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Access barriers: Any obstruction that prevents people with disabilities from using standard facilities, equipment, and resources.
Accessible: In the case of a facility, readily usable by a particular individual; in the case of a program or activity, presented or provided in such a way that a particular individual can participate, with or without auxiliary aid(s); in the case of electronic resources, usable by everyone, with or without adaptive computer technology.
Accessible Web design: Creating World Wide Web pages according to universal design principles to eliminate or reduce barriers, including those that affect people with disabilities.
Accommodation: The removal of barriers to participation; an adjustment to make a program, facility, or resource accessible to a person with a disability.
Adaptive technology: Hardware or software products that provide access to a computer that is otherwise inaccessible to an individual with a disability.
ALT attribute: HTML code that works in combination with graphical tags to provide alternative text for graphical elements.
Alternative keyboard: A keyboard that is different from a standard computer keyboard in its size or layout of keys.
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA): A comprehensive federal law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in employment, public services, public accommodations, and services operated by private entities and telecommunications.
American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII): Standard for unformatted plain text which enables transfer of data between platforms and computer systems.
Anxiety Disorders: Mood disorders in which the individual responds to thoughts, situations, environments and/or people with fear and anxiety.
Applet: Computer program that runs from within another application.
Assistive Listening Devices (ALDs): Devices designed to amplify sound directly from a microphone/transmitter to a receiver/hearing aid. Examples include FM systems, infrared transmissions and induction loops.
Assistive technology: Special hardware and software used to assist a person with a disability that provides a solution to unaccessible features found in commercial products.
Attention Deficit Disorder/Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADD/ADHD): Disorders which affect the ability to attend and concentrate.
Audio description: The addition of audio content to a video product to read titles, speaker names and scenery, object, and other vital information for the viewer who cannot see.
Auditory Processing Disorder: A type of learning disability that involves difficulty listening, attending to, discriminating and/or remembering aural information that is not due to a hearing loss.
Bipolar Affective Disorder (BAD): A mood disorder with revolving periods of mania and depression.
Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD): A personality disorder which includes both mood disorder and thought disorder symptoms.
Braille: System of embossed characters formed by using a Braille cell, a combination of six or eight dots. Each simple Braille character is formed by one or more of these dots and occupies a full cell.
Browser: Software designed to access and display content available on the World Wide Web. Browsers may be graphical or text-based. Text-only browsers cannot display images, sounds clips, video, and plug-in features that graphical browsers can.
Captioned film or videos: Transcription of the verbal portion of films or videos displayed on-screen to make them accessible to people who are deaf.
Captioning: Text that is included with video presentations or broadcasts that enables people with hearing impairments to have access to the audio portion of the material.
Cerebral Palsy: A condition that results from early, non-progressive damage to the brain, often impacting hand use, mobility, and/or speech.
Closed captions: Captions that appear only when special equipment, called decoders, are used.
Closed Circuit TV Magnifier (CCTV): Camera used to magnify books or other materials on a monitor.
Communication device: Hardware that allows a person who has difficulty using their voice clearly to use words or symbols for communication. May range in complexity from a simple picture board to complex electronic devices that allow personalized, unique construction of ideas.
Compensatory tools: Adaptive computing systems that allow people with disabilities to complete tasks that they would have difficulty doing without a computer, e.g., reading, writing, communicating, accessing information.
Concept mapping: Concept mapping software allows for visual representation of ideas and concepts. These representations are presented in a physical manner and can be connected with arrows to show the relationship between ideas.
Digital: Computer formatted data or information.
Disability: Physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities; a record of such an impairment; or being regarded as having such an impairment (Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990).
Discrimination: Act of making a difference in treatment or favor on a basis other than individual merit.
Diversity: Refers to all races, ethnicities, disabilities, genders, ages, and cultures.
Dyscalculia: A learning disability that makes it difficult for a person to understand and use math concepts and symbols.
Dysgraphia: A learning disability that makes it difficult to perform physical tasks of forming letters and words using a pen and paper and producing legible handwriting.
