Ability/Disability Terminology

Ability: The quality of having the means or skill to do something. Ability is not permanent, can fluctuate throughout one’s life, and is another aspect of diversity in our communities. Disabilities (see Disability) do not necessarily limit people unless society imposes assumptions that do not account for the variation in people’s abilities (see Social Identities, Oppression)..⁷⁹

Ableism/Ableist: The pervasive system of discrimination (see Discrimination) and exclusion that oppresses (see Oppression) people who are differently abled (see Ability), including differences in mental, cognitive, emotional, and/or physical abilities, through attitudes, actions, or institutional policies (see Culture).⁷⁹

Accessible: In the case of a facility (see facility), readily usable by a particular individual; in the case of a program or activity, presented or provided in such a way that a particular individual can participate, with or without auxiliary aid(s); in the case of electronic resources, accessible with or without assistive computer technology.²

Access Barriers: Any obstruction that prevents people with disabilities (see Disability) from using standard facilities (see Facility), equipment and resources.²

Accessible Web Design: (see Accessible) Creating web pages according to universal design principles to eliminate or reduce barriers, including those that affect people with disabilities (see Disability).²

Accommodation: An adjustment to make a program, facility (see facility), or resource accessible (see Accessible) to a person with a disability (see Disability).²

Adaptive Technology: Hardware or software products that provide access (see Accessible) to a computer that is otherwise inaccessible to an individual with a disability (see Disability).²

Ageism: The pervasive system of prejudice and discrimination (see Discrimination, Stereotypes) that marginalizes people based on their age. This can be perpetuated through stereotypes of youthfulness versus life at an older age and through oppressive policies (see Oppression, Culture) that subordinate and exclude older folks. Ageism can impact different age groups besides older folks, such as children who are stereotyped as being unable to make big decisions.⁷⁹

Allistic: An adjective used to describe a person who is not autistic and is often used to emphasize the privilege of people who are not on the autism spectrum (see Spectrum).⁷⁹

Ally: A term relating generally to individuals who support marginalized groups (see Oppression). “Ally” is not an identity, and allyship (see Allyship) is an ongoing process of learning that includes action (see Social Justice, Cultural Humility).¹

Allyship: The action of working to end oppression (see Oppression) through support of, and as an advocate with and for, a group other than one’s own (see Social Justice, Cultural Humility).⁷⁹

ALT Attribute: HTML code that works in combination with graphical tags to provide alternative text for graphical elements.²

Alternative Keyboard: A keyboard that is different from a standard computer keyboard in its size or layout of keys.²

Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA): A comprehensive federal law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability (see Discrimination, Disability) in employment, public services, public accommodations (see Accommodation) and services operated by private entities, and telecommunications.²

American Sign Language (ASL): A visually perceived language based on articulated hand gestures and their placement relative to the body. Non-manual markers such as facial expressions and movements of the body are also used. ASL is the dominant signed language in North America. ASL is not a universal language; many other countries have their own forms of sign language (see Sign Language).²

Amplifying Telephone Receivers: Telephone receivers with a volume control built into the handgrip. They allow a person who is hearing impaired (see Hearing Impaired) to amplify the incoming conversation.³

Assistance Animals: Enhances the lives of people with disabilities (see Disability) by providing highly trained assistance dogs or simian monkeys to enhance their independence or quality of life.³

Assistive Technology: Technology used to assist a person with a disability (see Disability), e.g., wheelchair, handsplints, computer-based equipment.²

Assistance Device: Any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities (see Disability).³

Autism: A neurological variation encompassing a wide range of presentations and experiences. Common characteristics of autism include repetitive behavior and differences in social interaction, interpersonal relationships, and communication. For some people, their gender identity (see Gender Identity) is significantly tied to their identity as an autistic person.⁷⁹

Barriers-Architectural: Some common building standards under both the Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards (UFAS) and the Americans with Disabilities Act Architectural Guidelines (ADAAG) that eliminate common physical and architectural barriers (see Disability). Examples of some architectural barriers may include:

