Glossary
Searchable terminology from accessibility, web standards, and related fields.
154 results found in interaction design.
- Natural Language Command (Natural Language Input, Conversational Command)
- A user input expressed in everyday spoken or written language rather than structured syntax or specific command formats. In accessibility contexts, natural language commands enable BLV users to intera…
- Near-Miss Detection (Near-Miss Interaction)
- A strategy for identifying when a user almost but not quite succeeds at a device interaction, suggesting they might benefit from an accessibility accommodation. For example, if a user repeatedly attem…
- Nomadic Text Entry (Mobile Text Entry, On-the-Go Texting)
- The practice of inputting text on a mobile device while moving through or actively engaging with the physical environment, as opposed to typing while stationary. For people who are blind or visually i…
- Non-Visual Feedback (Non-Visual Output, Alternative Sensory Feedback)
- Any system output or response that does not rely on vision to be perceived, including auditory cues (speech, tones, sonification), haptic feedback (vibrations, force), and tactile output (braille, rai…
- Non-Visual Interaction (Non-Visual Interface, Eyes-Free Interaction)
- Interaction techniques and interface designs that do not require sight, enabling blind and low vision users to operate software and devices through alternative modalities such as speech, keyboard comm…
- 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…
- Object Hierarchy (Object Group, Hierarchical Object Organization)
- A structured organization of objects into parent-child relationships that allows users to navigate from high-level categories to increasingly specific details. In accessible virtual environments, obje…
- On-Body Gesture (On-Body Interaction, Body-Based Gesture)
- A gesture performed on or against one's own body rather than on a device surface or in the air. Examples include tapping the thigh, swiping along the forearm, or touching the ear to trigger a command …
- Partial Automation (Adaptive Automation)
- An accessibility technique in digital games and interactive systems where the system automatically performs actions or controls mechanics that a user cannot execute due to a disability, while leaving …
- Point-of-Interest Techniques (POI Techniques)
- Interaction methods in VR that allow users to select and navigate to specific points of interest in the virtual environment, designed to be accessible for people with limited mobility. These technique…
- Preset (Default Configuration, Template Setting)
- A predefined combination of settings or options that can be applied as a group, reducing the number of individual decisions a user needs to make. In accessibility interfaces, presets help users with c…
- Procedural Feedback System (Process-Oriented Guidance System)
- An assistive technology paradigm that provides dynamic, step-by-step support throughout complex multi-step tasks rather than addressing isolated moments of need. Unlike traditional assistive tools tha…
- Progressive Disclosure (Staged Disclosure, Layered Interface)
- An interaction design pattern that initially presents only the most essential options or information, revealing additional complexity progressively as users need or request it. Progressive disclosure …
- Provenance Indicator (Source Attribution)
- Information that identifies which AI model, trial, or prompt produced a particular piece of content in a multi-model comparison. Provenance indicators help users understand which models generate which…
- Ray Casting (Raycasting)
- An interaction technique in 3-D environments where an invisible ray is projected from a point (such as a user's finger position or controller) into the virtual scene to determine which object the ray …
- Scaffolded interaction (Structured interaction, Guided interaction)
- A design approach where technology provides structured support that gradually guides users through increasingly complex social or cognitive tasks, with the system mechanics enforcing desired behaviour…
- Scanning interface (Switch scanning, Single-switch access)
- An interaction method in which items on a screen are sequentially highlighted one at a time (or in groups), and the user activates a switch to select the currently highlighted item. Scanning interface…
- Scene Reading (Scene Reader, 3-D Screen Reading)
- An interaction paradigm that extends touch-based screen reading concepts from 2-D interfaces to 3-D virtual environments, enabling blind and low vision users to explore virtual scenes nonvisually. Sce…
- Screen Reader Navigation (Keyboard Navigation with Screen Reader, Sequential Navigation)
- The methods by which blind and visually impaired users move through digital content using a screen reader, primarily via keyboard shortcuts and gestures rather than a mouse or visual scanning. Screen …
- Semantic Navigation (Semantic Navigation Framework, Structured Navigation)
- An approach to organizing digital content into a meaningful hierarchical structure that users can navigate through logically ordered elements rather than by spatial position. In the context of accessi…