the ict opportunity for a disability-inclusive development framework

8/14/2019 The ICT Opportunity for a Disability-Inclusive Development Framework

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THE ICT OPPORTUNITY

FOR ADISABILITY-INCLUSIVE

DEVELOPMENTFRAMEWORK


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DISCLAIMER

The information contained in this publica-

tion was provided by authors of and contrib-

utors to the case study, and does not neces-

sarily represent views of the Broadband

Commission for Digital Development, G3ict,

IDA, ITU, Microsoft, the Telecentre.orgFoundation or UNESCO, their membership

and/or staff.

All rights are reserved. No part of this publi-cation may be reproduced, by any means whatsoever, without a prior written author-ization of the previously mentioned organ-izations. Denominations and classifica-tions used in this publication do not implyany opinion concerning the legal or otherstatus of any territory or any endorsement

or acceptance of any boundary. Where thedesignation country appears in this publi-cation, it covers countries and territories.


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vi

THE ICT OPPORTUNITY FOR DISABILITY-INCLUSIVEDEVELOPMENT: WHY NOW?

The High-Level Meeting on Disability andDevelopment of the sixty-eighth session of theUnited Nations General Assembly will be a keymilestone in securing the role of persons withdisabilities in the process that will define thepost-2015 development agenda. This opportu-nity cannot be missed. With one billion personsliving with disabilities, 80% of those in develop-ing nations, a sound global development agendacannot ignore disabilities, a key driver of exclu-sion and poverty.

Fortunately, the remarkable rate of adoption byMember States of the United Nations Conven-tion on the Rights of Persons with Disabilitiessince 2007 demonstrates a strong universalsupport for a disability-inclusive agenda amongMember States. In effect, the Convention isnot only a Human Rights treaty, the first ofthis millennium, but also a blueprint for sounddevelopment policies and programs to ensure

the full participation of person with disabilitiesin all aspects of society. The dispositions of the

Convention must be implemented and the post-2015 development agenda should reect its guide-lines on accessibility to ensure the social andeconomic inclusion of this important group ofthe global population.

Among those accessibil ity issues, removingbarriers to accessing Information and Commu-nication Technologies (ICTs) by persons withdisabilities is of paramount importance. Intodays world, with the ubiquitous impact of ICTsacross all sectors of activities in all countries,no one should be excluded from using mobilephones, the Internet, televisions, computers,electronic kiosks and their myriad of applica-tions and services including in education, polit-ical life, and cultural activities or for e-govern-ment or e-health to cite a few examples. Beingexcluded from these ICT-enabled applicationsimplies being shut down not only from the infor-mation society, but also from accessing essential

public services, as well as from the opportunityof living an independent life.

FOREWORD


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In this context we can say without any hesita-tion that ensuring accessible ICTs for persons with disabilities and expanding access to thesetechnologies, as well as to assistive technologies,should become a key element of global, regionaland national strategies to remove the remain-ing barriers faced by persons with disabilities.In other words, ICT must be an integral part of a

disability-inclusive development agenda.

This is the main message that results fromthe ICT sector consultation in support of theHigh-Level Meeting, a joint initiative of theBroadband Commission, G3ict, IDA, ITU,Microsoft, the Telecentre.org Foundationand UNESCO. The consultation, which has

mobilized relevant expert views from around

the world, has identied the key priorities thatshould be taken into account in the comingyears to maximize the contribution of ICTsto enable the social and economic inclusion ofpersons with disabilities. I invite all relevantstakeholders to go through these ndings andto be involved in the implementation of therecommendations proposed as a way forward in

this report.

We cannot miss the opportunity to use al lavailable tools including ICTs to build aninclusive society for persons with disabilities.By working together across all sectors of society public, private and civil society we can nallyensure the inclusion of one billion persons with

disabilities in the digital age.

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By H.E. Ambassador Luis Gallegos

Ambassador Luis Gallegos is the Permanent Representat ive of Ecuador to the United Nations Office at Geneva. He was unanimously elected by his peers to serve as Vice Presidentand Rapporteur of the United Nations Human Rights Council for 2013. He is Chairman ofthe Global UN Partnership for Inclusive Information and Communication Technologies andmember of the International Board of Directors of the Special Olympics. From 2002 to 2005,he served as the Chairperson of the United Nations Ad Hoc Committee on the Comprehen-sive and Integral International Convention on Protection and Promotion of the Rights and Dignity of Persons with Disabilities. The Congress of Ecuador has honored him twice for his

work in human rights and for his leadership in the promotion and protection of human rightsof persons with disabilities. Ambassador Gallegos has received numerous honorary decora-tions and awards, among which is the Justice for All Disabilities Rights Award.


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viii

More than a billion people live with some formof disability, and 80% of them live in developingcountries. Disability is both a cause and a conse-quence of poverty: poor people are more likelyto become disabled, and people with disabili-ties are among the poorest and most vulnerablegroups of the global population.

Regrettably, disability was not included in theMillennium Development Goals (MDGs) or intheir operationalizing targets and indicators. Asa result, disability has largely been invisible intheir implementation, and is rarely included innational policies, programmes, or in monitor-ing and evaluation efforts related to the MDGs,.This has perpetuated a situation in which envi-ronmental barriers are still preventing persons with disabilities from accessing, participatingand being fully-included in social, economicand political activities.

The Convention on the Rights of Persons withDisabilities, which entered into force in 2008,constitutes a commitment of the international

community to the inclusion of the disabilityperspective and persons with disabilities in all

aspects of development. Furthermore, the UNGeneral Assembly has undertaken to addressthis issue, and, during its sixty-eighth session, will be discussing the inclusion and integra-tion of the rights, well-being and perspective ofpersons with disabilities in post-2015 develop-ment efforts at the national, regional and inter-

national levels.

To contribute to efforts leading to the formu-lation of a post-2015 development agenda, theBroadband Commission for Digital Develop-ment, the Global Initiative for Inclusive Infor-mation and Communication Technologies(G3ict), the International Disability Alliance

(IDA), the International TelecommunicationUnion (ITU), Microsoft, the Telecentre.orgFoundation and the United Nations Educational,Scientic and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)have jointly produced this ICT Opportunity fora Disability-Inclusive Development Framework .This multi-stakeholder partnership adopted aparticipatory approach and carried out a global

consultation to collect over 150 expert inputsfrom 55 countries across the world.

