Glossary
Searchable terminology from accessibility, web standards, and related fields.
6660 terms — page 205 of 333
- Observational Study (Field Observation, Naturalistic Observation)
- A research method in which investigators systematically watch and record behaviors, interactions, and practices in a natural setting without manipulating variables or conditions. In accessibility rese…
- Obsession (Obsessive Thought, Intrusive Thought)
- Recurrent, persistent, unwanted thoughts, urges, or mental images that cause significant anxiety or distress. In OCD, obsessions are experienced as intrusive and involuntary, and the person recognizes…
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
- A mental health condition affecting approximately 2% of the world population, characterized by recurrent, intrusive, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) that cause significant anxiety, and repetitive behav…
- Obstacle Avoidance (Obstacle Detection)
- The ability to detect and navigate around physical barriers in one's path, a critical mobility skill for blind and visually impaired people. Traditional obstacle avoidance relies on long cane techniqu…
- Obstacle Detection (Obstacle Avoidance)
- Technology or techniques that identify physical barriers in a person's path and alert them in time to take corrective action. For people who are blind or visually impaired, obstacle detection systems …
- Occlusion (Hand Occlusion, Finger Occlusion, Visual Occlusion)
- In the context of touchscreen and pen-based interaction, occlusion refers to the user's hand or finger blocking their view of content on the screen while interacting with it. Occlusion is a significan…
- Occupancy Grid (Occupancy Map, Mental Occupancy Grid)
- A spatial representation that divides an environment into a grid of cells, each indicating whether that location is occupied by an object, free space, or unknown. In accessibility and assistive techno…
- Occupancy Grid Map (2D occupancy grid, Grid map)
- A representation of an environment as a grid of cells, where each cell is labelled as walkable (free space), non-walkable (obstacle or wall), or unknown. Occupancy grid maps are a standard data struct…
- Occupational Therapist (OT, Occupational Therapy)
- An occupational therapist is a licensed healthcare professional who helps people participate in the 'occupations' of daily life — self-care, work, school, leisure, and community roles — through therap…
- Occupational Therapy Assessment (OT Assessment, OT Evaluation, Client Evaluation)
- Occupational therapy assessment is the systematic process by which an occupational therapist evaluates a client's physical capabilities, cognitive function, emotional state, and ability to perform dai…
- Occupational therapy (OT)
- A healthcare profession focused on enabling people to participate in meaningful daily activities ("occupations") despite physical, cognitive, sensory, or psychosocial challenges. Occupational therapis…
- Occupational therapy (OT)
- A healthcare profession focused on enabling people to participate in meaningful daily activities (occupations) by addressing physical, cognitive, sensory, and environmental barriers. Occupational ther…
- Ocular Aberration (Optical Aberration, Wavefront Aberration)
- Ocular aberration refers to deviations in the way light is focused by the optical components of the eye (cornea and lens) compared to an ideal optical system. These aberrations distort the image forme…
- Ocular normativity (Ocularcentrism, Ocular norm, Visual normativity)
- A concept from critical disability studies describing the cultural assumption that sight is the primary, most reliable, and most natural mode of knowing and perceiving the world. Ocular normativity po…
- Ocularcentrism (Visual Bias, Vision-Centrism)
- The privileging of visual perception and visual ways of knowing in the design of technologies, interfaces, and information systems. Ocularcentrism in technology design manifests when visual assumption…
- Off-Device Processing (Cloud Processing, Remote Processing)
- Computing performed on external servers rather than on the user's local device, requiring data to be transmitted over the internet. In the context of visual assistance technologies, off-device process…
- Off-Screen Model (OSM, Virtual Buffer)
- A data structure maintained by screen readers that represents the content and structure of the visual display in a form that can be navigated non-visually. Traditional screen readers intercept system …
- Off-the-Shelf Technology (OTS, Commercial Off-the-Shelf, COTS)
- Commercially available products designed for the general consumer market without customization for specific user groups. In accessibility research, off-the-shelf technology refers to mainstream device…
- 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…
- Older Adults (Seniors, Elderly, Aging Population, Senior Citizens)
- People typically aged 65 and above who may experience age-related changes in vision, hearing, motor control, and cognition that affect how they interact with technology. Designing for older adults req…