• Walkways – 4 feet minimum width;

• Doorways – 32 inches minimum clear opening;

• Telephones – highest operable part not more than 48 inches from floor;

• Bathroom Stalls – not less than 60 inches clear floor space to accommodate a wheelchair turning radius; and

• Slopes and inclines – for every one-inch drop between level surfaces, a one foot ramped incline.³

Blind: Unable to see because of injury, disease, or a congenital condition.¹⁸

Body Image: How a person feels, acts, and thinks about their body. Attitudes about our own body and bodies in general are shaped by our communities (see Community), families, cultures (see Culture), media, and our own perceptions (see Social Identities, Internalized Oppression).⁷⁹

Body Policing: any behavior which (indirectly or directly, intentionally or unintentionally) attempts to correct or control a person’s actions regarding their own physical body, frequently with regards to gender expression or size (see Gender Expression, Body Image, Sizeism, Social Identities, Oppression).⁷⁹

Braille: System of embossed characters formed by using a Braille cell, a combination of six dots consisting of two vertical columns of three dots each. Each simple Braille character is formed by one or more of these dots and occupies a full cell or space. Some Braille may use eight dots.²

Browser: Software designed to access (see Accessible) and display information available on the web. Browsers may be graphical or text-based. Text-only browsers cannot display images, sound clips, video and plug-in features that graphical browsers can. Talking browsers are also available for use by people who have difficulty reading text due to a learning disability (see Disability) or visual impairment (see Vision Impairment).²

Capitalism: An economic, political, and social system in which property, business, and industry are privately owned and directed towards making the greatest possible profits for successful organizations and people¹⁰; negatively impacts all marginalized communities (see Community, Culture, Colonialism, Cultural Humility, Oppression).

Captioned Film or Videos: Transcription of the verbal portion of films or videos displayed to make them accessible (see Accessible) to people who are deaf (see Deaf/deaf, Hard of Hearing).²

Captioning: Text that is included with video presentations or broadcasts that enables people with hearing impairments (see Hearing Impairment, Deaf/deaf) to have access (see Accessible) to the audio portion of the material.²

Closed Circuit TV Magnifier (CCTV): Camera used to magnify books or other materials to a monitor or television.²

Colonialism: The belief in and support of the system [or ideology] of one country controlling another (see Community, Culture, Capitalism, Cultural Humility, Oppression).¹⁰Communication Device: Hardware that allows a person who has difficulty using their voice clearly to use words or symbols for communication. May range in complexity from a simple picture board to complex electronic devices that allow personalized, unique construction of ideas.²

Community: A group of people who have similar interest or who want to achieve something together (see Culture, Social Identity).¹⁰

Compensatory Tools: Assistive computing systems that allow people with disabilities (see Disability) to use computers to complete tasks that they would have difficulty doing without a computer, e.g., reading, writing, communicating, accessing information (see Accessible).²

Consent: Permission or agreement.¹⁰

Cultural Humility: An approach to engagement across differences that acknowledges systems of oppression and embodies the following key practices: (1) a lifelong commitment to self-evaluation and self-critique, (2) a desire to fix power imbalances where none ought to exist, and (3) aspiring to develop partnerships with people and groups who advocate for others on a systemic level. (Melanie Tervalon & Jann Murray-García, 1998)⁷⁹

Culture: A learned set of values, beliefs, customs, norms, and perceptions shared by a group of people that provide a general design for living and patterns for interpreting life (see Community, Social Identities). “Culture is those deep, common, unstated, learned experiences which members of a given culture share, which they communicate without knowing, and which form the backdrop against which all other events are judged (see Community, Social Identities.”⁷⁹

Curb Cut: Also called a curb ramp, it is a depression built into the curb of a sidewalk to permit passage by a wheelchair. The incline should not exceed a gradient of 1:12 and the flat surface width should be no less than 4 feet wide (see Barrier-Architectural).³

Deaf/deaf: Uppercase “Deaf” refers to a group of people who share a language (see American Sign Language, Sign Language) and a culture (see Culture). Lowercase “deaf” is used to refer to the audiological condition of not hearing.³

Detectable Warnings: A standardized surface feature built in or applied to walking surfaces or other elements to warn visually impaired (see Vision Impairment) people of hazards on a circulation path. Detectable warnings consist of raised truncated domes and contrast visually with adjoining surfaces, either light-on-dark or dark-on-light.³

Disability: Physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities; a record of such an impairment; or being regarded as having such an impairment (Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990).

