Accessibility Terms and Definitions

Accessibility Terminology

• Access aisle: A clear, level area parallel to a parking space for people with mobility disabilities to get in and out of a car or van.
• Accessible: Means that people regardless of age, size, ability, or disability, are able to both access and use a building and its facilities.
• Accessible route (path of travel): A pedestrian path of travel within the interior or exterior environment that is without barriers and usable by all persons, including those with physical, sensory, or cognitive disabilities.

Adaptable and Amenities

• Adaptable: Easily renovated to create a barrier-free environment. Adaptable units are designed and constructed to facilitate future modification to provide access for persons with disabilities.
• Adaptable seating: A fixed seat or seats designed to facilitate a side transfer from a wheeled mobility device.
• Amenity: Anything that adds to a person's comfort or convenience.
• Amenity zone: A designated area, adjacent or connected to an accessible route, that provides amenities and services, such as street furniture, mailboxes, telephones, and utilities like light posts, hydrants, etc.

Barriers and Disability

• Barrier: A condition that prevents someone's full participation in the activities of daily living.
• Barrier: Attitudinal: An assumption or perception about a disability, held by oneself or others, that may limit or prevent someone's full participation in their communities.
• Barrier: Awareness: A lack of understanding of the extent of social, health, and economic impacts of disability and of motivation to care and take action.
• Barrier: Education: A lack of appropriate access to educational experiences and/or training and skills development.
• Barrier: Employment: A lack of access to meaningful, relevant, and economically self-sustaining work.
• Barrier: Health: A lack of cures and care that contribute to an individual's state of well-being in body and/or mind.
• Barrier: Physical: A feature of a site, structure, technology, system, space, or environment that may prevent or limit someone's ability to fully participate in that designed environment.
• Disability: A broad term that describes a physical condition that may require consideration to ensure full participation in the activities of daily living and community involvement.

Building and Design

• Building: A permanent or temporary structure of any size that accommodates facilities to which people have access.
• Building user: A person, regardless of age, size, ability, or disability, using facilities in a site or associated external environment.
• Cane-detectable: Any object or change in surface texture that falls within the detection range of a long white cane.
• Colour contrast: A significant contrast in colour between the foreground and the background of an element, such as light on dark background or dark on a light background.
• Crosswalk: That portion of a pedestrian crossing that is within the vehicular right-of-way.
• Curb ramp: A sloped surface built into a curb.

Illumination and Signage

• Illumination: The intensity of light, as measured in lux (symbol: lx).
• Signage: Information provided in the form of visual and tactile communication that incorporates alphanumeric symbols, pictograms, illustrations, or Braille.

Pedestrian and Public Right-of-Way

• Passenger pick-up area: An area where pedestrians board and disembark road vehicles.
• Pedestrian crossing: The combination of crosswalk segments, curb ramps, or blended transitions, medians, and refuge islands that connect departure and arrival walkways across a vehicular right-of-way.
• Pedestrian right-of-way: That portion of the public right-of-way that is dedicated to the unrestricted movement of persons.
• Pedestrian route: A continuous and unobstructed path of travel within a pedestrian circulation area that provides accessibility.
• Public right-of-way: Private property or public land, usually in interconnected corridors, that is acquired for or devoted to pedestrian and vehicular purposes.

Ramps and Stairs

• Ramp: A sloping walkway leading from one level to another, which has a running slope with a ratio steeper than or equal to 1:20 (5%).
• Roll-in shower: To be used while staying in a wheelchair, standing or sitting (by adding a seat to the shower stall).
• Stair nosing: An edge part of the tread that protrudes over the riser beneath.
• Stair riser: The vertical portion between each tread of the stair.
• Stair tread: The part of the stairway that is stepped on.

Universal Design and Wayfinding

• Universal Design: The design of products and environments to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design.
• Wayfinding: A spatial problem-solving process based upon consistent use and organization of definite sensory cues in the environment that individuals use to understand where they are, know where their desired location is, and know how to get to that destination from their present location.