Glossary

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

19 results found in global accessibility.

Affordable Assistive Technology (Low-Cost AT, Frugal Assistive Technology)
Assistive devices and technologies designed to be financially accessible to people with disabilities in low-resource settings, where the cost of commercially available assistive technology from the Gl…
Capacity Building (Research Capacity Building, Capability Development)
The process of developing and strengthening the skills, resources, and infrastructure that enable individuals, communities, and organizations to carry out research, develop technologies, and advocate …
Cross-Border Accessibility Research (International Accessibility Research, Transnational Accessibility Research)
Research collaborations that span national, cultural, and economic boundaries to address accessibility challenges that affect disabled people worldwide. Cross-border accessibility research aims to bri…
Cross-Cultural Accessibility (Culturally Responsive Accessibility, Internationalized Accessibility)
The practice of designing accessible technologies and content that account for cultural, linguistic, and regional differences in how people perceive and interact with information. Rather than assuming…
Digital Accessibility Rights Evaluation (DARE Index, DARE)
An index developed by the Global Initiative for Inclusive Information and Communication Technologies (G3ict) that measures and benchmarks the digital accessibility rights and policies of countries wor…
Digital Skills Training (Digital Literacy Training, ICT Skills Training)
Structured instruction in using digital technologies effectively, including basic device operation, internet navigation, application use, and accessibility feature configuration. For people with disab…
Disability Rights in the Global South (Southern Disability Rights, Disability Justice Global South)
The movement and body of scholarship focused on the rights, inclusion, and empowerment of people with disabilities in low- and middle-income countries, where disability intersects with poverty, limite…
Double Digital Divide
The intersection of two layers of digital exclusion that compound each other, creating amplified barriers to participation. In disability and global accessibility contexts, the term describes how disa…
Global South Accessibility (Accessibility in Low-Resource Settings, Developing World Accessibility)
The study and practice of making technology, environments, and services accessible to people with disabilities in low- and middle-income countries. Over 80% of the world's one billion people with disa…
HCI4D (Human-Computer Interaction for Development)
A subfield of human-computer interaction that focuses on designing and evaluating interactive technologies specifically for development contexts, addressing the needs of underserved and marginalized c…
ICT4D (Information and Communication Technologies for Development, ICTD)
A field of research and practice focused on how information and communication technologies can be designed, deployed, and used to support social and economic development, particularly in low- and midd…
ICTD (Information and Communication Technologies and Development, ICT4D)
A research field and practice area focused on designing, deploying, and evaluating information and communication technologies to improve socio-economic outcomes in low-resource and developing contexts…
Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICs, Developing Countries, Global South)
A World Bank classification for countries with gross national income per capita below a defined threshold, encompassing low income and lower-middle income economies. In accessibility contexts, LMICs p…
Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMIC, LMICs, developing countries, Global South)
Countries classified by the World Bank as having lower gross national income per capita, typically facing greater resource constraints in healthcare, education, and technology infrastructure. In acces…
M-Pesa (Mobile Money)
A mobile money transfer and financial services platform widely used in Kenya and other parts of Sub-Saharan Africa, allowing users to deposit, withdraw, transfer money, and pay for goods and services …
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 …
Smartphones as Assistive Technology (Mobile AT, Phone-Based AT)
The use of mainstream smartphones as assistive devices through built-in accessibility features (screen readers, magnification, live captions, sound amplification) and downloadable applications that su…
Technology Amplification Theory (Technology as Amplifier)
A theory proposed by Kentaro Toyama positing that technology amplifies existing human intent and capacity rather than creating new capabilities from scratch. In the context of assistive technology and…
Wheelchair Provision (Wheelchair Service Delivery, Wheelchair Service)
The comprehensive process of ensuring that individuals who need wheelchairs receive appropriate products along with the related services necessary for safe and effective use. As defined by the World H…