Session
Digital Divides & Inclusion
Affordable Access
Skills Building for Basic and Advanced Technologies (Meaningful Access)
Organizer 1: Theorose Elikplim Dzineku, 🔒
Organizer 2: Marjorie Mudi Gege, Emerge Africa
Organizer 3: Saba Tiku Beyene, 🔒
Organizer 4: James Amattey, Norenson IT
Speaker 1: Theorose Elikplim Dzineku, Civil Society, African Group
Speaker 2: Judith Hellerstein, Private Sector, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Speaker 3: Muhammad Kamran, Private Sector, Asia-Pacific Group
Speaker 4: Denise Leal, Private Sector, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)
Marjorie Mudi Gege, Civil Society, African Group
James Amattey, Technical Community, African Group
Saba Tiku Beyene, Intergovernmental Organization, African Group
Round Table - 60 Min
What policies can be implemented in your region to ensure that technology and digital services are designed and developed to be inclusive and accessible to people with disabilities? (Please specify your region when responding to this question). How can the digital divide between people with disabilities and those without disability be bridged, what strategies can be employed to ensure that technology is used to empower rather than marginalize people with disabilities? How can training and education programs be made more accessible and inclusive to meet the needs of people with disabilities?
What will participants gain from attending this session? Participants will take away knowledge on hoe to properly included and provide systems and technology that allows people with disabilities to equally participants in discussions.
Description:
Digital inclusion is the practice of ensuring that everyone has access to the digital technologies and tools needed to participate fully in society. Unfortunately, many people with disabilities face significant barriers to digital inclusion, which can prevent them from fully participating in work, education, and social activities. Overcoming these barriers requires a concerted effort by governments, businesses, and individuals to ensure that digital technologies are accessible to all. The first step in overcoming barriers to digital inclusion is to understand what those barriers are. There are many different types of disabilities, and each can present unique challenges when it comes to using digital technologies. For example People with physical disabilities may have difficulty using standard computer peripherals like keyboards and mice. They may also struggle to navigate websites that are not designed with accessibility in mind. People with visual impairments may struggle to read text on a screen or to see images and videos. They may also have difficulty navigating websites that rely heavily on visual cues. People with hearing impairments may have difficulty hearing audio content on websites or in digital applications. To overcome these barriers, there are several strategies that can be employed. One of the most important is to ensure that digital technologies are designed with accessibility in mind from the outset. This means that developers should take into account the needs of people with disabilities when designing websites, applications, and other digital tools. Another important strategy is to provide training and support for people with disabilities who are using digital technologies. This can include providing training on how to use specific tools and technologies, as well as offering technical support to help people troubleshoot any issues they encounter. Businesses and organisations can also offer assistive technologies. Governments can also promote digital inclusion for people with disabilities.
publication in any related journals. Follow-up processes and research for implementation.
Hybrid Format: 0-10 Introduce topic, give background and introduce speakers Onsite moderator explain how session will start - point out attendees can ask questions throughout the session through request floor option or online through the chat box. 11-25 Policy Question 1 Online moderator introduces question 1 and assigns it to speaker 1, and 2 The moderator will raise a maximum of two questions, one online and one onsite 25-35 Policy Question 2 Onsite moderator introduces question 2 and assigns it to speaker 3, 35-45 Policy Question 3 Online moderator introduces question 3 and assigns it to speaker 4, Online moderator asks the same question to speaker 5 moderator will raise a maximum of two questions, one online and one onsite 45- 55 Questions and Answers This is addressed by both moderators. This part can be used to address any parts which might be missed 55- 60 Conclusión Onsite moderator ends session
Report
the two key takeaways are as following: 1. Policies for and around people with disabilities should be develop and included regulation acts. 2. Collaborations between app developers and content creators should be fostered.
Call to actions are: 1. People will disabilities must be given the change to get involve in decision making on issues pertaining to them. 2. Provision should be made to cater for each disabilities since all of the disabilities are not the same.