Glossary
Searchable terminology from accessibility, web standards, and related fields.
41 results found in digital inclusion.
- Endangered Sign Language (Minority Sign Language, Under-Documented Sign Language)
- A sign language at risk of falling out of use, typically because the Deaf community that uses it is small, geographically isolated, or under pressure to adopt a dominant sign language. Most of the wor…
- English as a Second Language (ESL, ENL, ELL, TESOL, English Language Learner)
- English as a Second Language (ESL) refers to the teaching and learning of English by speakers of other languages. In accessibility contexts, language barriers are recognized as a significant form of e…
- Extended Digital Scaffolding (WhatsApp-Based Scaffolding)
- A new zone in the Digital Scaffolding Framework that extends classroom-based digital skills training through ongoing support via digital communication platforms such as WhatsApp groups. In this zone, …
- Financial Accessibility (Accessible Banking, Inclusive Finance)
- The design and provision of financial services, tools, and platforms that are usable by people of all abilities, ages, and levels of digital literacy. Financial accessibility encompasses making bankin…
- Friendsourcing
- A practice where people with disabilities turn to friends, family members, or social network contacts to obtain assistance with accessibility-related tasks, such as describing images, identifying obje…
- Functional Illiteracy (Low Literacy, Limited Literacy)
- A condition in which a person has basic reading and writing skills but cannot effectively understand or use written text for everyday tasks such as reading instructions, filling out forms, or comprehe…
- Health Literacy (Digital Health Literacy, eHealth Literacy)
- The degree to which individuals can obtain, process, understand, and act on health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions. In the digital context, health literacy extends…
- Internationalization (i18n)
- The process of designing and developing software, websites, or applications so that they can be adapted to different languages, regions, and cultural conventions without requiring engineering changes.…
- Mobile Disability Gap (Digital Disability Divide, Smartphone Disability Gap)
- The disparity in mobile phone and smartphone ownership, access, and usage between disabled and non-disabled populations. In Kenya, smartphone ownership among disabled individuals is only 12% compared …
- Mobile Health Technology (mHealth, Mobile Health, MHT)
- The use of mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets to deliver health services, information, and interventions. In accessibility contexts, mobile health technology is significant because smartph…
- Multilingualism (Multilingual Accessibility, Language Diversity)
- The use of or support for multiple languages within a system, platform, community, or society. In the context of digital accessibility, multilingualism refers to the design and development of websites…
- National Accessibility Portal (NAP, South African National Accessibility Portal)
- A South African government-supported web portal developed by the Meraka Institute (CSIR) to provide accessible information sharing for the disability sector. The NAP was designed from inception as an …
- Offline Access (Offline Mode, Disconnected Access, Offline-First)
- The ability to use digital content, applications, or services without an active internet connection. Offline access is an important accessibility consideration because it ensures that users in areas w…
- Open Data (Open Government Data)
- Data that is freely available to anyone to use, redistribute, and republish without restrictions from copyright, patents, or other control mechanisms. In the accessibility context, open data initiativ…
- Open Data (Open Government Data, Public Data)
- Data that is published and made freely available to everyone without copyright or patent restrictions, following the premise that transparency enables public accountability and innovation. In accessib…
- Renarration (Content Renarration, Web Renarration)
- The process of re-telling, re-presenting, or re-styling existing web content to make it accessible to new audiences who face barriers the original content was not designed to address. Renarration goes…
- Smart City (Intelligent City, Smart City Accessibility)
- An urban area that uses information and communication technologies (ICT) to improve the quality and efficiency of city services, infrastructure, and governance. In accessibility contexts, smart city t…
- Social Networking Site (SNS, Social Network, Social Media Platform)
- A social networking site (SNS) is an online platform that enables users to create profiles, connect with others, share content, and engage in social interactions. Examples include Facebook, Twitter/X,…
- Spoken Web (World Wide Telecom Web, WWTW, Telecom Web)
- An alternative web paradigm designed for people in developing regions who are excluded from the traditional World Wide Web by illiteracy, unaffordability, or lack of locally relevant content. In the S…
- Virtual Learning Environment (VLE, Learning Management System, LMS, Online Learning Platform)
- A web-based platform designed to support teaching and learning by providing tools for content delivery, communication, assessment, and course management. Virtual learning environments typically includ…