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.
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.
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.
c
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.
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
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.
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.
l
Linked Text
Linked text is the visible, clickable wording of a hyperlink (sometimes called anchor text). It’s the part users see and activate to open another page, file, section on the same page, email address, or other destination.
In accessibility and usability, good linked text is descriptive on its own. For example, "Download the annual report (PDF)" is clearer than "Click here".
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.
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.
p
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
Remediation
The process of fixing accessibility issues in existing content. More expensive than building accessible from the start. Prioritize by severity and user impact.
s
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.
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
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.
u
Universal Design
Universal Design is the practice of designing products, environments, and services so they can be used by the widest range of people possible— from the start, without needing special adaptation or “separate” versions. Universal Design reduces barriers by making the default experience flexible, intuitive, and usable for diverse abilities, ages, languages, and situations.
v
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.
