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WAI: Strategies, guidelines, and resources to make the Web accessible to people with disabilities

[DRAFT] Basic Glossary for WAI Documents

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Note: This document is an incomplete draft and should not be referenced or quoted under any circumstances.

This glossary clarifies the meaning of words used in WAI documents. Related resources include:

alternative equivalents
See equivalent alternative.
assistive technology
Any item, piece of equipment, product, system or software, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities. [For example, screen readers that read aloud Web pages for people who cannot see or read text, and voice input software and switches for people who cannot use a keyboard or mouse.]
audio descriptions
[A narrative of the visual parts of a video. Audio descriptions are equivalent alternatives for actions, body language, graphics, scenes, etc.. They are synchronized with the video. Audio descriptions can be either a pre-recorded human voice, or a synthesized voice recorded or generated real-time. They are used by people who are blind or have low vision.
(Also called "described video".)]
[make more succinct. Remove reference to ‘equivalent alternative’.]
authoring tool
Any software or service that is used to create or modify content for the Web. Authoring tools include Web page editors, word processors that convert documents to Web formats, content management systems (CMS), multimedia editors, and others described in the Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines (ATAG) Overview.
captions
[Text describing sound in video or audio. Captions are equivalent alternatives for people speaking and other important sounds. They are synchronized with the video. Captions are used by people who are deaf or hard-of-hearing, and people who cannot hear audio (for example, someone in a noisy environment).]
[make more succinct. Remove reference to ‘equivalent alternative’. add: captions are with or below a multimedia presentation]
Note: In some countries, the term "subtitle" is used to refer to dialogue only and "captions" is used as the term for dialogue plus sounds and speaker identification. In other countries, subtitle (or its translation) is used to refer to both.
conforms
Satisfies all the requirements of a given standard, guideline, or specification.
deprecated
Obsolete or replaced, and should not be used.
device independent
Can be operated and perceived by various technologies; for example, voice input in addition to a mouse, and Braille output in addition to a screen.
equivalent alternative
[version that provides all of the same information and functionality and is as up to date as any non-conformant version][Information or functionality in a different format that provides the same purpose as the original.][Information in a different format that provides the same function.] For example, text captions provide an equivalent alternative for an image or audio, and audio descriptions provide an equivalent alternative for the visual information in a video.
informative
Information in a standard, guideline, or specification that is not required for conformance. It is provided to help understand and implement the standard, guideline, or specification. See also normative.
interoperability
The ability of software and other products to work together smoothly on multiple devices and platforms.
[keyboard equivalent]
[Keystrokes or combination that perform the same function that is usually done with a mouse or other input device]
linearized
Arranged in sequential order. For example, linearizing changes content displayed side-by-side into one column. Screen reader software reads information linearized by default, even if it is formatted in a multi-column table.
markup language
A syntax or set of rules for computer-understandable information. For example, HTML and CSS are markup languages to add semantic and presentation information to text files.
meta data
Data that describes other data. Descriptive information about an object or resource. For example, metadata for a Web page may include title, description, and language in the <head> section of the HTML.
natural language
Languages used by humans to communicate, including spoken, written, and signed languages.
non-normative
See informative.
normative
Criteria that must be satisfied in order to conform to a given standard, guideline, or specification. See also informative.
real-time events
[An event that is reported or recorded as it occurs. For example, real-time captions are typed as a person speaks, rather than prepared in advance.]
render
To transform computer-readable information into a form usable by humans. For example, a Web browser transforms HTML markup into a graphically-displayed Web page.
techniques
WAI Techniques documents provide explanations, strategies, and markup examples for implementing WAI guidelines. They are informative.
transcript
[Text describing video or audio. Transcripts are equivalent alternatives for people speaking and other important sounds. For videos, transcripts also describe important actions, body language, graphics, scenes, etc..]
[Remove reference to ‘equivalent alternative’. differentiate from captions]
transform gracefully
When a browser or media player changes the presentation of a document, the new presentation offers the same functionality as the original.
user agent
Software to access Web content, including Web browsers, media players, and assistive technologies.
Web accessibility
Web accessibility means that people with disabilities can use the Web. More specifically, Web accessibility means that people with disabilities can perceive, understand, navigate, and interact with the Web, and that they can contribute to the Web.