PREFACE


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The ICT Opportunity for a Disability-Inclu-

sive Development Framework contributes toa better understanding of the extent to whichinformation and communication technolo-gies (ICTs) enable and accelerate the socialand economic inclusion of persons with disa-bilities. It highlights that when ICTs are

available, affordable and accessible, theysignificantly improve access to all aspects ofsociety and development. It also lists challengesthat are still to be addressed while outlin-ing concrete actions to be undertaken by eachgroup of stake holders - including nationalgovernments, the private sector, and civil andinternational organizations - and relevant

indicators to monitor progress towards theachievement of a disability-inclusive develop-ment agenda.

Our vision is of inclusive development and asociety in which persons with disabilities, asboth agents and beneficiaries of develop-

ment efforts, can maximize the use of ICTsto fully access healthcare serv ices, benefit atall educational levels, be competitive in thelabour market, participate in public life andlive independently. We invite you to maximizeyour use of the evidence in this report and welook forward to working together towards theachievement of this vision.

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Dr Hamadoun I. TourSecretary-GeneralITU

Irina BokovaDirector-GeneralUNESCO

Axel Leblois President & ExecutiveDirectorG3ict

Yannis VardakastanisChair

International Disability Alliance

David Tennenhouse Corporate Vice President,Technology PolicyMicrosoft

Miguel RaimillaExecutive Director

Telecentre.org Foundation


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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This report has been prepared by the Broadband Commission for Digital Development,G3ict, IDA, ITU, Microsoft, the Telecentre.org Foundation or UNESCO [*]. The content isbased on the information gathered during the ICT consultation in support of the HLMDD.

[*] The team involved in the preparation of the report study included the following expertsand staff from the partners of the consultation (listed alphabetically by organization):

G3ict Axel Leblois.

IDA Kevin Carey (World Blind Union), Rodolfo Cattani (EuropeanDisability Forum), Latoa Halatau (Pacic Disability Forum), Shilpi

Kapoor and Priti Rohra (Disabled Peoples International) and Ellen Walker (IDA Secretariat).

ITU Denis Andreev, Simao Campos, Jose Maria Diaz Batanero, SimonDe Nicola, Gary Fowlie, Alexandra Gaspari, Amal Kharbichi, JunkoKoizumi, Tomas Lamanauskas, Malcolm Johnson, Raquel Mendes, Ahone Njume-Ebong, Gatan Noverraz, Rachel Powers, SusanSchorr, Roxana Widmer-Iliescu, Houlin Zhao and Phillippa Biggs.

Microsoft Paul Mitchell and James Thurston.

Telecentre.orgFoundation

Maria Josena Echeverria, Nabil Eid, Laia Faur, Vida Gabe, MariaLiliana Mor and Miguel Raimilla.

UNESCO Irmgarda Kasinskaite-Buddeberg, Suzanne Bilello, Andrea Cairola,Florence Migeon, Mariana Kitsiona, George Award and ZinebMekouar.

Sincere thanks are expressed to all the organizations (see Annex I) that submitted their views to the consultation for their written inputs to the consultation.

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CONTENT

Foreword vi

Preface viii Acknowledgements xi

1. Introduction 2

2. The ICT opportunity for persons with disabilities Websites: critical facilitators for accessing social and economic activitiesMobile device and services: vital enablers for independent livingRadio and TV set and services: continuously contributing to social inclusionBest practices

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111214

3. Understanding the challenges Pervasive barriersBarriers related to specic areas of development Additional challenges to be considered

18182230

4. The way forward The role of governmentsThe United Nations system and other international organizations

The role of private sectorThe role of civil society and organizations of persons with disabilities

343640

4446

5. A proposal of indicators for measuring progress 48

Endnotes 52

Annex 1: List of organizations involved 56

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1.

INTRODUCTION

Including persons with disabilities in all aspectsof society is one of the remaining challenges ofthe global development agenda. The widespreadadoption of the United Nations Convention i

on the Rights of the Persons with Disabilities(UNCRPD) in 2006 heralded a major stepforward in advancing the inclusion of persons with disabilities, turning their socio-economicexclusion into a human rights issue. TheUNCRPD places significant obligations on allstate officials responsible for equal access toeducation and employment opportunities. With155 signatories ii and 130 ratifications iii tothe UNCRPD, the Convention is on its way tobecoming a truly universal framework forpolicy, legislation and regulation champi-oning the rights of persons with disabilities.

As this process continues, al l stakeholdersare focusing their attention on advancing its

implementation, putting special emphasis onincluding specic references, actions and goalsaimed at further integrating persons with disa-bilities into the new international developmentagenda. This new framework will come intoforce after 2015, the deadline established for theachievement of the Millennium DevelopmentGoals (MDGs).

In this context, the use of Information andCommunication Technologies (ICTs) allowthe removal of many of the remaining barriersfaced by persons with disabilities. With ICTsincreasingly integrated into every aspect of themodern world, these ubiquitous technologieshave become a positive force of transformationand a crucial element of any personal develop-

ment/empowerment and institutional framework for inclusive development. ICTs are


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already providing access to key public services, with widespread implications for social progressand economic growth aimed at eradicatingpoverty and promoting inclusive societies andsustainable development. Accessible ICTs havethe potential to provide persons with disabil-ities unprecedented levels of access to educa-tion, skills training and employment, as well asthe opportunity to participate in the economic,cultural and social life of their communities iv . As of April 2013 and considering that 15 per centof the worlds population, one billion people, hasa disability that affects their access to moderncommunications, there is a dire need to improvethe access to ICTs for persons with disabilities(ITU v and G3ict, 2012) vi .

This report is the result of an extensive expertconsultation organized and conducted from 20May to 17 June 2013. The consultation gatheredover 150 expert inputs from relevant organiza-tions (see Annex I) and key individuals repre-senting multiple categories of stakeholders,including governments, academic institutions,organizations of persons with disabilities,civil society organizations, the private sectorand regional and international organizations.Furthermore, these inputs stemmed from over55 countries on the 6 major continents, encom-passing diverse areas of development. More infor-mation about the consultation is available at: www.itu.int/accessibility

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This report aims to complement previous

work on the use of ICT as an enabler of the

economic, social and political inclusion of

persons with disabilities by further study-

ing the specific contribution that ICTs can

bring to achieve a disability-inclusive devel-

opment agenda, challenges to be overcome

and actions to be undertaken. It synthesizes a

descriptive data analysis conducted following

the collection of survey responses vii and inter-

views of prominent experts in the elds of ICT,

disability and development. It also includes

comments and suggestions received from the

peer-review process carried out from 26 Julyto 21 August 2013.