Discrimination: Inequitable actions carried out by members of a dominant group or its representatives against members of a marginalized or minoritized group (see Oppression).⁷⁹

Dog Guide: The dog guide (“seeing eye” and “guide dog” are brand names) undergoes extensive specialized training to assist and alert persons who are blind (see Blind), deaf (see Deaf/deaf) and hard of hearing (see Hard of Hearing). It must learn basic obedience, to lead rather than “heel,” to avoid obstacles (including overhead objects), and to “work” in stores and elevators, on various forms of public transportation, and when crossing streets, etc. Dog guides are legally permitted to accompany their owners into buildings including all Federal and State buildings, hotels, motels, restaurants, grocery stores, airplanes, trains and buses. To refuse to allow a dog guide entry to any of these places is a violation of the law.³

Derogatory: showing strong disapproval and not showing respect; expressing criticism or insult (see Oppression, Discrimination).¹⁰

Discrimination: Inequitable actions carried out by members of a dominant group or its representatives against members of a marginalized or minoritized group (see Internalized Oppression, Social Justice, Cultural Humility, Oppression).⁷⁹Empathy: The ability to share someone else’s feelings or experiences by imagining what it would be like to be in that person’s situation (see Ally, Allyship, Cultural Humility, Social Justice).¹⁰

Ethnicity: A social construct that divides people into smaller social groups based on characteristics such as shared sense of group membership, values, behavioral patterns, language, political and economic interests, history and ancestral geographical base (see Community, Culture, Race, Social Identities).⁷⁹

Facility: All or any portion of a physical complex, including buildings, structures, equipment, grounds, roads, and parking lots (see Barriers- Architectural).²

FM Sound Amplification System: Electronic amplification system consisting of three components: a microphone/transmitter, monaural FM receiver and a combination charger/carrying case. It provides wireless FM broadcast from a speaker to a listener who has a hearing impairment (see Hearing Impairment).²

Folx: An alternative spelling to folks. The two words are pronounced the same way. Folx is viewed by some as a more inclusive version of the word folks, though both are gender-neutral ways of addressing a group of people. However, folx can be difficult for screen readers (people with visual disabilities) to read (see Disability, Specific Learning Disability).¹

Gender: Broadly, gender is a set of socially constructed roles, behaviors, activities, and attributes that a given society considers appropriate (see Social Identities, Culture).¹

Generational Trauma/Intergenerational Trauma: Acknowledges that exposure to extremely adverse events can impact individuals to such a great extent that their offspring may find themselves negatively impacted from their parents’ post‐traumatic state. It is also said that the experience of trauma – or more accurately the effect of that experience – can be “passed” somehow from one generation to the next, both biologically (i.e. DNA function or gene transcription) as well as environmentally (i.e. increased risk of parent substance abuse, depression, etc.).⁸³

Graphical User Interface (GUI): Program interface that presents digital information and software programs in an image-based format as compared to a character-based format.²

Hard of Hearing: A person with mild to moderate hearing loss. A person who is hard of hearing may or may not consider themselves part of the Deaf community (see Deaf/deaf, Culture, Community, Social Identities).³

Hate Crime: A crime, typically one involving violence, that is motivated by prejudice on the basis of ethnicity (see Ethnicity, Race), religion (see Spirituality), sexual orientation (see Sexual Orientation), or similar grounds (see Ally, Allyship, Cultural Humility, Empathy, Oppression, Social Justice).¹⁸

