Glossary
Searchable terminology from accessibility, web standards, and related fields.
53 results found in autism.
- Allistic (Non-Autistic)
- A term used to describe people who are not autistic, regardless of whether they are neurotypical in other respects. The term was created within autistic communities to provide a specific counterpart t…
- Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA, ABA Therapy)
- A therapeutic approach based on behavioral psychology principles that aims to increase desired behaviors and decrease undesired ones through systematic reinforcement. ABA is widely used as an interven…
- Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA, Behavioral Analysis, Behaviour Analysis)
- Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) is a scientific approach to understanding and changing behavior through systematic observation, measurement, and evidence-based intervention. In accessibility and dis…
- Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA, Applied Behavior Analysis)
- A therapeutic approach based on behaviorist principles that uses reinforcement and conditioning to modify behaviour, widely used with autistic children. ABA has become increasingly controversial withi…
- Authorable Virtual Peer (AVP)
- A life-sized animated virtual character technology designed to support social skills development in children with autism and related disorders. Unlike passive virtual agents, authorable virtual peers …
- Autism Employment Gap (Autism Unemployment, Neurodiversity Employment Gap)
- The significant disparity in employment rates between autistic adults and the general population. Research indicates only 10-50% of autistic individuals are employed, with just 15-20% in full-time pos…
- Autism Technology (Autism Tech, ASD Technology)
- Technologies specifically designed for, marketed to, or used by autistic individuals and their support networks. Autism technology spans a wide range including digital therapy platforms, educational a…
- Autistic Agency (Autistic Self-Determination, Autistic Autonomy)
- The capacity of autistic individuals to make choices, express preferences, direct their own lives, and participate meaningfully in decisions that affect them. Research on autistic agency in technology…
- Autistic Burnout (Autistic Fatigue, Neurodivergent Burnout)
- A state of physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion experienced by autistic people, often resulting from the cumulative effect of masking (suppressing autistic traits to appear neurotypical), sensor…
- Autistic Meltdown (Meltdown, Sensory Meltdown)
- An autistic meltdown is an intense, involuntary response to overwhelming sensory, emotional, or cognitive overload, during which an autistic person may temporarily lose the ability to regulate their b…
- Autistic Sociality (Autistic Social Interaction, Atypical Sociality)
- The distinct ways in which autistic people form social connections, build community, and engage in relationships — which differ from neurotypical social norms but are not deficient. Autistic sociality…
- Behavioral Intervention (Behavior Intervention, Applied Behavior Analysis, ABA)
- A systematic approach to understanding and modifying behavior, most commonly applied to support children with autism, ADHD, and other neurodevelopmental conditions. Behavioral intervention uses eviden…
- Camouflaging (Masking, Social Camouflage, Autistic Masking)
- Camouflaging, also known as masking, is the conscious or unconscious suppression of autistic traits and adoption of neurotypical behaviors in order to fit into social situations. This can include forc…
- 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…
- 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…
- Daily Living Skills (Activities of Daily Living, ADLs, Self-Care Skills)
- The fundamental self-care tasks that individuals perform routinely, including personal hygiene (tooth-brushing, hand-washing, bathing), dressing, eating, toileting, and basic household tasks. For indi…
- Decreased Sound Tolerance (DST, Sound Intolerance)
- Decreased sound tolerance (DST) is an umbrella term for conditions in which everyday sounds are perceived as uncomfortably loud, threatening, or emotionally distressing. It encompasses hyperacusis (ab…
- Discrete Trial Training (DTT, Discrete Trial Teaching, Discrete Trial Instruction)
- A structured teaching method used primarily with autistic children in which skills are broken down into small, distinct components and taught through repeated, controlled trials. Each trial follows a …
- Echolalia (Echoing, Echolalic Speech)
- The repetition or echoing of words, phrases, or sounds spoken by others, commonly observed in individuals with autism spectrum disorder and some other developmental conditions. Echolalia can be immedi…
- Generalization (Skill Generalization, Transfer of Learning)
- The ability to apply a skill or concept learned in one setting, with one set of materials, or with one person, to new settings, materials, or people. Generalization is a major focus in autism educatio…