Based on the synthesis of the expert views gath-ered throughout the consultation, Section 2presents the extent to which ICTs are enablersof social progress and economic growth along with noteworthy best practices in this field.Section 3 analyses the barriers that affect devel-opment efforts in the areas of health, education,employment, independent living, governmentservices and participation in political and publiclife. Section 4 presents a proposed roadmapto move the ICT accessibility agenda forwardcompiling a set of priority actions to be under-taken by each category of stakeholders. Finally,section 5 lists a set of indicators for measuring

progress towards a disability-inclusive economicand social development.

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THE ICTOPPORTUNITYFOR PERSONS

WITHDISABILITIES

While there are several definitions vii i of ICT,all acknowledge that ICT is an umbrella term which includes any information and communi-cation device or application and its content. Sucha denition encompasses a wide range of accesstechnologies, such as radio, television, satellites,mobile phones, xed lines, computers, networkhardware and software. The importance ofICTs lies in their ability to open up a wide rangeof services, transform existing services andcreate greater demand for access to informa-tion and knowledge, particularly in underserved

and excluded populations, such as persons with disabilities.

The ICT opportunity for persons with disabil-ities can be better assessed by analysing howeach type of access technology contributes tothe different dimensions involved in the socialand economic inclusion of persons with disabil-ities. Following this approach, gure 1 presentsa synthesis of the expert views gathered in theICT consultation ix.

Overall, web services (and the devices used toaccess them) constitute the access technol-ogy with the greatest impact in promoting the

inclusion of persons with disabilities, based onthe survey data. This contribution is closely

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followed by mobile phones, which, despite being one of the newer technologies from the ICTsassessed, constitute the second-most valuedICT with regards to its contribution for persons with disabilities. In particular, the use of mobilephones is instrumental in allowing the inde-pendent living of persons with disabilities. Tele-

vision sets and services are the third-rankedICT in the assessment, specifically for their

use as a tool to access government servicesand information.

The following section presents best practicesin the use of each of these technologies topromote the economic and social inclusionof persons with disabilities. These best prac-

tices were highlighted by the experts engagedthroughout the consultation process.

4.0-5.0 :To a large extent3.0-3.9 :To a moderate extent2.0-2.9 : To some extent1.0-1.9 : To little extent0.0-0.9 : Not at all Websites

Mobiledevice &services

TraditionalTV set& services

TraditionalRadio

Other & emergingtechnologies

ICTs mostimpactfulwhere?

Healthcare 3.3 3.1 2.9 2.5 2.7 2.9Primary education 3.0 2.6 2.8 2.3 2.9 2.7

Secondary education 3.4 3.0 2.7 2.3 2.8 2.8

Tertiary, professional,lifelong education

3.7 3.4 2.9 2.4 2.8 3.0

Employment 3.7 3.3 2.5 2.2 2.7 2.8

Independent living 3.4 4.6 2.8 2.4 2.8 3.2

Government services 3.5 3.0 3.0 2.3 2.6 2.8

Participation in political& public life

3.3 3.1 2.7 2.5 2.6 2.8

Overall average 3.4 3.2 2.7 2.3 2.7

Source: Authors, based on the results of the ICT consultation

Figure 1 : Expert assessment of the contribution of ICTs to improving persons withdisabilities access to social and economic activities

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WEBSITES: critical facilitators for access-ing social and economic activities

The advent of the Internet has heralded a newage not only of information sharing in general,but of the proliferation of web-based servicesthat serve disabled and non-disabled commu-nities alike. Through the Internet, users canremotely participate in a range of activities suchas tertiary, professional, lifelong education,employment, economic, government servicesand consumer activities. Opportunities forsocial participation also include social network-

ing, news access, online interest groups, video,

audio and text communication, cloud-basedsharing and media interaction. For persons withdisabilities, these services and content are madefurther accessible through both computer-basedand web-based accessibility applications suchas screen readers, speech recognition, videocommunication (for sign language communica-tion and video relay interpretation), voice to textservices (open and closed captioning, both real-time and embedded) and visual assistance.

In addition, the move to cloud computing and the

benefits gained from its processing capability

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http://


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for performing complex operations will likelyresult in substantial improvements in the qualityand availability of accessible ICTs. However, itshould be noted that access to the cloud via theInternet is a prerequisite for these technologiesto become available and mainstream.

Websites can provide visual, audio and textoutput on demand and offer multimedia inputopportunities to users, making traditionaluni-functional radio and schedule-driventraditional TV broadcasting technologies

increasingly irrelevant. For persons with disa-bilities, multi-functional online environments

help streamline services and move the statusquo away from dependence on single-func-tion, cost-prohibitive and often non-accessibledevices. In fact, websites and web applicationshave a greater impact in improving persons withdisabilities access to socio-cultural, educationaland economic activities than any other ICT with the exception of mobile phones impact onindependent living. It is important to recognizethat accessibility of websites is enabled by thecombination of accessibility technologies inthe PCs and devices used to access them as well

as the accessible design and planning that goesinto the development of websites themselves.

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The Internet has acted as a platform for collaboration forall types of organisations. It has allowed for all citizens,including people with disabilities, to engage more actively

in political and social life. The Internet in itself could beconsidered an assistive technology, allowing voices to beheard that traditionally could not be.

Anriette Esterhuysen, Executive Director, Association for ProgressiveCommunications (APC)


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FIGURE 2 : ACCESS TO ICTs HAS BEEN VITAL FOR ME TOACHIEVE FULL PARTICIPATION IN ALL ASPECTS OF LIFEAND SOCIETY.

Without access to ICTs, which include assistive technologies or specially-developed ICTs,people with disabilities are disenfranchised and are denied equal access to education, culture,and everyday services. This ends up restricting their job opportunities and their possibility forindependent living. As a blind person myself, using ICTs is what enabled me to nish my schooland university education and complete my academic training, masters degree and internships.

Access to ICTs has been vital for me to achieve full participation in all aspects of life and society,and will continue to be so for the rest of my life. I frequently use the Internet and digital librar-ies, and can access information about basic things for independent daily living, such as public

health information. ICTs have enabled me to access books for pleasure and for education, and Ibenet from audio-description to enjoy culture through cinema, museums and documentaries.

ICTs help me use my bank account through ATMs, nd my way around cities on my own guidedby maps and GPS, accessing crucial information such as public transport routes and timetables.Through ICTs I benet from e-government services and regularly make electronic payments.ICTs also make it possible for me to communicate on an equal basis with others.