Hearing Aid: A hearing aid consists of a receiver and amplifier of sound. All sounds in the environment are amplified with the same intensity. A hearing aid does not sort, process, or discriminate among sounds. Because someone is wearing a hearing aid it does not mean that the person can hear normally (see Hearing Impairments). Aids do not correct hearing, but they improve hearing in some people.³

Hearing Impairments: Complete or partial loss of ability (see Ability) to hear caused by a variety of injuries or diseases including congenital defects.²

Hopefulness/”Hope Fullness”: The feeling or state of feeling hope.¹⁰

Internalized Oppression: The fear and self-hate of one or more of a person’s own identities that occurs for many individuals who have learned negative ideas about their identities throughout childhood (see Cultural Identities). One form of internalized oppression (see Oppression) is the acceptance of the myths and stereotypes (see Stereotype) applied to the oppressed group.⁷⁹

Intersectionality: Coined by Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw, this term refers to the overlap of social categorizations or identities such as race and ethnicity (see Race, Ethnicity), sexuality (see Sexuality, Sexual Orientation), gender (see Gender), disability (see Disability), geography, adoptee identity (see Adoptee), and class (see Socioeconomic Class) which exist in an individual or group of people that can contribute to discrimination (see Discrimination) or disadvantage (see Oppression).¹

Interpreter: Professional person who assists a deaf (see Deaf/deaf) person in communicating with hearing people.²

Joystick: A device consisting of a lever that allows a pointer to move up, right, left, or down and serves as an alternative to a mouse. It usually includes buttons to enable mouse clicks.²

Keyboard Emulation: A method of having an alternative device and/or software, such as a switch-based system, serve the role of a keyboard.²

Keyguard: A plastic or metal shield that covers a keyboard with holes over the keys. It allows use of a keyboard without undesired activation of surrounding keys.²

Large Print Books: Most ordinary print is six to ten points in height (about 1/16 to 1/8 of an inch). Large type is fourteen to eighteen points (about 1/8 to 1/4 of an inch) and sometimes larger. The format of large print books is also proportionately larger (usually 8 1/2 x 11 inches).²

Mainstreaming, Inclusion: The inclusion of people with disabilities (see Disability), with or without special accommodations (see Accommodation), in programs, activities, and facilities with their non-disabled peers (see Ability).²

Major Life Activities: Functions such as caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, working, and participating in community activities (see Community) (Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990).²

Microaggressions: Brief and subtle behaviors, whether intentional or not, that communicate hostile, derogatory (see Derogatory), or negative messages of commonly oppressed identities (see Oppression, Social Identities). These actions cause harm through the invalidation of the target person’s identity and may reinforce stereotypes (see Stereotype). Examples of microaggressions include a person who is not white being told they speak “good English” or someone saying something is “gay” to mean they think something is bad.⁷⁹

Mobility Impairment: Disability (see Disability) that affects movement ranging from gross motor skills such as walking to fine motor movement involving manipulation of objects by hand.²

Mouse Emulation: A method of having an alternative device and/or software, such a switch based system, serve the role of a mouse.²

Multimedia: In terms of electronic information, any data which is presented through several formats including text, graphics, moving pictures and sound.²

Neurodiversity: Neurodiversity refers to the natural and important variations in how human minds think. These differences can include autism (see Autism), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, dyspraxia, dyslexia, dyscalculia, Tourette Syndrome, and others. Like other variable human traits like race, gender, sexuality, or culture, (see Race, Ethnicity, Gender, Sexual Orientation, Culture) there is no right or wrong form of diversity (see Oppression). The social dynamics that exert power over other forms of diversity also impact neurodivergent (see Neurodivergent) people. Neurodiversity is not something to be cured or corrected to fit some social norm – rather, we should celebrate different forms of communication and self-expression and promote support systems to allow neurodivergent people to thrive.⁷⁹

Neurodivergent: “Neurodivergent, sometimes abbreviated as ND, means having a brain that functions in ways that diverge significantly from the dominant societal standards of “normal.” A person whose neurocognitive functioning diverges from dominant societal norms in multiple ways – for instance, a person who is Autistic, has dyslexia, and has epilepsy – can be described as multiply neurodivergent. The terms neurodivergent and neurodivergence were coined by Kassiane Asasumasu, a multiply neurodivergent neurodiversity activist.”⁷⁹

