A

Accessibility (a11y)
The design of products, devices, services, or environments for people with disabilities. The numeronym "a11y" represents the 11 letters between "a" and "y" in "accessibility."
See also: Universal Design, Inclusive Design
Accessible Name
The name of a user interface element that is exposed to assistive technologies. Computed from visible text, aria-label, aria-labelledby, or other sources.
ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act)
U.S. civil rights law (1990) prohibiting discrimination based on disability. Title II covers state and local government entities, including public universities. Title III covers places of public accommodation.
See also: Title II, Section 508
Alt Text (Alternative Text)
A text description of an image that conveys its meaning to users who cannot see it. Read aloud by screen readers and displayed when images don't load.
ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications)
A W3C specification that defines ways to make web content more accessible, especially dynamic content and custom UI components. Adds roles, states, and properties to HTML elements.
Also known as: WAI-ARIA
Assistive Technology (AT)
Any device, software, or equipment that helps people with disabilities perform tasks. Examples include screen readers, magnifiers, speech recognition, switch devices, and braille displays.
Audio Description
Narration added to video content that describes important visual elements (actions, settings, facial expressions) for users who are blind or have low vision.
Also known as: Described video, video description
Automated Testing
Using software tools (axe, WAVE, Lighthouse) to scan content for accessibility issues. Catches 30-40% of issues; must be combined with manual testing.

B

Braille Display
A device that converts on-screen text into braille characters using pins that raise and lower. Used primarily by people who are deafblind.
Bypass Block
A mechanism to skip repeated content (like navigation) and go directly to main content. Usually implemented as a "skip to main content" link. Required by WCAG 2.4.1.
Also known as: Skip link, skip navigation

C

Captions (Closed Captions)
Text synchronized with audio/video that displays spoken dialogue and relevant sounds. "Closed" means they can be turned on/off. Required for videos under WCAG 1.2.2.
See also: Subtitles, Transcript
CART (Communication Access Realtime Translation)
Real-time captioning provided by a trained stenographer for live events, classes, or meetings. Text appears within seconds of being spoken.
Cognitive Disability
Disabilities affecting mental processes including learning, memory, attention, problem-solving, and comprehension. Includes dyslexia, ADHD, autism spectrum, intellectual disabilities, and acquired brain injuries.
Color Contrast
The difference in luminance between foreground and background colors. WCAG requires 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text (18pt+ or 14pt+ bold).
Conformance
Meeting all requirements of a standard at a particular level. WCAG has three conformance levels: A (minimum), AA (target for most), AAA (enhanced).

D

DRC (Disability Resource Center)
University office that provides accommodations and support services to students with disabilities. At UA, located at 1224 E. Lowell Street.
Dragon NaturallySpeaking
Leading speech recognition software that converts spoken words to text and allows voice control of computers. Used by people with motor disabilities.

E

Equivalent Alternative
Content or functionality that provides the same information or achieves the same result through a different method. Required when primary content is not accessible.

F

Focus Indicator
Visual indication of which element currently has keyboard focus. Must be visible and meet WCAG 2.4.7 (visible) and 2.4.11 (appearance requirements in WCAG 2.2).
Also known as: Focus ring, focus outline
Focus Order
The sequence in which elements receive focus when navigating with Tab key. Should follow logical reading order and match visual layout.
Also known as: Tab order
Fundamental Alteration
A legal defense under ADA where making something accessible would fundamentally change the nature of the service. Rarely applies; requires documentation and approval.

G

GPII (Global Public Inclusive Infrastructure)
Initiative to create infrastructure that allows assistive technology settings to follow users across devices and platforms.

H

Heading Structure
The hierarchical organization of headings (H1-H6) that creates an outline of page content. Screen reader users navigate by headings. Should follow logical order without skipping levels.
High Contrast Mode
Display setting that increases color contrast, typically using black/white/yellow color schemes. Built into Windows and macOS. Websites should work with it enabled.

I

Inclusive Design
Design methodology that considers the full range of human diversity (ability, language, culture, gender, age) throughout the design process. Goes beyond accessibility to benefit everyone.
See also: Universal Design
Internationalization (i18n)
Designing products to be adaptable to different languages and regions. Related to accessibility through language support, text direction (RTL), and cultural considerations.

J

JAWS (Job Access With Speech)
Leading commercial screen reader for Windows, developed by Freedom Scientific. Widely used in workplace settings. Costs approximately $1,000.
See also: NVDA, VoiceOver

K

Keyboard Accessibility
The ability to use all website functionality using only a keyboard (no mouse). Essential for screen reader users, motor disabilities, and power users. Required by WCAG 2.1.1.
Keyboard Trap
A situation where keyboard focus gets stuck in an element and users cannot Tab away. Violates WCAG 2.1.2. Common in poorly implemented modals.

L

Landmark (Regions)
ARIA roles that identify sections of a page (banner, navigation, main, complementary, contentinfo). Screen readers can jump between landmarks for faster navigation.
Live Region
A section of a page that updates dynamically and is automatically announced by screen readers. Set with aria-live="polite" (waits) or aria-live="assertive" (interrupts).
Low Vision
Vision impairment that cannot be fully corrected with glasses, contacts, or surgery. Includes conditions like macular degeneration, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy. Users may use magnification.