Dyslexia: A learning disability that may cause an individual to mix up letters within words and words within sentences while reading. He may also have difficulty spelling words correctly while writing; letter reversals are common. Some individuals with Dyslexia also have a difficult time navigating and using right/left and/or compass directions.
Dyspraxia: Language comprehension of a person with Dyspraxia does not match language production. He may mix up words and sentences while talking.
Electronic information: Any digital data for use with computers or computer networks including disks, CD-ROMs, World Wide Web resources.
Facility: All or any portion of a physical complex, including buildings, structures, equipment, grounds, roads, and parking lots.
Fingerspelling: Method of sign language interpretation that uses a manual alphabet to spell a spoken word.
FM Sound Amplification System: Electronic amplification system consisting of three components: a microphone/transmitter, monaural FM receiver, and a combination charger/carrying case. It provides wireless FM broadcast from a speaker to a listener who has a hearing impairment.
Graphical User Interface (GUI): Program interface that presents digital information and software programs in an image-based format as compared to a character-based format.
Hardware: Physical equipment related to computers.
Hearing impairments: Complete or partial loss of ability to hear caused by a variety of injuries or diseases including congenital defects.
Helper: An external program that can be called up by a Web browser to display specially formatted material, such as word processed documents, spreadsheet documents, or video/sound pieces. The Helper program is launched by the Web browser as a separate application to view or play the file.
Hidden disability: Also known as an invisible disability, any disability that is not readily observable to others.
Host: Any computer which holds Internet resources for access by others, or the computer that maintains your Internet access and electronic mail account.
HTML validation: Process that analyzes HTML documents identifies HTML errors and non-standard codes.
Hyperlink, hypertext: Highlighted word or graphic on a Web page that when selected allows the user to jump to another part of the document or another Web page.
Hypertext Markup Language (HTML): Programming language or code used to create World Wide Web pages.
HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP): Communication protocol used by the World Wide Web to transfer text, graphics, audio, and video.
Image map: Picture or graphic on a Web page in which hyperlinks are embedded.
Input: Any method by which information is entered into a computer.
Internet: Computer network connecting government, education, commercial, other organization, and individual computer systems.
Interpreter: Professional person who assists a deaf person in communicating with hearing people.
Invisible disability: Also known as a hidden disability. Any disability that is not readily observable to others.
Java: Programming language used to create programs or applets that work with some World Wide Web browsers to include features with animation or other characteristics not available through standard HTML.
Joystick: A device consisting of a lever that allows a pointer to move up, right, left, or down and serves as an alternative to a mouse. It usually includes buttons to enable mouse clicks.
Keyboard emulation: A method of having an alternative device and/or software, such as a switch-based system, serve the role of a keyboard.
Keyguard: A plastic or metal shield that covers a keyboard with holes over the keys. It allows use of a keyboard without undesired activation of surrounding keys.
Large print books: Most ordinary print is six to ten points in height (about 1/16 to 1/8 of an inch). Large type is 14 to 18 points (about 1/8 to 1/4 of an inch) and sometimes larger. The format of large print books is also proportionately larger (usually 8 1/2 x 11 inches).
LD (Learning Disabled): Difficulties with intake, processing, and/or output of information such that a large discrepancy exists between intelligence and achievement.
Learning Styles: Preferences toward processing and integrating information using different sensory abilities (e.g., auditory, visual, kinesthetic).
Lynx: Text-based World Wide Web browser.
Mainstreaming, inclusion: The inclusion of people with disabilities, with or without special accommodations, in programs, activities, and facilities with their non-disabled peers.
Major life activities: Functions such as caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, working, and participating in community activities (Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990).
Mental illness: A term that refers collectively to all diagnosable mental disorders causing severe disturbances in thinking, feeling, relating, and functional behaviors. These disorders result in substantially diminished capacity for coping with the ordinary demands of life.
Mobility impairment: Disability that affects movement ranging from gross motor skills such as walking to fine motor movement involving manipulation of objects by hand.
