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n. ~ 1. The characteristic of being easily reached or used with a minimum of barriers. - 2. The ability to locate relevant information through the use of catalogs, indexes, finding aids, or other tools. - 3. The permission to locate and retrieve information for use (consultation or reference) within legally established restrictions of privacy, confidentiality, and security clearance; access2.
Accessibility1 carries the connotation of providing access to individuals with disabilities that prevent normal use, 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.