If you cannot access education, you cannot get access to the labour market and you cannotachieve independent living. Although my academic background provided me with the knowl-edge and skills necessary for exciting career possibilities that would not have been possible without proper access to ICTs either through universal design or through assistive technology.Therefore, ICTs are the key that opens the door to full participation for people with disabilities.

Luca Ramn Torres is a Mexican lawyer. She works as an advisor for the Permanent Mission of Mexico to theUN and other International Organizations in Geneva


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MOBILE DEVICES AND SERVICES: vitalenablers for independent living

More than any other ICTs in use today, mobiledevices and services have by far the greatestimpact on independent living for persons withdisabilities. At the basic level, feature phonesprovide a means of on-demand communicationfor the user through both SMS and voice calls.This in itself can enable independent livingby ensuring that emergency services, familymembers, personal aides, assistive and everydayservices are just a call or text away.

At a more sophist icated level, smartphonesaddress the unique sensory, physical and

cognitive needs of customers with disabilities.

A variety of smartphones are rated for hearing

aid compatibility. Customers can enjoy open or

closed-captioned multimedia content and use

face-to-face video chat applications or dedicated

video relay services to communicate via signlanguage. They are also able to access content

non-visually through screen reading applica-

tions, customize alert settings to use a combi-

nation of audible, visual and vibration alerts and

take advantage of voice-commands, adjustable

font sizes, predictive text and a range of other

innovative features, accessories, and third-

party applications.

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Furthermore, mobile devices are designedto be portable and are easily worn or carriedby a user, unlike a laptop computer or televi-sion set. For persons with disabilities, havinga mobile device increases independent livingnot only because of the wide range of servicesthat can be accessed, but also because thistype of device allows access to those services(including emergency services) immedi-ately at the time of need and from anywherein the network.

Device and software cost is a huge consider-ation when it comes to access to ICTs. Whilecomplex, function-specific devices may becost-prohibitive for many persons with disa-

bilities, operator-subsidized smartphonesand tablets offer high-quality, portable,

easily-customizable systems for a fraction ofthe cost of a new computer. Increasingly, thesedevices are appearing on the market with acces-sibility systems built-in. The prevalence of freeapplications on the most popular apps marketsalso enable low- to no-cost software options forassistive and other services.

RADIO AND TV SET AND SERVICES: con-tinuously contributing to social inclusion

Because both websites and mobile deviceshave experienced a gigantic boom in popular-ity and prevalence over the past two decades,it is expected that they would be perceived byall sectors of the population as more impact-ful for social and economic participation than

some of the more longstanding ICTs. However,the consultation also highlighted the key


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BEST PRACTICES

One of the most important developments forutilization of ICTs by persons with disabilitiesis the denition and implementation of accessi-bility guidelines to ensure ease of use by persons with disabilities. For instance, the introductionof the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines x

(WCAG) and the new ISO/IEC standard for WCAG 2.0 ISO/IEC 40500:2012 xi are some ofthe best practices on how to mainstream acces-sibility principles in the case of web content.Implementation of these guidelines is alreadyreducing and removing significant accessibil-ity barriers precisely in the ICT service that was highlighted during the consultation as themost relevant for persons with disabilities, theInternet. In addition, empirical evidence showsthat the adoption of these guidelines improvesuser experience and accessibility for all persons,regardless of disability. This fact that invest-ments in accessibility also introduce benets for

wider groups of the population is a common andhugely signicant nding.

Furthermore, standardization is a key vehicleto develop global telecommunications and ICTstandards that include accessibility features.In this regard, an important goal of stand-ardization-related activities is to ensure thatnewly developed standards contain the neces-sary elements that make services and featuresusable by people with as broad a range of capa-bilities as possible. As standards describe howdifferent types of equipment interact witheach other and define the quality necessaryfor media to be usable by all devices, these stand-ards should also describe suitable methodsof media delivery to persons with disabilities,and are therefore essential for the provisionof services accessible for all persons,regardless of ability. In this line of thought,ITU xi i has developed a set of accessibilityguidelines xiii to assist standards writers inmaking equipment, systems and services acces-

sible from day one.


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FIGURE 3 : EMERGING ICTs, ENABLING PERSONS WITHDISABILITIES AT HOME AND AWAY

In addition to already-existing interactive and accessible services provided by new technologies suchas standards-based IPTV, a new development in broadcasting will make access services available viaIntegrated Broadcast-Broadband (IBB) systems. As with IPTV, IBB content delivery via broadband

telecommunication networks allows the representation of access service exactly according to theneeds of the persons with disabilities without causing any disturbance to those that do not need theseservices. In this case, the access services can be displayed (video, images, sound, text, graphics anddata) either on the main screen (or the main loudspeakers) or on a second screen (normally a type oftablet PC). By means of the second screen, persons with disabilities are individually served even when watching TV together with their friends or their family.

Excerpt of the contribution from International Telecommunication Union xiv ,ITU-R Study Group 6 - Broadcasting service

Satellite networks/applications in the mobile-satellite service (MSS) can help to remove barriersand promote full participation/socio-economic inclusion of persons with disabilities. This particularcase of a deaf person sailing single-handedly round the globe, a world rst, while staying connectedthroughout his eight-month challenge via the Inmarsat network, brilliantly shows that satelliteservices can assist persons with disabilities to be really and fully included in our contemporary world,even under the most extreme conditions.

Link to story: www.satnews.com/story.php?number=1596483898

Excerpt of the Contribution from International Telecommunication Union,ITU-R Study Group 4 - Satellite services


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FIGURE 4 : IMPACTFUL TECHNOLOGIES

Websites: online educational courses, social networking, shopping Captioned telephone (relay) Telework: online jobs and training, virtual collaboration Telemedicine and e-health

Internet

Sign language interpretation over the web (Video Relay Service, VideoRelay Interpreting)

Chat systems: VoIP, audio, video, text, sign language, text to avatar, real-time text

Accessibility software: screen reading, voice to text, screen typing Captions (closed and open) [eg. Youtube] Captioned telephone (relay) Accessible e-books and e-documents Gamied apps for special education and recreation Open source software

Software& apps

Smartphones and Tablets SMS Emergency service access voice, text and sign language Captioned telephone (relay) Mobile banking services

Mobile devices& services

Interactive multimedia services and applications Access services: text subtitles (open and closed),, audio subtitles, clear

audio, descriptive video Sign language interpreting

TV sets& services

Hearing Aids Smart homes Articial intelligence robots, digital human modelling, emotion

recognition Emergency communication response satellite, Assistive Bridge to Safety: emergency call subscriber service xvi (911,

112, 000, etc. ) Speech to text, text to speech, speech/text to sign language Natural User Interfaces

Emergency service access text and sign language relay services

EmergingICTs

Source: Authors, consultation

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UNDER-STANDINGTHE

CHALLENGES3.

