Glossary

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

6660 terms — page 33 of 333

Auditory Filtering (Selective Listening, Cocktail Party Effect)
The neurological ability to selectively attend to specific sounds while suppressing or ignoring background noise. Many autistic individuals and people with sensory processing differences experience di…
Auditory Graph (Audible Graph, Sonified Chart)
A non-visual representation of data that uses sound properties such as pitch, volume, duration, and timbre to convey the values and patterns typically shown in visual charts and graphs. Auditory graph…
Auditory Icon (Audio Icon)
A non-speech sound used in a user interface that represents an object, action, or event by mimicking its real-world sound — for example, the sound of crumpling paper to indicate deleting a file, or a …
Auditory Interface (Audio Interface, Aural Interface, Non-Visual Interface)
A user interface that conveys information and accepts input primarily through sound rather than visual displays. Auditory interfaces range from simple screen reader output to complex auditory environm…
Auditory Map (Audio Map, Sonic Map)
An auditory map is an audio-based representation of geographical information designed to enable blind and visually impaired users to access and understand spatial environments without relying on visio…
Auditory Masking (Sound Masking, Acoustic Masking)
A perceptual phenomenon where the presence of one sound makes it difficult or impossible to hear another sound. Masking occurs when sounds share similar frequencies or when a louder sound overwhelms a…
Auditory Menu (Audio Menu, Speaking Menu)
A user interface menu that conveys its content and structure through audio rather than visual display. Auditory menus typically use text-to-speech to read menu item names and may incorporate non-speec…
Auditory Perception (Auditory Processing)
The ability to interpret and make sense of sound information received through the ears, including distinguishing between similar sounds, recognizing patterns in rhythm and pitch, and processing the te…
Auditory Processing (Auditory Processing Disorder, Central Auditory Processing)
The brain ability to interpret and make sense of sounds, particularly speech. Auditory processing difficulties—which commonly co-occur with ADHD—can make it challenging to distinguish speech from back…
Auditory Satisfaction
The overall positive emotional and cognitive response users experience after engaging with audio content, encompassing contentment with auditory features, narration style, and technical quality. In ac…
Auditory Scene Analysis (ASA, Computational Auditory Scene Analysis)
The process by which the auditory system organizes and interprets complex mixtures of sounds into distinct perceptual events or streams, allowing listeners to separate and identify individual sound so…
Auditory Scrollbar (Audio Scrollbar, Sonic Scrollbar)
A non-speech audio cue that conveys a user's position within a list or menu, functioning as an auditory analogue to a visual scrollbar. Auditory scrollbars use variations in pitch, tone patterns, or g…
Auditory User Interface (AUI, Audio User Interface)
A user interface that relies primarily on audio output — including synthesised speech, earcons, auditory icons, and sonification — to convey information and enable interaction. Auditory user interface…
Auditory agnosia (Sound agnosia, Acoustic agnosia)
A neurological condition characterized by difficulty recognizing or distinguishing sounds despite having intact hearing. People with auditory agnosia can hear sounds but may struggle to identify what …
Auditory processing disorder (APD, Central auditory processing disorder, CAPD)
A neurological condition in which the brain has difficulty interpreting and organizing sounds despite normal hearing ability. Unlike hearing loss, auditory processing disorder affects how the central …
Augmentative Communication (AAC, Augmentative and Alternative Communication)
Methods, tools, and strategies used to supplement or replace spoken or written communication for people who have difficulty producing or comprehending speech and language. AAC ranges from low-tech app…
Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)
A broad set of strategies, tools, and technologies used to supplement or replace spoken or written communication for people with complex communication needs. AAC ranges from low-tech solutions like pi…
Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)
A set of tools, strategies, and techniques used to supplement or replace spoken or written communication for people with complex communication needs. AAC ranges from low-tech options like picture boar…
Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)
A range of methods, devices, and strategies used to supplement or replace speech for individuals who have difficulty producing or comprehending spoken language. AAC encompasses both unaided approaches…
Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC, Alternative communication, Aided communication)
A range of strategies, tools, and technologies used to supplement or replace spoken or written communication for people who have difficulty producing or understanding speech. AAC encompasses unaided m…