A- C

Table of contents

A

B

C

A

abbreviation

A shortened form of a word. Abbreviations on a web page should be marked with the <abbr></abbr> tag.

access keys

The key that matches the underlined letter on a menu which launches an action when pressed in conjunction with ALT or CTRL. Access keys can be assigned to specific links or functions of a web page to make a page more accessible.

accessibility

How easily users with a disability can use a website.

acronym

A word formed from the first letters of a group of words. E.g. SCUBA from Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus. Acronyms should be marked with the <acronym></acronym> tag.

activation

The way you cause something to start working or do something interactive on a web page. For example, clicking a link to go to another URL or clicking a button to submit a form.

alt text

Text placed in the code of an HTML page which replaces an image when the image does not or cannot load.

anchor

A marker for an on-page hyperlink.

ASCII

American Standard Code for Information Interchange. A code to represent letters, numbers and symbols as a way to send data within a computer file.

ASCII Art

An image created by the clever use of symbols on a page.

assistive technology

A piece of equipment or computer software which helps a person with a disability carry out a particular task.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

A cognitive disability characterised by hyperactivity, difficulty concentrating and impulsiveness.

audio description

A track of narrative designed for blind people which describes the visual imagery and action in a film, television program or multimedia presentation that runs at the same time as the normal audio track. The person listening will hear the pictures described alongside the dialogue.

automated testing

Testing of a website by a computer program.

B

background audio

Any sound in a multimedia presentation that is added for effect behind the main dialogue. Includes sound effects and music.

backwards compatibility

When documents, programs or websites will work in both older versions and newer versions of a specific piece of software. Also, in reverse, when new plug-ins, webpages or documents will work for people using older versions of a piece of software or an older computer.

bandwidth

The amount of information that can be sent over the internet between a website and a computer.

Bluetooth

A way to connect to the internet without wires. Bluetooth devices include PDAs and mobile phones.

browser

A program that lets you view web pages.

browser window

When you are looking at a web page, the browser window is the part of your screen where the web page shows.

C

captions

Written words added to a picture or film which describe what is being said and the important sound effects.

cerebral palsy

A phrase to describe a physical disability caused by problems at birth or when somebody is a baby. It can make it hard for people with the condition to control their speech or their movement.

checkbox

A square box which is part of a form that you tick if the label applies to you.

checkpoint

An Access Keys criterion which gives one accessibility requirement that a website should meet.

client side

Describes a feature of a web site that runs using a program or information from the user's browser. This can mean having the target URL located on the image map or something which requires a plug-in such as Flash or JavaScript in order to run.

Code of Practice

The specific rules designed to explain to businesses and websites how they should comply with the Disability Discrimination Act.

cognitive disability

Describes any condition which causes a person to have more trouble than the "average" person to do a mental, as opposed to physical, task. The difficulty can be anything from reading to recognizing objects to maths and more. People with cognitive disabilities will often have uncommon thought processes which mean they may approach tasks differently and may prefer information to be given in multiple ways.

colour blindness

A physical condition which keeps a person from being able to see certain colours. The most common form is red-green colour blindness but some people will have trouble seeing blues or yellows.

colour contrast

Refers to using colours as a background and as text which are different enough so that the text is easily seen against the background. For example, using black text on a white background or yellow text on black background.

compliance

The act of meeting the accessibility requirements given for websites by the WCAG.

Content Management System

A CMS organises the content of a website and enables someone who is not an expert in web design or HTML to easily create, edit or delete pages.

context

"The circumstances in which an event occurs; a setting." Taken from Dictionary.com.

controls (in relation to label)

Parts of a form including text boxes, checkboxes, radio buttons and dropdown boxes.

criterion

An established rule or standard by which something can be measured. In this case it involves a standard set by Access Keys used to gauge the accessibility of a given web page.

CSS

Cascading Style Sheets. A means of designing the presentation and controlling the layout of a web page. The designer can control fonts, sizes, colours and more. Using a single CSS which is called by every page on a web site can make it easy to create a uniform look throughout a site.