Glossary

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Accessible - The quality of any service, function, or product to make it usable by the largest audience, regardless of disability, software, or hardware.
ADA - (Americans with Disabilities Act) A US law passed in 1990 that prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities.
Adaptive technology - Technology used to adapt already existing computer devices or software. Magnifiers or screen readers allow a person with limited sight to use the computer.
Adaptive strategies - Techniques people with disabilities use to navigate web pages, the computer, and applications.
Alternate formats - Information in a different format for people with disabilities. Alternate formats for people with disabilities might include Braille, ASCII text, large print, recorded audio, relay service, TTY, text-to-speech synthesis, alt-text, and captioning. This also refers to supplying files in multiple formats on the web for greater accessibility, for instance .doc and .pdf.
Alt-tags (see next entry)
Alt-text (or Alternative Text. Also called Alt-tags) - An alt attribute allows descriptive text to be inserted into the html coding to describe objects on a web page (usually images). Alt-text provides a text description that can be read out by a screen reader so that persons that are blind or visually impaired can understand the purpose of the objects.
Applet - A mini application embedded in a web page.
Assistive technology - Products used by people with disabilities to help accomplish tasks that they could not do easily otherwise. Some assistive technologies rely on the output of standard browsers, multimedia players, plug-ins, equipment or software.
Aural (or talking) browser - A browser that reads information aloud so the user can interact with web content.

Bobby - A website accessibility validator developed by Cast. Now called WebXact.
Braille - Writing and printing consists of varied arrangements of six raised dots representing letters and numerals. People who are blind read by touching the letters with their fingers.
Browser - The software on a computer that allows access to websites. There are many different kinds of browsers, including visual, aural (talking), and all text.

Captioning - Adding text to videos, live TV, or audio feeds so that the deaf and hard of hearing can also access the information.
CAST - (Center for Applied Special Technology) CAST is a nonprofit organization that advocates learning
opportunities for all individuals, especially those with disabilities, through the research and development of innovative educational resources. http://www.cast.org
Cross browser - The ability for a website or web application to support multiple browsers.
Cross platform - Available for more than one type of operating system, for instance a PC or Macintosh.
CSS - (Cascading Style Sheets) CSS describe how documents should be formatted on screens, in print, and even in spoken voice. A stylesheet is made up of rules that tell a browser how to present elements such as headings, paragraphs, or lists in a document. CSS separates design from content, therefore making the content more accessible. Local stylesheets can allow users to change the appearance of the web. For instance, to make the text of websites larger or to change the colors the black and white only.

D-link - A link near an image that provides a longer description of the image's purpose than alt-text. Typically this link is labeled only with the letter "d".
Digital divide - The gap that exists between those with access to technology and those without access. More recently, the gap between modem and broadband users.
Disability - A physical, mental, or psychological impairment that makes it difficult or impossible to achieve certain tasks.
Device independence - Web applications that can be accessed by devices other than the desktop computer.
DTD - (Document Type Definition) Code at the top of web pages that defines how browsers should display the content. This extra code is not seen by the user.

Electronic and information technology - Information technology includes computers, software, other hardware, services, and related accessories and resources. Electronic and information technology includes telecommunications products (such as telephones), information kiosks and transaction machines, websites, multimedia, and office equipment such as copiers and fax machines.

Firefox - (also known as Mozilla) An open-source browser. All are free to create tools for this browser. http://www.mozilla.com/firefox/
Flexible web design - Users can navigate the site with keyboard, mouse, or voice. The design transforms gracefully into a useful pages even if the browser cannot render the page as designed.
Frames - An html feature that allows a web author to divide a page into two or more separate windows. Frames cause multiple accessibility issues, because many pages are contained inside one browser window.

Head pointer - A device attached to the user that allows them to control the pointer on the screen by moving their head.
Heading tags - Used in html to create a structure for content. The key words in headings are considered more important by search engines, and some browsers allow tabbing through headings rather than links/input fields.
HTML - (Hypertext Markup Language) The code that is used to create web pages.
HTML editor - An easy way to develop web content, similar to a word processor. The software generates the html code to create web pages.
Hyperlinks - Text, images, or objects that link to another web location.

Image map - An image map is an image that has regions defined as links to other pages. For instance, a graphic of the US where each state is a link to information on that state.
Information technology - The term information technology includes computers, ancillary equipment, software, firmware and similar procedures, services, and related resources.
Internet Explorer - The browser included in Microsoft operating systems.
Interoperability - The ability of software and hardware on different machines to communicate.

Java - Java is an object-orientated programming language that can be used to create applications.
Javascript - A scripting language used on web pages for adding functionality, for instance form field validation.

Legacy pages/archives - Old pages created without accessibility in mind.
Lynx - A text-only browser used for testing websites for linear layout, and how the site appears without formatting. Lynx viewer

Multimedia - Communication that uses any combination of different media such as text, spoken audio, music, images, animation and video.
Multi-platform - An application operable by several types of operating systems, for instance PC and Mac.

Navigation - The group of consistent links that point to the main areas of a website. Usually located at the top, bottom and sidebars of web pages.

On screen keyboard - A keyboard that appears on screen to type input. Users might use their fingers to type on the keyboard if they have a touch screen, or a head pointer or mouse.
Opera - An alternative to Internet Explorer or Firefox. A screen reader is included in this free application if the site is coded using Opera's specifications. http://www.opera.com

PDA - (Personal Digital Assistant) A pocket-sized personal computer. PDA's usually store phone numbers, appointments, and to-do lists. Some PDA's have a small keyboard, others have only a special pen that is used for input.
PDF - (Portable Document Format) A way to publish documents electronically, while preserving the layout for printing or document security.
Plug-in - Extra code or scripting that adds a special feature not originally packaged with your software. For example the plug-in that allows browsers to display Flash content. Common plug-ins include: Quicktime, Real Player, Adobe Reader, Flash and Shockwave players.
Pointing device - Any hardware that allows a user to input data to a computer. Input devices include mice, trackball, touchpad, pointing stick, lightpen, joystick, head pointer, eye tracking devices, and various kinds of digitizing tablets.

