National Teaching and Learning Change ProgrammeInformation and Communication Technology:
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• abort
  Stopping the execution of a program or system before it has completed. The run may be aborted by the program itself, the operating system or a user. For example, an error such as a missing file may cause a program to be aborted.
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• absolute address
  Each piece of data or program instruction is stored separately in the computer's memory and it is located by its address. The address is the number for the position of a word of storage in the main memory. This number is used by a program as the identification of a particular memory location, which may contain a data item or the next instruction, when a machine-code program is branching. If the address is the real address used by the internal electronics of the computer, it is known as the absolute address.
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• absolute reference
  An absolute reference can be used when replicating (copying) a formula from one cell to another in a spreadsheet. As a formula usually involves references to cells this means you should be aware of whether you want to keep the exact same reference to the cell (an absolute reference) or whether you want the reference to adjust itself according to either the row or column movement (a relative reference).
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• accept (a mailing list posting)
  When a posting is accepted by a moderator, it is made available to the members of the mailing list or bulletin board.
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• acceptable use policy (AUP)
  A document that tells computer users the rules (legal or decided by the organisation) on using their computer system, email, internet, etc.
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• access rights
  Control the extent to which a particular user can use or edit a program or data file. Each user is assigned access rights that determine whether the user:
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• accessibility
  Ensuring that hardware, software and resources are usable by everyone, including disabled people.
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• accessibility options
  Features available in browsers and other programs, these are options available to enhance accessibility, for example, an option to change the font size.
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• Active Server Page (ASP)
  An Active Server Page is an HTML page that includes one or more scripts (small embedded programs) that are processed on a Microsoft web server before the page is sent to the user.
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• active window
  A window is a temporary area opened on the screen showing a particular program. Only one window can be active at any one time, which means that a user can only interact with the program displayed in the active window. The programs in other windows are, however, still running.
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• actual parameter
  When a function or procedure is used, the calling program must pass parameters to it. The formal parameter links the data in the calling program to its use in the function or procedure. The data item supplied, known as an actual parameter or argument, is passed to the local variable.
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• address
  The email address is the one used to send and receive email. The email address contains a username, the @ symbol, and the domain name (e.g. [email protected]).
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• address
  On the internet, a website URL is commonly known as the address, e.g. http://www.bbc.co.uk is the address of the BBC website.
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• address book
  A file which holds a list of email addresses.
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• admin site
  A part of a website which has restricted access which is only available to people who manage the site or edit content on it. 'Admin' is short for 'administration'.
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• advanced search
  A search routine, for example within an internet search engine, which optionally allows a more complex search than the default, such as making a search case sensitive.
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• agent
  A software tool which will search the web according to a user
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• algebraic notation
  The way mathematical and logical processes are described when writing a computer program.
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• algorithm
  An algorithm is the sequence of steps needed to perform a particular task.
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• alignment
  This is the positioning of text or images. Alignment can be to the left, right, centred or fully justified.