Glossary
Searchable terminology from accessibility, web standards, and related fields.
59 results found in virtual reality.
- Social Presence (Co-Presence, Telepresence)
- The sense of being together with another person in a mediated environment, whether through video conferencing, virtual reality, or other communication technologies. In accessibility contexts, social p…
- Social VR (Social Virtual Reality)
- Virtual reality platforms and applications designed for social interaction, where users represented by avatars can meet, communicate, and engage in shared activities in virtual spaces. Popular social …
- Sound Visualization (Audio Visualization, Sound-to-Visual Mapping)
- The practice of representing audio information through visual means, enabling Deaf or Hard-of-hearing individuals to perceive sound-based information that would otherwise be inaccessible. Sound visual…
- Spatial Scene Reading (Direct Touch Scene Reading)
- A mode of scene reading interaction where users continuously drag their finger across a touchscreen to freely explore a virtual environment, with objects identified and announced as the finger passes …
- Teleportation (VR Teleportation)
- A VR locomotion method where users point to a destination in the virtual environment and are instantly transported there, bypassing the need for physical movement or continuous virtual walking. Telepo…
- Telepresence
- The extent to which a user feels present in a remote or virtual environment rather than their actual physical location. In VR contexts, telepresence describes the sensation of being transported to the…
- Temporal Factors in Accessibility (Time-Based Accessibility, Fluctuating Access Needs)
- The recognition that accessibility needs are not static but vary over time due to factors such as daily form (good days versus bad days), fatigue accumulating during use, medication schedules, pain cy…
- Therapeutic VR (VR Therapy, Virtual Reality Therapy, VR-Based Intervention)
- The use of virtual reality technology for therapeutic purposes, including rehabilitation, mental health treatment, skills training, and cognitive development. Therapeutic VR leverages immersive enviro…
- Unimanual Input (One-Handed Input, Single-Handed Interaction)
- Interaction techniques designed to be operated with only one hand, enabling access for users who cannot use both hands due to disability, injury, or situational constraints. In VR contexts, unimanual …
- VR Controllers (Virtual Reality Controllers, Motion Controllers)
- Handheld input devices used to interact with virtual reality environments, typically requiring users to grip, hold, and manipulate buttons, triggers, and joysticks. Standard VR controllers present sig…
- VR Gaming Accessibility
- The practice of making virtual reality games playable and enjoyable by people with disabilities. VR gaming presents unique accessibility challenges beyond traditional game accessibility because of its…
- VR-ASL (Virtual Reality American Sign Language)
- A simplified adaptation of American Sign Language (ASL) designed for use in virtual reality environments where current controller tracking technology cannot capture the full range of hand and finger m…
- Virtual Reality Accessibility (VR Accessibility)
- The practice of designing Virtual Reality systems, applications, and experiences to be usable by people with disabilities. VR accessibility encompasses three interconnected layers: the physical layer …
- Virtual World (Virtual Environment, Online Virtual World)
- A computer-simulated environment where users interact with each other and digital objects through graphical representations, often in real time. Virtual worlds range from 2D browser-based platforms to…
- Visual Fidelity (Graphical Fidelity, VF)
- The degree to which a virtual environment replicates the visual detail, realism, and complexity of real-world settings. In accessibility contexts, visual fidelity affects cognitive load and task perfo…
- Wearable Immersive Virtual Reality (WIVR, Wearable VR)
- A category of virtual reality systems designed to be worn on the body, typically using lightweight, portable headsets such as smartphone-based viewers (e.g., Google Cardboard). WIVR prioritizes afford…
- Wheelchair User
- A person who uses a manual or powered wheelchair as their primary means of mobility. In VR accessibility research, wheelchair users face specific challenges including: controllers that require both ha…
- World Design (Virtual World Design, Environment Design)
- The creation and structuring of virtual environments in VR, including architecture, terrain, objects, lighting, and interactive elements. In accessibility contexts, world design directly impacts wheth…
- iGroup Presence Questionnaire (IPQ)
- A standardized questionnaire for measuring the sense of presence experienced in virtual environments, developed by the iGroup consortium. The IPQ assesses three sub-scales: spatial presence (feeling p…