Mouse emulation: Using an alternative device and/or software, such as a switch-based system, to assume the role of a mouse.
Multimedia: Content which is presented through several formats including text, graphics, moving pictures, and sound.
Multi-tasking: Attending to, performing, and managing two or more tasks concurrently.
Non-verbal Learning Disorder: A learning disorder demonstrated by below-average motor coordination, visual-spatial organization, and social skills.
Off-line captioning: Captions that are developed once the video product has been created.
Onscreen keyboard: See Virtual Keyboard.
Open captioning: Captions that appear on the screen wherever the video product is presented.
Optical character recognition (OCR): Software that converts printed materials into electronic text once it scans and electronically reads the text.
Oral Interpreter: A professional who uses lip movements to make spoken language more accessible to individuals with hearing impairments who lipread.
Output: Any method of displaying or presenting electronic information to the user through a computer monitor or other device.
Personal Information Manager (PIM): Portable electronic management system such as a Palm Pilot.
Physical or Mental Impairment: Any physiological disorder or condition, cosmetic disfigurement, or anatomical loss affecting one or more of the following body systems: neurological; musculoskeletal; special sense organs; respiratory, including speech organs; cardiovascular; reproductive; digestive; genito-urinary; hemic and lymphatic; skin; and endocrine; or any mental or psychological disorder, such as mental retardation, organic brain syndrome, emotional or mental illness, and specific learning disabilities (Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990).
Plug-in: Separate program written to be launched by a specific Web browser to display or run special elements in Web pages, such as animation, video, or audio.
Psychiatric disability: A diagnosable mental illness causing severe disturbances in thinking, feeling, relating, and/or functional behaviors that results in a substantially diminished capacity to cope with daily life demands.
Qualified individual with a disability: An individual with a disability who, with or without reasonable modification to rules, policies, or practices, the removal of architectural, communication, or transportation barriers, or the provision of auxiliary aids and services, meets the essential eligibility requirements for the receipt of services or the participation in programs or activities provided by a public entity (Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990).
Reader: Volunteer or employee of an individual with a disability (e.g., visual impairment, learning disability) who reads printed material in person or records to audiotape.
Reading system: Hardware and software designed to provide access to printed text for people with visual impairments, mobility impairments, or learning disabilities. Character recognition software controls a scanner that takes an image of a printed page, converts it to computer text using recognition software, and then reads the text using a synthesized voice.
Real-time captions: Captions that are simultaneously created during a video program or meeting.
Reasonable accommodations: The removal of a barrier, alteration of an assignment, or the provision of auxillary aids to allow the full access and participation of an individual with a disability, in learning, employment, or other activities.
Refreshable Braille Display: Hardware connected to a computer that echoes screen text on a box that has cells consisting of pins that move up and down to create Braille characters.
Reverse Interpreting: A method of communication used when a sign language interpreter voices what is expressed by a person who is deaf or hard of hearing who cannot speak.
Scanning input: A switch-based method of controlling a computer. Activations of a switch will, in order, bring up a control panel that upon subsequent switch activations, allow a user to focus in on a desired control or keystroke. Custom scanning layouts can be created for a variety of purposes and programs and may also be used in a communication device.
Schizophrenia: A thought disorder that can cause a person to experience difficulty with activities of daily living and may experience delusions, hallucinations and paranoia.
Screen enlargement: Hardware and/or software that increases the size of characters and text on a computer screen.
Screen reader: Software used to echo text on a computer screen to audio output, often used by people who are blind, with visual impairments, or with learning disabilities.
Screen resolution: Refers to the clarity or sharpness of an image. For computer monitors, this term indicates the number of dots on the screen used to create text and graphics. Higher resolution means more dots, indicating increased sharpness and potentially smaller text.
Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973: Legislation that requires that the Federal government develop, procure, maintain and use electronic and information technology that is accessible to people with disabilities.
Section 713 of the Telecommunication Act of 1996: Legislation that resulted in many changes in the broadcast and cable television industries. Among other things it charged the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to create mandates to increase the percentage of television programming that is captioned. It has published rules and set guidelines for increasing gradually the amount of captioned programs.
