Glossary
Searchable terminology from accessibility, web standards, and related fields.
29 results found in blindness and low vision.
- Age-Related Vision Loss (Age-Related Visual Impairment)
- Vision impairment that occurs as a consequence of aging, representing the most common cause of blindness and low vision worldwide. Conditions include age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, diabet…
- Aural Eavesdropping (Audio Eavesdropping, Auditory Shoulder Surfing)
- A security attack in which an unauthorized person overhears sensitive information such as passwords, PINs, or personal data being spoken aloud. This is a particular concern for people who are blind or…
- Browsing Fatigue (Navigation Fatigue, Screen Reader Fatigue)
- Physical and cognitive exhaustion experienced by users — particularly screen reader users and those with motor impairments — when navigating web content through repetitive, effortful interactions. For…
- Cocktail Party Effect
- The human ability to focus auditory attention on a single speaker or sound source while filtering out competing voices and background noise. Named after the experience of following one conversation at…
- Congenital Blindness (Congenital Vision Loss)
- Blindness or severe visual impairment present from birth or very early childhood, as opposed to acquired or adventitious blindness that develops later in life. The distinction is significant for acces…
- Exercise Accessibility (Fitness Accessibility, Accessible Physical Activity)
- The design of exercise environments, equipment, programs, and technologies to be usable by people with disabilities. Exercise accessibility encompasses both physical spaces (accessible gyms, adapted t…
- Graphic Transcription (Image Transcription, Accessible Graphic Transcription)
- The process of converting visual graphics (charts, maps, floor plans, diagrams) into formats accessible to blind and visually impaired users, such as tactile graphics, audio descriptions, or interacti…
- Haptic Exploration (Tactile Exploration, Touch Exploration)
- The process of acquiring spatial and object information through systematic touch and hand movements. Haptic exploration involves active manipulation and movement across surfaces to perceive shape, siz…
- Haptic Glove (Data Glove, Tactile Glove, Wearable Haptic Device)
- A wearable device worn on the hand that provides tactile feedback through vibration motors, piezoelectric actuators, pin arrays, or other mechanisms embedded in the fingers and palm. In accessibility …
- Landmark (Navigation Landmark, Environmental Landmark)
- A distinctive environmental feature used as a reference point during navigation and wayfinding. In Orientation and Mobility training for people with visual impairments, landmarks are categorized by th…
- Last-Few-Meters Problem (Last 10 Meters Problem, Last Mile Problem (Navigation))
- The navigation challenge that occurs when GPS or other positioning systems bring a person with a visual impairment to the general vicinity of their destination (typically within 5-10 meters) but canno…
- Legally Blind (Legal Blindness)
- A legal classification of visual impairment used to determine eligibility for government benefits, rehabilitation services, and disability accommodations. In the United States, legal blindness is defi…
- Mathematical Accessibility (Math Accessibility, STEM Accessibility)
- The practice of making mathematical notation, formulas, equations, and quantitative content accessible to people with disabilities, particularly blind and low-vision users. Mathematical notation poses…
- Music Notation (Musical Notation, Sheet Music)
- A system of written symbols used to represent musical sounds, including pitch, rhythm, dynamics, and other performance instructions. Standard visual music notation uses staff lines, notes, and other g…
- NavCog (Navigational Cognitive Assistant)
- A Bluetooth beacon-based navigation system developed at Carnegie Mellon University that provides indoor turn-by-turn navigation assistance and environmental information to blind and visually impaired …
- Non-Visual Exploration (Non-Visual Interaction, Non-Visual Scanning)
- The process by which blind or visually impaired people gather information about their physical environment, documents, or interfaces without relying on sight. Non-visual exploration combines multiple …
- Non-Visual Interaction (Non-Visual Access, Non-Visual Interface)
- Methods of interacting with computer systems and digital content without relying on visual display. Non-visual interaction encompasses screen reader output, speech interfaces, keyboard navigation with…
- Nonvisual Accessibility (Non-Visual Access)
- Nonvisual accessibility refers to approaches, strategies, and technologies that enable people who are blind or have low vision to access information and interact with digital and physical environments…
- Nonvisual Interaction (Eyes-Free Interaction, Screenless Interaction)
- Interaction with computing devices without relying on visual feedback, using alternative channels such as audio, tactile, or proprioceptive cues. Nonvisual interaction is essential for blind and low-v…
- Opticon (Optical-to-Tactile Converter)
- An early assistive technology device developed by Dr. James Bliss in the 1960s that converts printed text into a tactile vibrating pattern that can be read with the fingertip. The Opticon uses a small…