As outlined in Section 2, the use of ICTs is deeply woven into the fabric of society and has becomea crucial element of any personal development /empowerment and institutional frameworkfor inclusive social progress and economicgrowth. However, even with this positive forceof transformation, key challenges remain tobe addressed if persons with disabilities are tofully benet from the use of ICTs. This sectionhighlights the main barriers and challenges thatpersist and must be addressed in expandingthe ICT opportunity to all persons with disa-bilities, as identied by the experts involved inthe consultation.

PERVASIVE BARRIERS

Some barriers are pervasive; they affect all areasof development. The rst one relates to assistivetechnologies which are important tools fordevelopment efforts. Experts state that the costof assistive technologies , which is comprisedof the cost of the technology as well as the costof assistive technology assessment, trainingand support services, is still a signicant barrierthat prevents persons with disabilities fromfully accessing healthcare services, benet at alleducational levels, be competitive on the labourmarket and live independently. Even when theyare free, assistive technologies or embedded


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accessibility features in commodity productsmight still remain unused if there is a lack ofexperts and rehabilitation professionals trainedin the use of these technologies and features.

As far as the market price of assistive technol-ogies is concerned, there is a signicant price variation between sophisticated standalonecondition-specic solutions and user interfacesto facilitate the use of commodity ICT productssuch as phones or PCs with no embedded acces-sibility features. When considering that persons with disabilities are among the most vulner-able groups in the world and that 80% of themlive in developing countries, it can be arguedthat the aforementioned challenges relatedto the assistive technologies ecosystem are a

tenacious barrier xvii to full participation in allaspects of society.

Overall, the main challenges to the availa-bility of assistive technologies are the lack ofawareness and the lack of effective training,support and a services ecosystem in-country.Typically, there are three channels supportingassistive technologies: i) the education system,ii) rehabilitation and community centres andiii) employment support services. Many coun-tries with low-income per capita have limited ornon-existent assistive technology programs inthose three areas. Recent studies show a linearrelationship between the availability of assistivetechnologies at universities and country incomeper capita (G3ict, 2012).

States Parties Level ofUNCRPD ICT AccessibilityCompliance by Incomeper Capita

High Income Upper- MiddleIncome

Lower-MiddleIncome

Low-Income

Assistive Technologies Available to Persons withDisabilities at MajorUniversities

83% 53% 44% 30%

Source: 2012 UNCRPD ICT Accessibility Progress Report G3ict

Figure 5 : Impact of countries income per capita on the availability of Assistive Technologiesat major universities

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The lack of access to ICT accessibility tech-nologies remains a significant barrier whichis observable in all areas of development. Even when ICTs are accessible, they are only availa-ble in a fraction of the thousands of languagesthat are spoken and signed all over the world,another barrier to be taken into considerationif this challenge is to be addressed effectively.

The UNCRPD 2012 ICT Accessibility ProgressReport showed that screen readers are avail-able in the principal language of 63% of thecountries having ratified the UNCRPD andthey are only available in 19% of minoritylanguages (G3ict, 2012).

Looking into the issue of inaccessibility, empir-

ical evidence shows that this barrier is furtherperpetuated by the lack of policies which would foster widespread availabi lity of

accessible ICTs and the lack of effective

implementation of the aforementioned poli-

cies. Only 36 percent of countries have a de-nition of accessibility which includes ICT orelectronic media in their laws of regulationscompliant with the denition of accessibility inUNCRPD Article 9 xviii . In many cases, policiespromoting accessibility may be in place but lack

accompanying laws, legislations and regulationsto ensure their efficacy.

Lastly, limited availability and use of ICTs in general greatly constrains the use of suchtechnologies as a solution to tackling develop-ment challenges. This barrier exacerbates thesocial, educational and economic inequalities

for persons with disabilities living in countries where the lack of access to ICTs and capacities touse them is a societal issue.

20

The integration and usage of accessible ICT productsand services, and the reasonable accommodation of theworkplace (including the provision of the necessary

assistive technologies) facilitate the participation of persons with disabilities in the labour market.

David Zanoletty, Manager of the ICT and R&D department, Fundacion ONCE


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BARRIERS RELATED TO SPECIFIC AREASOF DEVELOPMENT Figures 6, 8 and 9 present barriers identifiedby experts in the context of the consultationin the areas of lifelong learning, employmentand independent living xix.

It should be noted that addressing thesebarriers requires a collaboration of main stake-holders involved in each sector, as well as thedenition of cross-sectorial policies and strat-egies so that the investments in improvingaccess and accessibility of ICTs in one sectorcan impact positively on other sectors. Section 4presents some of the actions highlighted during

the consultation that could be undertaken byeach group of stakeholders.

Access to information and knowledge is anessential component of inclusive social andeconomic development. In this regard, oneimportant barrier highlighted during theconsultation is the lack of competencies ofschool teachers to use ICTs. When teacherslack the required competencies (which includenot only ICT command/knowledge,but also skills and positive attitudes towardsuse of ICTs and assistive technology in educa-tional settings) it is very difficult to use thesetechnologies for setting inclusive class-rooms open to the participation of persons with disabilities.

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FIGURE 7 : GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR INTRODUCTIONOF ICTs IN TEACHING AND LEARNING OF PERSONSWITH DISABILITIES.

Communication is essential to all forms of social interaction and participation and tech-nology helps people to communicate in many effective ways. Indeed, widespread ICTusage and increasing integration of ICTs into in every aspect of life plays an important rolein building societies that are more inclusive for persons with disabilities. ICTs can helpensure that persons with disabilities have a greater access to knowledge and independentliving. However, there are a few principles that should be taken into consideration while ofintroducing ICTs.

First, ICTs needs to be accessible to all persons and not just to persons with disabilities. All

persons ought to be able to access ICTs that help to facilitate communication in differentcultural, educational, and professional situations.

