accessibility

n. The characteristic of being easily reached or used with a minimum of barriers. The ability to locate relevant information through the use of catalogs, indexes, finding aids, or other tools. The permission to locate and retrieve information for use (consultation or reference) within legally established restrictions of privacy, confidentiality, and security clearance; access2.

Notes

Accessibility1 carries the connotation of providing access to individuals with disabilities, especially under the terms of the Americans with Disabilities Act (Pub. L. 101-336, 42 USC 126). For example, closed captioning can make a television program accessible to individuals who have trouble understanding its sound. Other examples include providing at least one desk at a height appropriate for use by an individual in a wheelchair, and describing images on web pages with 'alternate text' so that visually impaired can understand the page. - Accessibility2, 3 is synonymous with access1, 2.