Neurotypical: “Neurotypical, often abbreviated as NT, means having a style of neurocognitive functioning that falls within the dominant societal standards of “normal.” Neurotypical can be used as either an adjective (“Their neurotypical”) or a noun (“They are neurotypical”).”⁷⁹

Onscreen Keyboard: See Virtual Keyboard²

Oppression: exists when one social group, whether knowingly or unconsciously, exploits another social group for its own benefit (see Ally, Allyship, Capitalism, Colonialism, Cultural Humility, Empathy, Social Justice).⁷⁹

Optical Character Recognition (OCR): Technology system that scans and converts printed materials into electronic text.²

Peripheral Neuropathy: A condition caused by damage to the nerves in the peripheral nervous system which includes nerves that run from the brain and spinal cord to the rest of the body.²

Physical or Mental Impairment: Any physiological disorder or condition, cosmetic disfigurement, or anatomical loss affecting one or more of the following body systems: neurological; musculoskeletal; special sense organs; respiratory, including speech organs; cardiovascular; reproductive; digestive; genito-urinary; hemic and lymphatic; skin; and endocrine; or any mental or psychological disorder, such as mental retardation, organic brain syndrome, emotional or mental illness, and specific learning disabilities (Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990) (see Disability).²

Qualified Individual with a Disability: An individual with a disability (see Disability) who, with or without reasonable modification to rules, policies, or practices, the removal of architectural, communication, or transportation barriers, or the provision of auxiliary aids and services, meets the essential eligibility requirements for the receipt of services or the participation in programs or activities provided by a public entity (Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990).²

Race: A social construct that divides people into distinct groups based on characteristics such as physical appearance, ancestral heritage, cultural affiliation, cultural history, ethnic classification, based on the social, economic, and political context of a society at a given period of time (see Culture, Ethnicity, Racism).⁷⁹

Racism: The systematic subordination of people from marginalized racial groups based on their physical appearance, ethnic or ancestral history, or cultural affiliation (see Ethnicity, Culture, Social Identities). Racism is considered a deeply pervasive, systemic issue perpetuated by members of the privileged racial group holding dominant social power over others. Discrimination (see Discrimination), prejudice, or xenophobia may be more accurate terms for describing individual acts of oppression (see Oppression). While these individual acts likely stem from systemic racism, at the individual level the power dynamics that enable racism are not at play in the same way (see Empathy, Cultural Humility, Social Justice).⁷⁹

Reader: Volunteer or employee of an individual with a disability (e.g., visual impairment, learning disability) (see Disability) who reads printed material in person or records to audiotape.²

Reading System: Hardware and software designed to provide access (see Accessible) to printed text for people with visual impairments (see Vision Impairment), mobility impairments (see Mobility Impairment), or learning disabilities (see Disability, Specific Learning Disability). Character recognition software controls a scanner that takes an image of a printed page, converts it to computer text using recognition software and then reads the text using a synthesized voice.²

Recorded Books: Recordings for the blind (RFB) (see Blind) and specific learning disability (see Specific Learning Disability ), a national non-profit voluntary organization which is supported primarily by contributions from the public, provides taped educational books, free on loan, to printimpaired elementary, high school, college and graduate students, as well as to non-students who require specialized reading material in their professions or vocations.³

Refreshable Braille Display: Hardware connected to a computer that echoes screen text on a box that has cells consisting of pins that move up and down to create Braille characters (see Braille).²

Repetitive Stress Injury (RSI): A disability (see Disability) that may be chronic or acute and usually is described as pain caused by overuse of extremities, usually hands and wrists (see Mobility Impairment).²

Retarded/Lame/Crazy/Dumb: Targets mental, emotional and physical disabilities (see Disabilities) as objects for ridicule. Used as synonyms for “worthless,” “bad,” “unintelligent,” “incapable,” etc. (see Derogatory, Oppression)⁷⁹