Sensory impairment: A disability that affects touch, sight, and/or hearing.
Server: Any computer that stores information that is available to other users, often over the Internet.
Side effects: Effects of medications that can interfere with functional performance.
Sign language: Manual communication commonly used by people who are deaf. The gestures or symbols in sign language are organized in a linguistic way. Each individual gesture is called a sign. Each sign has three distinct parts: the handshape, the position of the hands, and the movement of the hands. American Sign Language (ASL) is the most commonly used sign language in the United States. Deaf people from different countries speak different sign languages.
Specific Learning Disability: Disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, which may manifest itself in difficulties listening, thinking, speaking, reading, writing, spelling, or doing mathematical calculations.
Speech impairment: Problems in communication and related areas such as oral motor function, ranging from simple sound substitutions to the inability to understand or use language or use the oral-motor mechanism for functional speech.
Speech input: A method of controlling a computer and creating text by dictation, using speech input software and a microphone.
Speech recognition: Software that takes the spoken word via a microphone and converts it to machine-readable format.
Standard HTML: Version of HTML accessible by all browsers.
Strategy: System or plan to meet objectives or problem solve.
Streaming Multimedia: A method of transferring audio and/or video via a network from a server to an end user's computer. During the transmission, the material is displayed or played on the target computer.
Switch input: A method of controlling a computer or communication device. It is most often used with Morse code or scanning methods, but may also be used for controlling household appliances and related controls. Switches are available in a nearly endless array of sizes, shapes, and activation methods.
Tag: HTML code that prescribes the structure and formatting of Web pages.
Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD) or Teletypewriter (TTY): A device which enables someone who has a speech or hearing impairment to use a telephone when communicating with someone else who has a TDD/TTY. TDD/TTYs can be used with any telephone, and one needs only a basic typing ability to use them.
Television Decoder Circuitry Act of 1990: An Act that requires that television sets with screens thirteen inches or larger manufactured for sale in the United States must have built-in closed caption decoders.
Test anxiety: The experience of severe distress such that an individual is rendered emotionally and physically unable to take an exam.
Trackball: A mouse alternative that is basically an upside-down mouse. Useful for some people with mobility impairments because it isolates pointer movement from button clicking.
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI): Open and closed head injuries resulting in impairments in one or more areas, including cognition; language; memory; attention; reasoning; abstract thinking; judgment; problem-solving; sensory, perceptual, and motor abilities; psychosocial behavior; physical functions; information processing; and speech. The term does not apply to brain injuries that are congenital, degenerative, or induced by birth trauma.
Universal Design: Designing programs, services, tools, and facilities so that they are usable, without modification, by the widest range of users possible, taking into account a variety of abilities and disabilities.
Universal design on instruction: The design of instructional materials and activities that make learning achievable by individuals with a wide range of abilities and disabilities.
Universal Resource Locator (URL): Address used to locate a specific resource on the Internet. DO-IT's URL is http://www.washington.edu/doit/.
Virtual keyboard: Software used to emulate a keyboard. A picture of a keyboard is displayed on a computer screen and the user points and clicks on the pictures of keys to enter text.
Vision impairments: Complete or partial loss of ability to see, caused by a variety of injuries or diseases including congenital defects. Legal blindness is defined as visual acuity of 20/200 or less in the better eye with correcting lenses, or widest diameter of visual field subtending an angular distance no greater than 20 degrees.
Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973: Act prohibiting discrimination on the basis of disability which applies to any program that receives federal financial support. Section 504 of the Act is aimed at making educational programs and facilities accessible to all students. Section 508 of the Act requires that electronic office equipment purchased through federal procurement meets disability access guidelines.
Word prediction: Software that reduces the number of keystrokes needed to type words and sentences. As characters are entered on either a standard, alternative, or virtual keyboard, suggested completions of the word that has been started are provided to the user.
World Wide Web (WWW, W3, or Web): Hypertext and multimedia gateway to the Internet
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