Another principle is that particular forms or approaches to ICT should reect the goal offostering greater participation and inclusion. Mobile technologies, for example, enableaccess for everyone, including persons with disabilities, to access services at the time ofneed, thus unleashing huge potential for independent living within inclusive societies.

Additionally, where possible, technologies ought to be designed to be as inclusive as possi-ble to all persons, as opposed to further development of certain technologies that wouldonly be used specically by persons with disabilities. This is important to help facilitategreater inclusion and universal accessibility to mainstream communication technologies.Naturally there will be some circumstances where specialized technologies are necessary,but these will become increasingly rare as technology becomes more universally available.

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A further important principle refers to the level of independence and control persons with

disabilities have in their use of ICTs. Indeed, all persons, including those with disabilitieshave personal preferences for particular technologies and they ought to be able to choosethe ICT that best serves them. It is important to take into consideration that the primarypurpose of any ICT is that it be controlled to full the functions required by its user.

Finally, it is critical to consider behaviour of the community that surrounds persons withdisabilities. Communication that harnesses ICT may require more time than conventionalspeech processes. For this reason, members of the community should be aware of theimportance of waiting for ICT-aided communication; those involved in teaching processescan model this for the larger community. ICT training courses should play a part in stand-ard teacher training programs so that educators become aware of the different uses andusers of technologies.

In conclusion, these general principles may guide decisions about the types of technolo-gies that should be used. With that said, important questions remain in terms of contentaccessibility. There is a clear need for standards to be developed that ensure that ICT isused to make content more accessible in different forms for persons with varying abilities

and disabilities.

Excerpt of an interview of Douglas Biklen (USA) wins UNESCO/Emir Jaber al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-SabahPrize to Promote Quality Education for Persons with Intellectual Disabilities 2011.

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27

ENSURING ACCESS TO INFORMATION AND INDEPENDENT LIVING TO

PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

In some countries, information providers suchas libraries have become centres of expertise where persons with disabilities can ask andreceive professional advice and support regard-

ing how to better access content and informa-tion (see gure 10) . However, in many countriesthe option to access these centres and theirmaterials through the use of ICT is not yet fullyavailable for persons with disabilities. In coun-tries where libraries provide special services,most of them still require retention of exten-sive patron records, such as a users transaction

history. The development of new ICTs, servicesand content that will benefit library clients

with disabilities should take into account the

expertise of clients with disabilities, as well

as input from librarians, while also keeping

in mind libraries responsibilities to protect

the confidentiality of all personally identifia-

ble information entrusted to perform services.

In order to derive a maximum benefit from

ICT development, professionals such as librar-

ians should be equipped and trained to use

ICTs and assistive technologies in order to

provide professional assistance.

With regards to independent living, the table

below lists the main challenges to be addressed

if the ICT opportunity is to be maximizedfor persons with disabilities.

INDEPENDENT LIVING

Challenges Priority

Cost of assistive technologies #1

Limited access to technology #2

Lack of accessibility of ICT devices #3


Figure 9 : Main challenges to be addressed for enabling independent living for persons withdisabilities


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FIGURE 10 : LIBRARIANS AS SERVICE PROVIDERS TOPERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

Librarians as information providers ought to serve as a centre of expertise where persons with disabi lities may seek advice on accessing e-content suited to their specif icset of abilities.

The provision of this public service would require library professionals to developawareness of the following points and principles during their training on disability-related issues:

Firstly, they should have a broad knowledge of different digital formats, and their varyingaccessibility for persons with diverse learning needs. For example, the appearance of texton screen does not necessarily mean that it is accessible. Library professionals ought to beable to access alternative formats of content suited to users specic needs.

Library professionals should also be familiar with emerging e-reading systems and of what the market is or will be able to provide in terms of e-reading. E-readers vary in theirsettings and user technology, and librarians should be able to advise on their specicitiesfor readers who prefer not to use printed books. In addition, librarians should have knowl-edge on specialized libraries (for instance library of the blind) and other providers that

exist to meet the varied demands of persons with disabilities.

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Finally, they ought to have a general understanding of the ways different disabilities affect

reading abilities so as to help persons with disabilities efficiently. Librarians should receivedisability sensitisation and awareness-raising on the rights of persons with disabilities aspart of their own learning curriculum and continuing education.

Libraries and library associations with knowledge and experience in facilitating persons with disabilities access to information can serve as helpful sources of information on howlibraries and ICT developers can meet the relevant needs of persons with disabilities. Withthat said, the privacy of clients with disabilities user data needs to must be maintained onan equal basis with that of other clients.

With this role as a service provider to persons with disabilities, libraries can also play animportant role as data-providers for industry. For example, if sanctioned by a nationallaw register, they may benet ICT companies by supplying information regarding theircustomers registered disabilities. In addition to persons with disabilities and their repre-sentative organizations (who would be the best source as to persons with disabilitiesspecic needs), librarians can also be a supplemental source of input to ICT developers, asthey can provide ICT developers valuable information (with user personal data removed)

from the perspective of the point of service, use or delivery of some accessible ICTs.Excerpt of an interview of Koen Krikhaar, Chair of International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA),section Libraries serving Persons with Print Disabilities, the Netherlands.

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ADDITIONAL CHALLENGESTO BE CONSIDERED

In addition to the previously mentioned chal-lenges, the consultation highlighted a numberof issues that should be addressed to continueexpanding the ICT opportunities to persons with disabilities. First, the availability of radiofrequency spectrum presents a challenge interms of the identification of additional suit-able frequency ranges to support the wirelesscommunication needs of persons with disa-bilities. One particular challenge is the diffi-culty in nding suitable frequencies for hearingaids. Considering the international mobiliza-

tion to promote the socio-economic inclusionand improve the quality of life of persons with

disabilities, further study regarding suitablefrequency ranges and technical characteristicsfor hearing aids which can satisfactorily operateinternationally is necessary

Second, further and on-going research is neces-sary to better understand the challenges facedby persons with disabilities. Particularly neededis research and building of knowledge in evalu-ation methods for disability-inclusive projectsand policies and cross-disciplinary studiesadopting a holistic perspective.

Third, efforts regarding the advancement of

the use of ICTs in disability-inclusive effortsoften suffer from the isolation of efforts. This a

ICT should be seen to enable social inclusion of persons withdisabilities by fostering independent living.

A key aspect of this is, where possible, differences between thetechnologies used at home and those used at work should beminimised. Learning how to use assistive technologies can take

time and present challenges for persons with disabilities as it is.Therefore, greater homogenization between technologies usedin the home and workplace would help to ensure that Persons with Disabilities do not have to employ disproportionate amounts oftime and effort learning to use different technologies.