Retrofit - Process of fixing an existing web page for accessibility rather than re-designing or replacing it.

Screen magnifier - A device or software that will enlarge images and text.
Screen reader software - A computer program that reads the screen to a user with speech synthesis or to refreshable Braille. Screen readers provide access to the computer's operating system and any software, and can read any electronic content.
Scripting - Programming code that is part of a web page. Examples include Javascript and ASP (Active Server Pages). Most scripts perform a function that html can't do, such as inserting a date and time, calculation, or interacting with a database or other files in a different location.
Section 508 - Section 508 requires that organizations that receive federal funds provide accessible electronic and information technology. http://www.access-board.gov/508.htm Section 504 is about accommodation, Section 508 is about access.
Section 504 - Section 504 is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities. Section 504 ensures that the child with a disability has equal access to an education. The child may receive accommodations and modifications.
Self-contained, closed products - Proprietary software designed so that a user cannot easily attach or install assistive technology. For instance, information kiosks, copiers, printers, calculators, fax machines, and other similar types of products.
Sip/puff switch - The sip/puff switch accesses electronic devices with breath from the mouth. For instance, by blowing and sipping on a tube, users can activate the enter key while using a head pointer laser for input on an on-screen keyboard.
Skip links - An internal link at the top of an html document that allows the user to jump over page navigation to the content. The groups that most often take advantage of this link are those using screen readers or aural browsers, those with mobility impairment (or those unable to use a mouse for another reason), and PDA/phone web users.
SMIL - (Synchronized Multimedia Integration Language) A markup language that allows web developers to separate the content of multimedia. Often used for captioning.
Spacer images - Small transparent images placed on a web page to control layout.
Style guide - A style guide is a document that sets out the policies for your website. Accessibility rules and standards can be included in the style guide, along with specifics for your organization.
Stylesheets - See Cascading Stylesheets (CSS)

Tables - Tables can be used for data or layout. A presentation of information organized in rows and columns is for data. A layout table is used to organize navigation or text in blocks and will typically be invisible to the viewer. If a complex table is used for data, it needs extra code for greater accessibility.
TDD (Telecommunications Device for the Deaf) See TTY
Telecommunications - The science and technology of communication at a distance by electronic transmission of impulses, as by cable, telephone, radio, or television.
Text equivalent - Providing a text alternative representating content and function of a non-text object on a web page. Also known as alt-text or alt-tags.
Text-only browser - A browser that does not show images. It does not have images turned off; rather it just doesn't display them.
Text-only web page - An alternative to a web page. A text-only page must contain the content equivalent of the regular page. For example, if an image is used on the web page, the text-only version would contain a full description of the image at the exact location where the visual user would have encountered the image on the original page.
TTY - An abbreviation for teletypewriter. Also called a text telephone. Text based communications across the telephone network.

Undue burden - Undue burden means significant difficulty or expense.
Universal access - The idea that all things should be accessible by the largest audience possible, regardless of disability, location, device, or speed of connection to the Internet.
Usability - The idea that a website or web page is easily used by any web user. The effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction with which users can achieve tasks in a particular environment of a product. High usability means a system is easy to learn and remember; efficient, visually pleasing and fun to use; and quick to recover from errors.
Universal design - The intent of universal design is to simplify life for everyone by making products, communications, and the environment more usable by as many people as possible at little or no extra cost. Universal design benefits people of all ages and abilities.

Validation - Testing an html-coded page for compliance with established html standards. There are a number of free online validation sites that provide the service of checking an html page and identifying problems. The reason for validating an html page is to make sure it can be read by the different browsers and assistive technologies that are in use.
Voice input - Software that interprets voice commands for navigation or dictation of text.
Voice output - Applications that read screen content out loud.
Voice recognition software - Software that can be trained to recognize a person's voice, and either execute commands, or turn the voice into text or other forms of media such as sign language or braille for the deaf.
VoiceXML - A type of XML that allows the user to interact with a web page using voice recognition software.

W3C - (World Wide Web Consortium) An international committee responsible for maintaining web technology standards
WAI - (Web Accessibility Initiative) WAI pursues accessibility of the web through technology, guidelines, tools, education, and research. http://www.w3.org/WAI
WAP - (Wireless Access Protocol) A specification that allows users to access information on wireless handheld devices.
WARP - (Web Accessibility Resource Planner) Use this tool from WebAIM to organize accessibility resources, create online lessons, and view lessons other users have created. http://www.warp.webaim.org
Wave - Free online accessibility checking tool at http://www.wave.webaim.org/index.jsp.
WCAG - (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) Instructions from W3C and WAI to build accessible web pages.
WebAIM - (Web Accessibility In Mind) A collection of articles and tools about web accessibility http://www.webaim.org
WebXact - A free online accessibility validator tool from cast.org.

X Y Z

XHTML - (Extensible Hypertext Markup Language) XHTML is almost identical to html 4.01, but it is a stricter and cleaner version.
XML - (Extensible Markup Language) A language specification that allows users to develop their own tags, and format their documents using XSL. XML allows close control over document format.
XSL - (Extensible Stylesheet Language) A W3C specification that contains three parts:
- XSLT - for changing the formatting and structure of markup
- XSL-FO - for applying a strong set of rules to a document for formatted printing
- XPath is used to select the elements required by XSLT.
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