Accessibility
6 terms
Curb-cut Effect
When designs created for disabled people benefit everyone—named after wheelchair ramps that activists literally hammered into curbs in the 1970s, now used by people with strollers, luggage, bikes, and delivery carts. Proves that disability drives innovation and "special accommodations" often become universal necessities.
Hyperacusis
Heightened sensitivity to everyday sounds where normal environmental noises are perceived as uncomfortably or painfully loud - a sensory processing difference common in autism, ADHD, and other neurodivergent experiences that significantly impacts daily life and accessibility needs.
Hypersensitivity
Heightened neurological responsiveness to sensory input where stimuli that others find tolerable or unnoticeable can be overwhelming, painful, or distressing - a fundamental sensory processing difference affecting how neurodivergent people experience and navigate the world.
Non-verbal Communication
Communication that occurs without spoken words, including gestures, facial expressions, body language, written text, visual symbols, sign language, and alternative communication methods.
Universal Design
Design principles that create products, environments, and systems usable by the widest possible range of people without requiring specialized adaptations. Not "special accommodations"—building accessibility into the foundation so everyone benefits from design that works better for all.
Visual Schedules
Structured visual representations of daily activities, tasks, or routines using pictures, symbols, or text to support planning, transitions, and time management.