Glossary

Searchable terminology from accessibility, web standards, and related fields.

42 results found in content accessibility.

Accessible Graphics (Accessible Images, Non-Visual Graphics)
Visual information such as charts, diagrams, maps, and illustrations that has been made perceivable and understandable to people with visual impairments through alternative formats. These formats incl…
Accessible PDF (Tagged PDF, PDF/UA)
An accessible PDF is a Portable Document Format file that has been structured with tags, reading order, alternative text for images, and other metadata so that it can be navigated and read by assistiv…
Accessible Slides (Accessible Presentation Slides, Non-Visually Accessible Slides)
Presentation slides that have been structured and annotated to be usable by people with disabilities, particularly blind and visually impaired users who access content via screen readers. Accessible s…
Alt Text Authoring (Alt Text Writing, Image Description Authoring)
The process of composing alternative text descriptions for digital images, undertaken by content authors, developers, or dedicated accessibility specialists. Research has identified several barriers t…
Alternative Text (Alt Text, Alt Attribute)
Text associated with an image that serves the same purpose and conveys the same essential information as the image. Alternative text is a fundamental web accessibility requirement specified in WCAG, e…
Anchoring Effect (Anchoring Bias, Cognitive Anchoring)
A cognitive bias in which people rely too heavily on an initial piece of information (the "anchor") when making subsequent decisions or judgements. In the context of digital accessibility, the anchori…
Automatic Alt Text (AI-generated Alt Text, Auto Alt Text, Machine-generated Alt Text)
Alternative text for images that is automatically generated by artificial intelligence systems using computer vision and natural language processing. Platforms like Microsoft PowerPoint, Facebook, and…
Automatic Image Captioning (AI-Generated Alt Text, Machine-Generated Description, Auto Alt Text)
The use of computer vision and machine learning algorithms to automatically generate textual descriptions of images without human intervention. Social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram deplo…
Composite Figure (Multi-panel Figure, Multi-element Figure)
A figure that contains multiple distinct visual elements combined into a single image, such as a series of screenshots labeled (a) through (f), a set of charts showing different data sets, or a mix of…
Content Filtering (Content Adaptation, Adaptive Content Delivery)
The process of selectively displaying or hiding portions of digital content based on user preferences, roles, device capabilities, or accessibility needs. In an accessibility context, content filterin…
Controlled Language (Controlled Natural Language, CL)
An explicitly defined restriction of a natural language that specifies constraints on vocabulary, grammar, and style to improve clarity, consistency, and machine processability of text. In accessibili…
Data Visualization (Data Viz, Information Visualization)
The graphical representation of data and information using visual elements such as charts, graphs, maps, and diagrams. While data visualization is a powerful tool for communicating patterns and insigh…
Decorative Image (Decorative Graphic, Presentational Image)
An image that serves a purely aesthetic or visual design purpose and does not convey meaningful information to the user. According to WCAG guidelines, decorative images should receive empty alt text (…
Document Accessibility (Accessible Documents, Document Remediation)
The practice of creating or converting digital documents so they can be effectively accessed by people using assistive technologies, particularly screen readers. Accessible documents require proper se…
Easy Language (Easy-to-Read, Leichte Sprache, Easy Read, Einfache Sprache)
A simplified form of written language designed to make information accessible to people with reading difficulties, including those with intellectual disabilities, prelingual hearing impairments, learn…
Easy Read (Easy-to-Read, Easy Language, Plain Language for Cognitive Accessibility)
A method of presenting written information in a way that is accessible to people with intellectual disabilities, learning difficulties, or low literacy. Easy Read uses short sentences, common everyday…
Embedded Description (Inline Description, Integrated Description)
A technique for making presentation content accessible where the speaker verbally describes relevant visual information on slides — including text, images, graphics, and other visual aids — as part of…
Figure Accessibility (Chart Accessibility, Graph Accessibility)
The practice of making visual figures, charts, graphs, and diagrams in documents and publications accessible to people who cannot see them, particularly blind and low vision users. Figure accessibilit…
Graph Accessibility (Chart Accessibility, Data Visualization Accessibility)
The practice of making charts, graphs, and other data visualisations perceivable and understandable to people with disabilities, particularly those who are blind or have low vision. Graph accessibilit…
Image Accessibility (Visual Content Accessibility)
The practice of making images perceivable and understandable to people who cannot see them, primarily through alternative text descriptions. Image accessibility is a foundational requirement of WCAG (…