M

Manual Testing
Human evaluation of accessibility, including keyboard testing, screen reader testing, and cognitive walkthrough. Catches issues automated tools miss. Essential complement to automated testing.
Motor Disability
Disabilities affecting movement and coordination. Includes paralysis, tremors, limited fine motor control, repetitive strain injury. Users may use keyboard only, voice control, or switch devices.

N

NVDA (NonVisual Desktop Access)
Free, open-source screen reader for Windows developed by NV Access. Second most popular screen reader globally. Excellent for testing.
See also: JAWS, VoiceOver

O

OCR (Optical Character Recognition)
Technology that converts images of text into actual text. Used to make scanned documents searchable and accessible. Quality varies; always verify results.
Operable
One of four WCAG principles (POUR). Content must be operable—users must be able to operate the interface regardless of input method.

P

Perceivable
One of four WCAG principles (POUR). Content must be perceivable—users must be able to perceive the information being presented through at least one sense.
PDF/UA (PDF Universal Accessibility)
ISO standard (14289-1) for accessible PDF documents. Requires proper tagging, reading order, alt text, and bookmarks. Can be verified with PAC (PDF Accessibility Checker).
POUR
Acronym for the four WCAG principles: Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, Robust. All accessibility guidelines fall under these principles.
Progressive Enhancement
Development approach where basic functionality works for everyone, then enhanced features are added for capable browsers. Ensures accessibility by starting with accessible baseline.

R

Reading Order
The sequence in which content is read by screen readers or when using keyboard navigation. Should match logical visual order. In PDFs, set through tag structure.
Reflow
Content's ability to rearrange at different viewport sizes without requiring horizontal scrolling. WCAG 1.4.10 requires reflow at 400% zoom for most content.
Remediation
The process of fixing accessibility issues in existing content. More expensive than building accessible from the start. Prioritize by severity and user impact.
Robust
One of four WCAG principles (POUR). Content must be robust enough to work reliably with current and future technologies, including assistive technologies.

S

Screen Reader
Assistive technology that converts on-screen content to speech or braille. Examples: JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, TalkBack, Narrator. Primary AT for blind users.
Section 504
Part of the Rehabilitation Act (1973) prohibiting disability discrimination by programs receiving federal funding. Applies to all federally funded educational institutions.
Section 508
Part of the Rehabilitation Act requiring federal agencies to make electronic and information technology accessible. References WCAG 2.0 AA. Influences university procurement.
Semantic HTML
Using HTML elements for their intended purpose (<button> for buttons, <nav> for navigation, <h1> for headings). Conveys meaning to assistive technologies without extra code.
Subtitles
Text translation of dialogue for viewers who don't speak the language. Unlike captions, subtitles typically don't include sound effects or speaker identification.
See also: Captions
Switch Device
Input device with one or more buttons (switches) for users with severe motor impairments. Users navigate by scanning through options and pressing a switch to select.

T

TalkBack
Built-in screen reader for Android devices. Included with all Android phones and tablets. Uses touch gestures for navigation.
Tagged PDF
A PDF with underlying structure (tags) that defines reading order, headings, lists, tables, and alt text. Required for accessibility. Can be created in Word, Adobe apps, or remediated in Acrobat.
Title II
Part of ADA covering state and local government entities. In 2024, DOJ published rules requiring WCAG 2.1 AA conformance for web content and mobile apps by April 2026 (large entities) or 2027 (small entities).
Transcript
Text version of audio or video content including all spoken words and relevant sounds. Can be read independently. Required for audio-only content under WCAG 1.2.1.

U

Understandable
One of four WCAG principles (POUR). Content must be understandable—users must be able to understand the information and operation of the interface.
Universal Design (UD)
Design philosophy creating products usable by all people without need for adaptation. Seven principles include equitable use, flexibility, simple/intuitive use, perceptible information.
See also: Inclusive Design
UDL (Universal Design for Learning)
Educational framework providing multiple means of engagement, representation, and action/expression. Reduces barriers and supports all learners, not just those with disabilities.

V

VoiceOver
Built-in screen reader for Apple devices (Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch). Included free with all Apple products. Uses keyboard commands (Mac) or gestures (iOS).
VPAT (Voluntary Product Accessibility Template)
Document where vendors report how their product conforms to accessibility standards. Used in procurement decisions. Look for specific, detailed responses, not just "Supports."
Also known as: ACR (Accessibility Conformance Report)

W

W3C (World Wide Web Consortium)
International organization that develops web standards, including HTML, CSS, and WCAG. The Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) is the W3C group focused on accessibility.
WAI (Web Accessibility Initiative)
W3C initiative developing accessibility guidelines and resources. Produces WCAG, ARIA, ATAG (for authoring tools), and UAAG (for user agents/browsers).
WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines)
International standard for web accessibility developed by W3C/WAI. Current version is 2.2 (2023). Most organizations target Level AA conformance. Referenced by laws worldwide.

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