BITV 2.0 (Germany)
Germany's Barrier-Free Information Technology Ordinance, which sets the technical accessibility requirements for public-sector websites and apps, aligned with EN 301 549 and WCAG 2.1 AA.
Read moreGlossary Terms
Braille Display
A braille display (or refreshable braille display) is a hardware device with mechanical pins that raise and lower to form braille characters, letting blind users read screen reader output by touch instead of, or alongside, listening to speech.
Read moreBrowse Mode vs. Focus Mode
The two operating modes screen readers use on the web: browse mode for reading and navigating static content, and focus mode for typing into and interacting with form controls and widgets.
Read moreCalifornia Government Code 11135
A California state law prohibiting disability discrimination in any program or activity funded or conducted by the state, applied by state agencies to require accessible websites.
Read moreChange on Request
A WCAG success criterion (3.2.5, Level AAA) requiring that changes of context, like a new window opening or focus jumping elsewhere, happen only when the user initiates them, never automatically.
Read moreClosed Captions
Closed captions are synchronized on-screen text for a video's spoken dialogue and important sounds, letting deaf and hard-of-hearing users, and anyone watching without sound, follow along.
Read moreCognitive Disability
Cognitive disability is a broad category covering differences in memory, attention, problem-solving, language processing, or reading, affecting how someone understands and completes tasks online.
Read moreColor Contrast Analyzer
A free desktop tool from TPGi that measures the contrast ratio between two colors and reports whether the combination passes WCAG AA or AAA thresholds.
Read moreColor Contrast Ratio
Color contrast ratio is a mathematical measure of the difference in brightness between text and its background, expressed as a ratio like 4.5:1, used to ensure text stays readable for people with low vision or color vision deficiencies.
Read moreColor Vision Deficiency (Color Blindness)
Color vision deficiency, commonly called color blindness, is a reduced ability to distinguish between certain colors, most often red and green, affecting a significant share of men in particular.
Read moreCombobox Pattern
The WAI-ARIA design pattern for an editable text input paired with a list of filtered suggestions, such as an autocomplete search field or a searchable select menu.
Read moreConformance Level (A, AA, AAA)
WCAG conformance levels (A, AA, and AAA) rank how strictly a site meets the guidelines, with A as the minimum, AA as the standard most laws and organizations target, and AAA as the highest, most demanding level.
Read moreConsistent Help
A WCAG 2.2 success criterion (3.2.6, Level A) requiring that help mechanisms, like a contact link, chat widget, or FAQ link, appear in the same relative order on every page where they exist.
Read moreConsistent Identification
A WCAG success criterion (3.2.4, Level AA) requiring that components with the same function be identified consistently across a site, using the same label, icon, or name.
Read moreConsistent Navigation
A WCAG success criterion (3.2.3, Level AA) requiring that navigation mechanisms repeated across multiple pages appear in the same relative order each time.
Read moreContent on Hover or Focus
A WCAG 2.1 success criterion (1.4.13, Level AA) governing tooltips and other content that appears on mouse hover or keyboard focus, requiring it to be dismissible, hoverable, and persistent.
Read moreContinuous Accessibility
An operating model where accessibility is maintained as an ongoing, continuous practice through monitoring, testing, and process integration, rather than a one-time audit and fix project.
Read moreContinuous Integration Accessibility Testing
Running automated accessibility scans as part of an automated build and deployment pipeline, so new code is checked for regressions before it reaches production.
Read moreCPACC (Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies)
An IAAP certification covering the foundational, cross-disciplinary knowledge of disability, accessible design, and relevant laws and standards, without requiring deep technical coding expertise.
Read moreCPWA (Certified Professional in Web Accessibility)
An IAAP credential awarded to professionals who hold both the CPACC and WAS certifications, recognizing combined foundational and technical web accessibility expertise.
Read moreCVAA (21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act, US)
A 2010 US law requiring modern communications technology, including smartphones, video players, and online video with captions from TV, to be accessible to people with disabilities.
Read moreDDA (Disability Discrimination Act, Australia)
The Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA) is Australia's federal law prohibiting disability discrimination, and it's the primary legal basis for web accessibility obligations for both government and business websites.
Read moreDeaf and Hard of Hearing
Deaf and hard of hearing describes a spectrum of hearing loss, from partial to total, and the primary digital accessibility need for this group is text or visual alternatives to audio content.
Read more