Sizeism: The pervasive system of discrimination (see Discrimination) and exclusion that oppresses (see Oppression) people who have bodies that society has labeled as “overweight,” as well as people of short stature. Hxstorically speaking, larger bodies have been labeled as unhealthy, undesirable, and lazy (see Stereotypes, Body Image, Internalized Oppression, Social Identities) ; this fails to address the complicated narratives around health and healthy living.⁷⁹

Scanning Input: A switch-based method of controlling a computer. Activations of a switch will, in order, bring up a control panel that upon subsequent switch activations, allow a user to focus in on a desired control or keystroke. Custom scanning layouts can be created for a variety of purposes and programs and may also be used in a communication device.²

Screen Reader: Software used to echo text on a computer screen to audio output, often used by people who are blind (see Blind), with visual impairments (see Visual Impairment), or with learning disabilities (see Disability, Specific Learning Disability).²

Screen Resolution: Refers to the clarity or sharpness of an image. For computer monitors, this term indicates the number of dots on the screen used to create text and graphics. Higher resolution means more dots, indicating increased sharpness and potentially smaller text.²

Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act: Legislation that requires federal agencies to develop, procure, and use accessible (see Accessible) electronic and information technology.²

Self-efficacy: A person’s belief that they can be successful when carrying out a particular task.¹⁰

Sensory Impairment: A disability (see Disability) that affects touch, sight and/or hearing.²

Sexual Orientation: Emotional, romantic, or sexual (see Sexuality) feelings toward other people or no people (see Asexual). While sexual activity involves the choices one makes regarding behavior, one’s sexual activity does not define one’s sexual orientation (see Sexual Orientation). Sexual orientation is part of the human condition, and all people have one. Typically, it is attraction that helps determine orientation.¹

Sexuality: The components of a person that include their biological sex (see Biological Sex), sexual orientation (see Sexual Orientation), gender identity (see Gender Identity), sexual practices, etc.⁷⁹ (see LGBTQIA+ Related Terminology)

Sighted Guide: A sighted guide is a person who physically assists an individual who is blind (see Blind), only when that person accepts assistance. When serving as a sighted guide for an individual who is blind, let the person take your arm (right or left depending on the person’s preference), walk about one half-step ahead. They will follow the motion of your body. When showing a person who is blind to a chair, place their hand on the back of the chair. At times, it may also be helpful to provide a physical description of the physical environment surrounding them and the route being taken.³

Sign Language: Manual communication commonly used by deaf (see Deaf/deaf). The gestures or symbols in sign language are organized in a linguistic way. Each individual gesture is called a sign. Each sign has three distinct parts: the handshape, the position of the hands, and the movement of the hands. American Sign Language (ASL) is the most commonly used sign language in the United States. Deaf people from different countries speak different sign languages.²

Social Justice: A goal and a process in which the distribution of resources is equitable and all members are physically and psychologically safe and secure. Begins with an acknowledgement that oppression (see Oppression, Empathy) and inequity exist and must be actively dismantled on all levels (see Ally, Allyship, Cultural Humility).⁷⁹

Social Identities: Social identity groups are based on the physical, social, and mental characteristics of individuals. They are sometimes obvious and clear, sometimes not obvious and unclear, often self-claimed and frequently ascribed by others (see Stereotypes, Internalized Oppression, Microaggression).⁷⁹

Socioeconomic Class: Social group membership based on a combination of factors including income, education level, occupation, and social status in the community, such as contacts within the community, group associations, and the community’s perception of the family or individual (see Culture, Community, Stereotypes, Oppression).⁷⁹

Specific Learning Disability: Disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, which may manifest itself in difficulties listening, thinking, speaking, reading, writing, spelling, or doing mathematical calculations. Frequent limitations include hyperactivity, distractibility, emotional instability, visual and/or auditory perception difficulties and/or motor limitations, depending on the type(s) of learning disability (see Disability).²

