Glossary
Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Access | The opportunity or permission to reach, enter, use, or participate in something. Access describes availability or entry, rather than how something is designed. |
| Accessibility | The design and provision of products, services, environments, and facilities that are easy to approach, enter, operate, participate in, or use safely by everyone, regardless of age, ability, or status. |
| Accessible | Usable by people with all abilities with comparable ease and time, without extra steps or delays, and compatible with assistive technologies. |
| Accommodation | Specific changes or adjustments made to enable people with disabilities to fully participate in activities, services, or environments. |
| Adaptive | Ability to change to suit different conditions. |
| Adaptive Equipment | Sometimes called adaptive devices, often refers to physical tools or modified products (commonly for activities of daily living) that support independence; the term is often used interchangeably with “assistive technology,” but it should be considered a subset or category of assistive technology. |
| Allowlist | A list of approved or trusted items, such as apps, websites, or email addresses, that are permitted to pass through a system or filter. |
| Application (App) | A type of software designed to help users perform specific tasks, such as word processing, web browsing, or managing data. App is often used to refer to mobile applications, but has started to replace the terms software and program in reference to desktop devices. |
| Artificial Intelligence (AI) | Computer systems that perform tasks associated with human intelligence, such as pattern recognition, language understanding, and decision making. Types include rule-based systems, machine learning, and generative models that create text, images, or audio. |
| Assistive | Describes tools, devices, or practices designed to support people in performing tasks that might otherwise be difficult. |
| Assistive Technology (AT) | Any item, piece of equipment, or system used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities. It can range from low-tech solutions, such as eyeglasses, pencil grips, or visual schedules, to high-tech innovations, including robotics and speech-generating devices. |
| Authenticator | A tool, device, or app used to verify a person’s identity when signing in to a system or service, often by generating or approving security codes. |
| Bluetooth | A short-range, low-power wireless for direct device-to-device connections. It pairs items like headphones, keyboards, and car stereos to send audio or data. Does not provide internet access or join a home network. |
| Browser | A program that accesses and displays files and other data available on the Internet and other networks. |
| Cache | A hardware or software component that stores data so that future requests for that data can be served faster. |
| Catch-All | A broadly designed solution, element, or pattern intended to cover many cases at once. In digital technology, a catch-all can provide efficiency by being built once and applied in multiple places. It can become problematic when treated as a one-size-fits-all when a specific solution is necessary. |
| Cookies | A collection of information, usually including a username and the current date and time, stored on the local computer of a person using the World Wide Web, used chiefly by websites to identify users who have previously registered or visited the site. |
| Cyberbullying | Intentional, often repeated behavior that harms, intimidates, or humiliates someone using digital tools such as texts, posts, images, games, or fake accounts. |
| Denylist | A list of blocked or untrusted items, such as websites, apps, or senders, that are restricted from access within a system or filter. |
| Digital Accessibility | The process of making digital products, such as websites, mobile apps, and electronic documents, usable by everyone, regardless of their abilities or disabilities. |
| Digital Literacy | The ability to use technology to find, evaluate, organize, create, and communicate information safely and responsibly. |
| Enabling Technology (ET) | Any tool or system supporting greater independence, access, and participation in daily life. |
| Glossary | A list of often difficult or specialized words with their definitions. |
| High-Tech | Digital, highly configurable tools and software. |
| Information Technology (IT) | Any equipment or system used for acquiring, storing, managing, or transmitting data, either directly or through contractors. This could include computers, software computer networks, firmware, services, and related resources essential for performing these tasks. |
| Internet | A globally connected network system that facilitates communication and data services through a vast collection of private, public, business, academic, and government networks. |
| iOS | A multiplatform operating system (OS) created and developed by Apple Inc., originally designed for the iPhone. |
| Low-Tech | Simple, inexpensive, usually non‑electronic solutions. |
| Machine | A device made of one or more parts that uses energy to perform work or a specific task. Machines can be simple, like a lever or wheel, or complex, like computers, powered mobility devices, or medical equipment. |
| Mid-Tech | More complex than low-tech, often electronically-powered but not highly customizable. |
| Offline | A device is in this state when it lacks an active internet or network connection and cannot exchange data in real time. Also describes app modes that work without internet access. |
| Online | A device is in this state when it has an active internet or network connection and can exchange data in real time. |
| Open Source | Software or other products that comply with specific criteria whose code or design is freely accessible and can be modified and distributed by anyone. |
| Operating System (OS) | A system software that manages all the resources of the computing device. |
| Person-Centered Planning | A discovery process focused entirely on the person, empowering them to be at the center of the planning process. It takes our attention away from the system and requires that we view the person as the expert of their own life. |
| Remote Supports | The use of enabling technology to remotely support a person in place of physical staff presence. |
| Routine | A sequence of actions or tasks that are followed regularly, often at set times. Routines help create structure, support independence, and make daily activities more predictable. |
| Server | A computer or system that provides resources, data, or services to other computers, called clients, over a network. |
| Tablet | A portable, flat touchscreen computer that is larger than a smartphone and operated without a physical keyboard. Tablets can run apps, connect to the internet, and support accessibility features. |
| Task | A defined piece of work or activity to be done, often as part of a routine or goal. |
| Technology | The application of scientific knowledge to create tools, systems, and processes that solve problems and improve human life. It can be as simple as a wheel or as complex as artificial intelligence. |
| Technology First | A philosophy and approach to service planning that emphasizes technology as the first option for increasing independence, participation, and quality of life before considering more restrictive or resource-intensive supports. Instead of viewing technology as an add-on, Technology First frameworks encourage people, families, and support teams to explore how tools such as assistive technology, smart home devices, communication systems, and remote supports can meet a person’s goals. |
| Uniform Resource Locator (URL) | A web address used to identify and locate a specific resource on the internet, such as a webpage, image, or file. It typically includes the protocol (e.g., https://), the domain name (e.g., example.com), and often a path to a specific page or resource. URLs make it possible for browsers and other software to retrieve and display online content. |
| Universal Design | The process of creating products, environments, and systems that can be used by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without needing special adaptation. It emphasizes flexibility, accessibility, and inclusivity from the start, so that features support people with a wide range of abilities, ages, and situations. |
| Universal Serial Bus (USB) | A common standard for connecting computers and electronic devices. USB allows data transfer and power delivery through a single cable and supports a wide range of peripherals such as keyboards, storage drives, and smartphones. In some cases it is important to know the device USB requirements. |
| User | A person who operates or benefits from a device, tool, or system. |
| Windows | A graphical operating system (OS) developed and published by Microsoft. |
| Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) | Wireless networking technology that allows devices like computers, smartphones, and tablets to connect to the internet or communicate with each other without physical cables. |
| World Wide Web (WWW) | Commonly referred to as WWW, W3, or the Web—is a system of interconnected public webpages accessible through the Internet. |