macOS Accessibility API

E215105

Apple technology accessibility API macOS framework software framework

The macOS Accessibility API is Apple’s system-level framework that enables assistive technologies like screen readers and alternative input devices to interact with and convey the user interface of macOS applications to users with disabilities.

Try in SPARQL Jump to: Surface forms Disambiguation Statements Elicitation Referenced by

All labels observed (4)

Label	Occurrences
NSAccessibility	3
Apple macOS accessibility documentation	1
macOS Accessibility	1
macOS Accessibility API canonical	1

How this entity was disambiguated

This entity first appeared as the object of triple T1935841 — resolving that mention is where its identity was fixed. The disambiguator weighed these candidate entities and picked the highlighted one (or “None”, minting a new entity). This is how homonymy is resolved: the same surface form can point to different entities.

NED1 Entity disambiguation (via context triple) gpt-5-mini-2025-08-07

Target entity: macOS Accessibility API
Context triple: [VoiceOver, accessibilityAPI, macOS Accessibility API]

A. macOS Cocoa
macOS Cocoa is Apple’s native object-oriented application framework for building graphical user interfaces on macOS.
B. macOS System Settings
macOS System Settings is the central configuration application on macOS where users manage system-wide preferences, features, and services.
C. VoiceOver
VoiceOver is a built-in macOS screen reader that provides spoken and braille descriptions of on-screen elements to make the system accessible to users who are blind or visually impaired.
D. macOS
macOS is Apple’s proprietary Unix-based operating system known for its graphical user interface, tight integration with Apple hardware and services, and strong emphasis on usability and security.
E. visionOS
visionOS is Apple’s mixed-reality operating system designed for spatial computing on Apple Vision Pro, integrating 3D interfaces, gesture and eye tracking, and immersive app experiences.
F. None of above. chosen
G. Unsure - the case is ambiguous/there is not enough information to decide.

NED2 Entity disambiguation (via description) gpt-5-mini-2025-08-07

Target entity: macOS Accessibility API
Target entity description: The macOS Accessibility API is Apple’s system-level framework that enables assistive technologies like screen readers and alternative input devices to interact with and convey the user interface of macOS applications to users with disabilities.

A. macOS Cocoa
macOS Cocoa is Apple’s native object-oriented application framework for building graphical user interfaces on macOS.
B. macOS System Settings
macOS System Settings is the central configuration application on macOS where users manage system-wide preferences, features, and services.
C. VoiceOver
VoiceOver is a built-in macOS screen reader that provides spoken and braille descriptions of on-screen elements to make the system accessible to users who are blind or visually impaired.
D. macOS
macOS is Apple’s proprietary Unix-based operating system known for its graphical user interface, tight integration with Apple hardware and services, and strong emphasis on usability and security.
E. visionOS
visionOS is Apple’s mixed-reality operating system designed for spatial computing on Apple Vision Pro, integrating 3D interfaces, gesture and eye tracking, and immersive app experiences.
F. None of above. chosen

Statements (49)

Predicate	Object
instanceOf	Apple technology ⓘ accessibility API ⓘ macOS framework ⓘ software framework ⓘ
accessibleVia	Objective-C APIs ⓘ Swift APIs ⓘ linked to: Swift
developer	Apple Inc. ⓘ
enables	exposure of help and description text ⓘ exposure of labels for controls ⓘ exposure of layout and grouping information ⓘ exposure of text content to assistive technologies ⓘ exposure of value and range for controls ⓘ focus tracking for assistive technologies ⓘ hit testing for accessible elements ⓘ invocation of accessibility actions ⓘ keyboard navigation support ⓘ programmatic access to UI elements ⓘ retrieval of accessibility attributes ⓘ
exposes	actions of UI elements ⓘ hierarchical structure of UI elements ⓘ properties of UI elements ⓘ roles of UI elements ⓘ states of UI elements ⓘ user interface elements ⓘ
goal	making macOS applications usable by people with disabilities ⓘ
integratedWith	AppKit ⓘ linked to: macOS Cocoa Cocoa ⓘ UIKit for Mac (Mac Catalyst) ⓘ linked to: UIKit
operatingSystem	macOS ⓘ
platform	macOS ⓘ
purpose	enabling assistive technologies to interact with macOS applications ⓘ providing accessibility information about user interface elements ⓘ supporting users with disabilities ⓘ
relatedConcept	accessibility tree ⓘ assistive technology interoperability ⓘ
relatedStandard	WAI-ARIA concepts ⓘ linked to: WAI-ARIA
requires	applications to expose semantic information about UI ⓘ applications to provide accessibility attributes ⓘ
supports	accessibility notifications ⓘ custom accessibility elements ⓘ dynamic updates to accessibility information ⓘ
supportsTechnology	alternative input devices ⓘ screen magnifiers ⓘ screen readers ⓘ switch control systems ⓘ voice control software ⓘ
usedBy	Switch Control ⓘ VoiceOver ⓘ third-party assistive technologies ⓘ

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (6)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

VoiceOver → accessibilityAPI → macOS Accessibility API ⓘ

Zoom (macOS accessibility feature) → partOf → macOS Accessibility ⓘ

subject linked to: Zoom