Q: What exactly is meant by the term "accessibility?" How is it defined in a technology context?
A: "Accessible technology" is technology that can be used successfully by people with a wide range of abilities and disabilities. When technology is accessible, each user is able to interact with it in ways that work best for him or her. Accessible technology is either directly accessible, whereby it is usable without additional assistive technology (AT), or it is compatible with AT. For example, a mobile smartphone with a built-in screen reader is directly accessible, whereas a website that can be navigated effectively by people with visual impairments using a screen reader is AT-compatible.
Accessibility is all about the user interface; it gives the user a convenient, effective, and equitable way to control the technology and put it to good use. As such, accessibility often falls into the same category as usability, in that both seek to improve the user experience and effectiveness of the product. Usability covers the user experience broadly, while accessibility addresses the specific needs of users with disabilities. However, in terms of actual product features, they often overlap. For example, a feature like volume control benefits everyone, as does the ability to zoom the display on a small mobile device. This overlap is often referred to as “universal design,” which means the design of products to be used by the widest range of people possible.
From Frequently Asked Questions page of the Partnership on Employment & Accessible Technology (PEAT) site (http://www.peatworks.org/faq-page/108-0#t108n159)
The two words that are often used when talking about this topic:
ACCESSABILITY
“Barriers to accessibility can be physical, sensory, or cognitive. A barrier-free environment is one that can be accessed by people of all abilities, regardless of physical, sensory, or cognitive limitation. Accessibility encompasses architectural design, computer usage, communication devices, and Internet access. …” (From inclusioninthearts.org/projects/about-deal/glossary-of-preferred-terms/#Accessibility)
“…. Accessible Web pages take into account the special needs of visitors with auditory, visual, mobility, and cognitive impairments and give those users an equivalent browsing experience to that of non-disabled visitors.” (From www.netmechanic.com/accessibility/glossary.shtml)
“Accessible: In the case of a 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.” (From www.washington.edu/doit/glossary-disability-related-terms)
USABILITY
“A correlative to accessibility, usability is the principle that information or applications should not only be <possible> to access, but should also be easy to understand and use.” (From www.joedolson.com/glossary.php)
"Usability measures the quality of a user's experience when interacting with a product or system, whether a web site, a software application, mobile technology or any user-operated device." (From www.sjsu.edu/accessibility/ati/glossary/)
Usability: "Refers to design features that make a product user friendly. For instance, Web sites with usability problems could be hard to navigate, difficult for disabled people to use, or have unclear instructions for use." (From www.netmechanic.com/accessibility/glossary.shtml"
See the Universal Design page on this site.
Direct link = sites.google.com/site/helpdeskaccessibility/universal-design
Architects discovered Universal Design
Educators discovered Universal Design for Learning
...
Physical Access
Buildings
Access to technology (old equipment too)
Course materials ...
Access to Information
Language barriers
Web accessibility
Universal Design for Learning
Accessible materials ...
Legal Issues
See the Legal & Ethical Issues page on this site.
Direct link = sites.google.com/site/helpdeskaccessibility/legal-ethical
See the AT (Assistive/Adaptive Technology) page on this site for information about devices and modifications some individuals use to access technology.
Direct link = sites.google.com/site/helpdeskaccessibility/assistive-technology
How People with Disabilities Use the Web: Overview [W3C] https://www.w3.org/WAI/intro/people-use-web/Overview
Videos of How People with Disabilities Use ITChttp://uiaccess.com/accessucd/resources_videos.html
Diversity in Web Use http://www.w3.org/WAI/intro/people-use-web/browsing
Accessibility Principles: How People with Disabilities Use the Web http://www.w3.org/WAI/intro/people-use-web/principles
How Students Gain Access to the Web https://www.sbcc.edu/accessibilitystandards/assistivetechnology.php
Web Accessibility and Older People: Meeting the Needs of Ageing Web Users http://www.w3.org/WAI/older-users/Overview.php
See Glossaries and Dictionaries page in the Resources & Quick Links area of this site.
Direct Link = sites.google.com/site/helpdeskaccessibility/resources#TOC-Glossaries-Dictionaries-
New links that I find but have not yet looked at closely enough to add to my lists.