Glossary – Explanations of Digital Accessibility Terms

For better orientation, the terms are grouped thematically:

Screen Readers and Assistive Technologies

Screen Reader: Software that reads screen content aloud or outputs it in Braille. Examples: NVDA, JAWS, VoiceOver, TalkBack.

NVDA (NonVisual Desktop Access): A free open-source screen reader for Windows. Particularly widespread in private and non-commercial settings.

JAWS (Job Access With Speech): A widely used screen reader for Windows that provides audio output of screen content. Commonly used in corporate environments.

VoiceOver: Screen reader integrated into Apple devices for iOS, iPadOS, and macOS. Supports gesture navigation and Braille.

TalkBack: The standard screen reader on Android devices. Enables audio navigation through content via touch gestures.

Legal Foundations and Guidelines

BITV (Barrier-free Information Technology Ordinance): German regulation requiring public entities to design their digital offerings accessibly. Based on WCAG and in effect since 2019.

BFSG (Accessibility Strengthening Act): German law implementing the European Accessibility Act (EAA), obligating certain private companies to ensure accessibility from June 28, 2025.

EAA (European Accessibility Act): EU directive for standardizing accessibility requirements for certain products and services within the European Union.

WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines): International guidelines for creating accessible web content, divided into principles, guidelines, and success criteria at levels A, AA, and AAA.

Technology & Design

ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications): Specification for enriching HTML with semantic information about roles, states, and properties to make complex content accessible.

Alternative Text (alt attribute): Textual description of images or non-textual content that is read aloud by screen readers. Important for the perceptibility of visual information.

Accessible Name: The name of an element (e.g., a button) that is accessible to assistive technologies. It is derived from sources such as aria-label, alt, title, or visible text.

Custom Widget: Individually developed user interface elements that often require special ARIA markup and manual keyboard control to be accessible.

Default Widget: Standard form elements or interactive components in HTML (e.g., <button>, <input>) that are inherently accessible when used correctly.

Semantic HTML: HTML code that conveys meaning through its structure and elements (e.g., <nav>, <main>, <button>). Important for accessibility.

Focus Indicator: Visual highlighting of the element currently targeted via keyboard. Important for users navigating without a mouse.

Form Label: Label for an input field. For screen readers, the label must be correctly linked to its corresponding field (e.g., using the for attribute).

Contrast Ratio: Ratio between foreground and background colors. Minimum requirement for normal text according to WCAG: 4.5:1.

Tooltip: Brief informational text that appears, for example, on mouseover. Should be supplementary, not the sole explanation of an element.

Live Region: Area on a webpage whose content changes dynamically and is automatically announced by screen readers (e.g., with aria-live).

Tab Order: Sequence in which elements are targeted using the tab key. Should follow the visual and logical structure.

Usage and Usability

Accessibility: State in which digital content and services can be used without limitations by as many people as possible – regardless of abilities or technical aids.

Inclusive Design: Design approach that aims from the outset to achieve maximum usability for as many people as possible – without special adaptation or retrofitting.

Keyboard Trap: Situation where an element or area can no longer be exited using the keyboard – a critical error for keyboard users.

The contents of this glossary are continuously being expanded. A collaborative editorial process can be established for suggestions of new terms.

The other subpages are:

• FAQ – Questions from Practice
• Resources – Tools, Laws, Training & More