Assistive Technology Glossary

Plain-language definitions of the assistive technology words you’ll hear in training.

A

Accessibility: How easily people with disabilities can use something, such as a website, app, document or device.
Alt text (alternative text): A short written description of a picture, read aloud by screen readers in place of the image.
Assistive technology (AT): Any tool, device or software that helps a person with a disability do a task, from a screen reader to a talking thermometer.
AT Act program: A program in every state and territory, funded under the federal Assistive Technology Act, that lets you try devices, borrow them for a while, and find used equipment.
Audio description: Narration added to a video that describes important things you can see, such as actions, scene changes and on-screen text.

Braille display (refreshable braille display): A device with small pins that rise and fall to show a line of braille from a computer or phone, so you can read by touch.
Braille-ready file (BRF): A file already translated into braille, ready to read on a braille display or notetaker or to print on a braille embosser.
Browse mode: A screen reader mode for reading web pages, where single letters jump to headings, links, tables and other parts of the page. Also called virtual cursor mode in JAWS.

Captions: Text on screen that shows what’s said in a video, plus important sounds.
CCTV (video magnifier): A camera and screen that enlarge printed pages, photos or objects, often with high-contrast colors.
ChromeVox: The screen reader built into Chromebooks.
Contrast: The difference in brightness between text and its background. Higher contrast is usually easier to read.

DAISY: A standard for accessible audio and text books, which lets you move by chapter, page and heading.
Dictation: Speaking to your device so it types for you.

Focus: The item on screen that keyboard keys act on, such as the button that Enter will press.
Focus mode (forms mode): A screen reader mode for typing into forms and using controls, where keys go to the page instead of moving the screen reader.
Fusion: Software from Freedom Scientific that combines the JAWS screen reader with ZoomText magnification, for people with some usable vision.

Gestures: Touches and swipes used to control a phone or tablet with a screen reader, such as swiping right to move to the next item.

Headings: Titles that divide a page or document into sections. Screen reader users jump between them to skim quickly.
High contrast: A display setting with strong color differences, such as yellow text on black.

JAWS: A paid screen reader for Windows from Freedom Scientific, common in workplaces and often funded by agencies.

Keyboard shortcut: A combination of keys that does something quickly, such as Control + S to save.

Landmarks: Labeled areas of a web page, such as the main content, navigation and footer, that screen reader users can jump between.
Large print: Text printed or shown in a bigger size, usually 18 point or larger.

Magnification: Making things on screen bigger, with built-in tools or software such as ZoomText.

OCR (optical character recognition): Technology that turns pictures of text, such as a scanned letter, into text a screen reader can read.

Quick Nav: A VoiceOver setting on the Mac and iPhone that lets you move around with single keys or arrow keys.

Rotor: A VoiceOver feature for choosing how to move, such as by headings, links or form controls. On iPhone, you turn two fingers like a dial; on the Mac, press VO + U.

Screen reader: Software that reads aloud what’s on the screen, or sends it to a braille display, and lets you control the device with keys or gestures.
Screen shade (screen curtain): A screen reader setting that turns the screen black for privacy while everything keeps working.
Speech rate: How fast a screen reader speaks. Many experienced users listen at high speeds.
Synthesizer (speech synthesizer): The voice a screen reader uses to speak.

TalkBack: The screen reader built into Android phones and tablets.
Task analysis: Breaking a job into small steps to find which tools and skills a person needs for each one.
Technology Assessment: An evaluation of a person’s current technology, skills and goals, used to plan training and recommend equipment.

Verbosity: How much a screen reader says, such as whether it announces punctuation or the type of each control.
Virtual cursor: The way JAWS reads web pages and documents in browse mode.
Vocational rehabilitation (VR): State agencies that help people with disabilities prepare for, find and keep work, often including assistive technology and training.
VoiceOver: The screen reader built into Apple devices: Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Apple TV.

WCAG: The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, the international standard for making websites and apps accessible.

ZoomText: Magnification software for Windows from Freedom Scientific, with optional speech.

Missing a word? Ask us and we’ll add it.