The purpose of building inclusive societies is to foster harmonybetween all persons, by enabling persons with disabilities to

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challenge to be taken into account, especially asit is widely acknowledged that the most success-ful examples of inclusion of persons with disa-bilities have witnessed catalytic integrationof various stakeholders in different sectors ofsociety coming together to work for improve-ment and change.

As an example, the city of Copenhagen under- went a drastic accessibility overhaul after valu-able collaboration amongst stakeholders. Now,the city has vastly improved accessible infra-structure and services for all persons. Anotherexample is the implementation of video and

captioned telephone relay services in the USAand other countries. These allow deaf persons to

make phone calls in sign language or via captions.Their implementation was made possible thanksto collaboration amongst stakeholders, whichhas led to government legislation. These servicessignicantly improved the lives of deaf personsin the workplace, education, community and athome. Adopting a multi-stakeholder approach isa critical factor success for developing solutionsleading to a more inclusive society.

These were the main challenges and barriershighlighted during the consultation. Section 4presents a roadmap of actions proposed by theexperts for each stakeholder to address these

issues and enable a disability-inclusive develop-ment agenda through the use of ICTs.

be integrated in mainstream environments. Adoption of this Framework would help to nurture such an enabling environmentby harnessing the power of ICTs, making them more accessible,user-friendly and better equipped to meet the diverse needs of persons with disabilities.

In the same way that the sooner a child learns to use technologies,the easier their learning will be, so too it is the case for childrenand persons with disabilities. The faster and easier they nd itto use ICTs, the easier it will be for them to reap the full rewardsof education and social inclusion Loubna Cherif Kanouni, President and Founder, Morrocan Association forChildren with Cerebral Palsy and Mental Retardation (AMI), Morocco

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FIGURE 11 : ICT ACCESSIBILITY: TAKINGRESPONSIBILITY AND COOPERATING GLOBALLY

ICT accessibility is still perceived as a small market by some private sector actors and nottaken into consideration in many governments and civil society organizations. In these cases,accessibility departments are under-resourced and given limited opportunity to improveaccessibility of market products and services. Further, the ICT accessibility eld generallysuffers from a situation of lack of stakeholder coordination, where the right hand does notknow what the left hand is doing. This situation has three main causes:

1) Lack of awareness and training. The degree of disconnect in awareness can be seen bythe limited accessibility of the products and services available in the market, comparedto relative need. Furthermore, accessibility experts, marketing product managers andengineers who do not receive accessibility-related training, do not have a comprehensiveperspective of needs of the different groups of persons with disabilities. In some casesthere is also the misconception that spending money on making products accessible isnot worth the investment as it restrains innovation for products largely targeting thenon-disabled market.

2) Lack of cooperation. Although convergence requires the industry to work together, toomany accessibility actors continue to work in isolation. Software developers and hard- ware vendors tend to not blend their expertise with each other and use exclusive proprie-tary solutions developed in-house. Similarly, international standards are still developed without taking into account existing solutions or standards. Both situations are gradu-ally being addressed through introduction of coordination mechanisms, such as the ITUJoint-Coordinating Activity on Accessibility and Human Factors, and examples of howcooperation is the most effective way to take advantage of the synergies in initiativesbeing undertaking by organizations.

3) Lack of harmonization. Accessibility does not easily travel across borders. Whatis applied in one country will not be suitable to be applied or implemented in anothercountry due to different regulations and needs. This situation can be addressed throughpolicy and regulation harmonization of policies and regulation, precisely to encouragethe private sector to address the previously mentioned challenges.


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Fortunately, the following existing approaches can be introduced exist to alter businessbehaviour and achieve better application of article 9 of the UNCRPD:

Awarenessraising

Awareness raising activities help the public and the privatesector understand that immediate application of the principleof universal design in product and service development willprove cost-efficient by avoiding expensive retrotting whenfuture regulation force company compliance.

Strengthening direct involvement of persons with disabilitiesin product development would improve the understanding theneeds are the effectiveness of accessibility tests.

Cooperation For ensuring accessibility, conformity and interoperabil-ity, the industry could take responsibility, cooperate glob-ally and harmonize accessibility practices through standards

development.

International standards need to consistently include accessi-bility features and be implemented and licensed fairly to allindustry regardless of intellectual property restrictions.

Standards bodies have to increase the participation of persons with disabilities in standards meetings.

Harmonisation At the national level, the harmonisation of regulation can

promote widespread implementation of accessibility standards.

At the global level, improved cooperation between industrieson the sharing of intellectual proprietary of respective propri-etary standards should be promoted.

Andrea Saks, International Telecommunications Specialist for the Deaf, Chairman Joint-Coordinating Activity on Accessibility and Human Factors (JCA-ACH), ITU-T and Coordinator at the IGF DynamicCoalition on Accessibility and Disability.


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There are also potential risks that should betaken into consideration when generalizing theuse of ICTs in development, in order to avoidthat these technologies introduce new barriers.The main risk is creating the expectation thataccessible ICTs alone can solve all the challengesfaced by persons with disabilities. Maximizingthe potential benet of ICTs requires a properunderstanding of the full range of challengesand barriers faced by persons with disabilities ineach local context, as well as a proper denitionand implementation of effective national publicpolicies so that the right ICTs-enabled servicescan be introduced.

Furthermore, it is important to acknowledge thatas there is a wide range of accessibility barriersfaced by persons with disabilities and the inter-

ventions using ICTs could vary radically. Theimplementation and use of ICTs will not have

the expected results unless these pre-conditionsare met. For instance, all stakeholders shouldbe cautious that widespread implementation ofaccessible ICTs does not put culture at risk, asthe observed decline in deaf individuals learn-ing sign language and blind individuals learningBraille is already becoming a trend. It is import-ant to stress that learning sign language andBraille are fundamental parts of intellectualdevelopment as they are integral to acquiringlanguage and reading and writing skills. ICTsshould not be seen as a substitute for that, but asanother layer of communication and inclusion (e.g.remote learning/distance education and lang-uage development for deaf children and adults).

