transitional experience. Coined by anthropologist Victor Turner, communitas describes the bonds form…
- Compensatory Technology (Compensatory Approach)
- Assistive technology designed primarily to offset or make up for a person's functional limitations, focusing on what the person cannot do rather than building on their existing abilities. While compen…