Key Accessibility Terms

ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act)

A US civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities. Title III of the ADA applies to websites and digital experiences offered by private businesses.

AEO (Answer Engine Optimization)

The practice of optimizing digital content so it is surfaced and cited by AI-powered search tools like Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT, and Perplexity. AEO overlaps significantly with accessibility best practices like semantic HTML and descriptive headings.

Alt text (alternative text)

A short text description added to an image in code. Screen readers read alt text aloud so people who are blind or have low vision can understand the content of the image. Alt text also helps search engines index visual content.

Assistive technology

Hardware or software that helps people with disabilities interact with digital content. Examples include screen readers (JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, TalkBack), screen magnifiers, switch devices, and voice recognition software.

CSAT (Customer Satisfaction Score)

A metric that measures how satisfied customers are with a product, service, or experience, typically collected through post-interaction surveys.

Curb-cut effect

The principle that features designed to help people with disabilities often end up benefiting everyone. Named after physical curb cuts in sidewalks, which were built for wheelchair users but also help parents with strollers, travelers with luggage, and delivery workers with carts.

EAA (European Accessibility Act)

A European Union directive requiring that a wide range of products and digital services, including e-commerce, banking, and transportation, be accessible to people with disabilities. Non-compliance can result in penalties up to 5% of annual turnover.

EN 301 549

The European standard for ICT (information and communication technology) accessibility. It references WCAG and is used as the technical benchmark for EAA compliance.

Inclusive design

A design methodology that considers the full range of human diversity from the start of the design process, including ability, language, culture, age, and other forms of difference.

Keyboard navigation

The ability to use a website or application using only a keyboard (Tab, Enter, arrow keys, Escape) without requiring a mouse. Keyboard accessibility is essential for people with motor disabilities and is a foundational WCAG requirement.

Overlay/widget

A software tool added to a website that attempts to detect and fix accessibility issues automatically, often through a visible toolbar or icon. While overlays can address some common issues, they typically cover only a portion of WCAG requirements and are not a substitute for a comprehensive accessibility strategy.

POUR principles

The four foundational principles of WCAG. Digital content must be Perceivable (users can sense it), Operable (users can interact with it), Understandable (users can comprehend it), and Robust (it works reliably across technologies, including assistive technologies).

Remediation

The process of identifying and fixing accessibility barriers in digital content, code, or design.

Screen reader

Assistive technology that converts on-screen text and interface elements into synthesized speech or braille output. Common screen readers include JAWS and NVDA (Windows), VoiceOver (Apple), and TalkBack (Android).

Section 508

A provision of the US Rehabilitation Act requiring federal agencies to make their electronic and information technology accessible to people with disabilities. Section 508 references WCAG as its technical standard.

Semantic HTML

The practice of using HTML elements according to their intended meaning (for example, using heading tags for headings, list tags for lists, and button tags for buttons) rather than relying on visual styling alone. Semantic HTML helps both assistive technologies and search engines understand page structure and content.

Universal design

The design of products, environments, and systems so they are usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design.

VPAT (Voluntary Product Accessibility Template)

A document that explains how a technology product or service conforms to accessibility standards. Buyers, especially in government and enterprise procurement, often request VPATs to evaluate vendors.

WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines)

The internationally recognized set of guidelines for making web content accessible to people with disabilities, published by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). WCAG is organized into three conformance levels: A (minimum), AA (recommended standard for most laws), and AAA (highest level of accessibility).