Spectrum: a range or sliding scale.⁷⁹

Speech Impairment: Problems in communication and related areas such as oral motor function, ranging from simple sound substitutions to the inability to understand or use language or use the oral-motor mechanism for functional speech.²

Speech Input or Speech Recognition: A method of controlling a computer and creating text by dictation. Speech input software is combined with a microphone.²

Spirituality: Having to do with deep feelings and convictions, including a person’s sense of peace, purpose, connection to others, and understanding of the meaning and value of life; may or may not be associated with a particular set of beliefs or practices.⁷⁹

Spoonie: This term originates from Christine Miserandino’s Spoon Theory story and has become a cultural identity for many living with chronic illness (typically physical chronic illness).⁴

Stereotype: A generalization applied to every person in a cultural group; a fixed conception of a group without allowing for individuality. When we believe our stereotypes, we tend to ignore characteristics that don’t conform to our stereotype, rationalize what we see to fit our stereotype, see those who do not conform as “exceptions,” and find ways to create the expected characteristics (see Culture, Community, Social Identities, Oppression).⁷⁹

Switch Input: A method of controlling a computer or communication device. It is most often used with Morse code or scanning methods, but may also be used for controlling household appliances and related controls. Switches are available in a nearly endless array of sizes, shapes, and activation methods.²

Tactile Signage: Signs or labels with Braille (see Braille), raised letters or textured patterns that can be read tactilely by persons with visual impairments (see Visual Impairment).³

Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD), Teletypewriter (TTY): A device which enables someone who has a speech or hearing impairment (see Deaf/deaf, Hearing Impairment) to use a telephone when communicating with someone else who has a TDD/TTY. TDD/TTYs can be used with any telephone, and one needs only a basic typing ability (see Ability) to use them.²

Trackball: A mouse alternative that is basically an upside-down mouse. Useful for some people with mobility impairments (see Mobility Impairment) because it isolates pointer movement from button clicking.²

Ugly: Word used to put down someone for the way they look, can be connected back to white supremacist, ableist (see Ableist, Internalized Oppression), sizeist standards of beauty (see Body Image, Body Policing, Social Identities, Sizeism, Oppression).⁷⁹

Universal Design: Designing programs, services, tools, and facilities so that they are useable, without modification, by the widest range of users possible, taking into account a variety of abilities and disabilities (see Ability, Disability).²

Universal Design of Instruction: The design of instructional materials and activities that make learning achievable by students with a wide variety of abilities and disabilities (see Ability, Disability).²

Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973: Act prohibiting discrimination (see Discrimination) on the basis of disability (see Disability) which applies to any program that receives federal financial support. Section 504 of the Act is aimed at making educational programs and facilities accessible (see Accessible) to all students. Section 508 of the Act requires that electronic office equipment purchased through federal procurement meets disability access guidelines (see Barriers- Architectural).²

Virtual Keyboard: Software used to emulate a keyboard. A picture of a keyboard is displayed on a computer screen and the user points and clicks on the pictures of keys to enter text.²

Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973: Act prohibiting discrimination (see Discrimination) on the basis of disability (see Disability) that applies to any program that receives federal financial support. Section 504 of the act is aimed at making educational programs and facilities accessible (see Facility, Accessible) to all students. Section 508 of the Act requires that electronic office equipment purchased through federal procurement meets disability access guidelines.³

Vision Impairments: Complete or partial loss of ability (see Ability) to see, caused by a variety of injuries or diseases including congenital defects. Legal blindness (see Blind) is defined as visual acuity of 20/200 or less in the better eye with correcting lenses, or widest diameter of visual field subtending an angular distance no greater than 20 degrees.³

Word Prediction: Software that reduces the number of keystrokes needed to type words and sentences. As characters are entered on either a standard, alternative or virtual keyboard, suggested completions of the word that has been started are provided to the user.²

Visual Alarms: A flashing light that is placed into a building or facility (see Facility) alarm system. If single station audible alarms are provided then single station visual alarm signals should also be provided (see Deaf/deaf, Hard of Hearing).³