The second most relevant risk identied in theconsultation is a possible widening of the digital

divide. The prevailing costs of assistive tech-nologies may introduce the digital exclusion of

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persons with disabilities living in a developingcountry that may not be able to afford thesetechnologies or, increase existing inequalitiesand multiple discrimination against persons with disabilities who, in addition to discrim-

ination based on disability, also experiencediscrimination on the basis of gender or indige-nous heritage, for example xx. However, it shouldbe noted that there is a wide range of technologyavailable with various degrees of product andservice specialization, at a wide range of pricepoints. Digital exclusion is particularly linked tohigh-end assistive technologies which costs will

be relatively much higher than the majority ofassistive technologies.

The pace of technological change is also arisk to be considered. Often ICTs with acces-sible features lag behind new generations ofICTs coming out as often as every six months.Moreover, accessibility features are often onlyadded after initial release of new technologyand goods, causing delay and inequalities inpersons with disabilities access to ICTs. Acces-sibility add-ons or xes are sometimes availa-ble only at additional cost and much later thanthe release of goods- by which time sometimesnewer generations may soon be emerging ormay have emerged. Thus, an additional cost isthe extra time persons with disabilities and/orothers spend trying to increase accessibility ofpurchased ICTs time which obviously cannot

be recuperated. There is a risk of not identifying,minimizing and reducing such costs, in all coun-tries xxi . These and other risks are addressed inthis section, which presents a proposal of prior-ity actions to be undertaken by each major group

of stakeholders to leverage the ICT opportunityfor persons with disabilities.

THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENTS

Governments can play a key role in stimulat-ing the introduction of ICT-enabled solutionsadapted to the needs of persons with disabilities,increasing the availability of accessible ICTs and

promoting the affordability of assistive tech-nologies in social, educational, economic andother domains. These benets can be achievedthrough the promotion of national innovationsystems that foster public-private collaboration,as well as development and diffusion of knowl-edge, accessible products and content as well asassistive technologies.

As the number of State Parties to the UNCRPDcontinues increasing, work is required atpolicy level to foster a greater awareness thatthe UNCRPD is a comprehensive and integralnormative instrument which highlights theimportance of ICTs and accessibility. Accessibil-ity and use of ICTs by persons with disabilitiesshould be seen as an integral part in enabling

them to enjoy all human rights and fundamen-tal freedoms.

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It is important to raise awareness of policyand decision makers on the need for elabo-ration of interlinked normative frameworksregarding the use ICTs and assistive technol-ogies by persons with disabilities. UNESCOsGlobal Report xxii (2013) states that there are very few countries with a dedicated ministryfor persons with disabilities. Additionally, inmany countries all matters relating to disabil-ity are handled only under the ministry of social welfare - including education, employment, etc.There is now a positive trend to move away fromthis situation, however. In most cases, interven-tions for this important group of the populationare undertaken by multiple agencies or minis-tries of government. Efforts to do a situationanalysis and implement article 33 is suggested as

a preliminary step governments should take toimplement the UNCRPD. Figure 13 presents the

prioritization of actions as dened by the expert views gathered in the consultation.

The notion of accessibility entails the removal ofenvironmental barriers that prevent persons withdisabilities from fully participating in economicand social activities. By leveraging their spend-ing power in buying goods and services, nationalgovernments can address the market failure whereby demand for accessible products andservices does not meet the offer of these productsbecause of their lack of availability, affordabilityand/or accessibility.

Introducing mandatory procurement policiesthat incorporate accessibility-related require-ments in calls for tenders has the potential to

create a critical mass, conceivably turning themarket of accessible products into an interesting

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GOVERNMENTS

Priority actions Prioritization

Strengthening research and development to develop new ICT-enabled solutionsfor persons with disabilities #1

Incorporating accessibility requirements in procurement policies = #2

Updating disability legislation to include ICTs in the legal denition of accessibility = #2


Figure 13 : Priority actions for governments


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Figure 14 : Countries that included ICT accessibility in their national broadband plans

38

Bold: countries having signed the UNCRPD,Bold and underlined: countries having signed and ratied the UNCRPDSource: ITU, 2013 and analysis made by the Secretariat of the Broadband Commission Note: Uganda features references to accessibility which do not t into one of the three categories

Increasing accessibilityof ICTs for persons with

disabilities

ICTs to increase accessibilityof other services and promote

social inclusion

Switzerland

Costa RicaColombia

Cyprus

Estonia

Ireland

Mexico

St Kittsand Nevis

Croatia

Egypt

Grenada

Liechtenstein

Philippines

Sweden

Turkey

Barbados

Belize

France

Japan

Malta

Poland

USA

Denmark

Iceland

Korea

Mauritius

Slovenia

United Kingdom

ZimbabweTanzania

Sri Lanka

Singapore

Macedonia

Jamaica

DominicanRepublic

Chad

Australia

Algeria


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and profitable one for vendors, developers andmanufacturers. Such competitive market wouldlead to a greater availability of these products,consequently decreasing their final price forpersons with disabilities. Additionally, it wouldraise awareness of vendors, developers and manu-facturers of their roles in including persons withdisabilities and in upholding the UNCRPD.

This is particularly important when consideringthat while the overall population that benetsfrom accessible ICTs is large, each individualgroup of users with disabilities (e.g. mobility,sensorial or cognitive) may not be large enoughto influence market forces. National regula-tors and policy makers can address this marketfailure through public interventions and activ-ities such as, but not limited to, the incorpora-tion of accessibility requirements into publicprocurement policies, the introduction ofsubsidies and the strengthening of researchand development.

While it is widely acknowledged that ICTsenhance the participation and inclusion ofpersons with disabilities in social, economic,political and cultural life, the reference to ICT israrely incorporated into disability-related legis-lation. The Broadband Commission for DigitalDevelopment recently conducted a review on

the inclusion of key socio-economic policy issuessuch as youth, gender and ICT accessibility innational broadband policies (March 2013). Theresults of this review show that only 37% of thepolicies analysed include relevant references toICT accessibility. In comparison to the 10 otherissues examined in the analysis, ICT accessibil-ity was the third-to-last in national broadbandpolicy inclusions.

Having analysed references to ICT accessibilityin national broadband plans, the review found

that 14% of these policies referred to improv-ing the accessibility of ICTs while 12% referredto promoting economic and social inclusionthrough the use of accessible ICTs and only 7% ofthe plans included both mentions (see gure 14 ).

Similarly, the 2012 G3ict UNCRPD ICT Acces-sibility Progress Report found that only 36.4%

of countries which have ratied the UNCRPDhave a denition of accessibility which includesICT or electronic media in the country lawsor regulations.

This demonstrates a lack of understanding ofthe opportunity that ICT accessibility repre-sents for enabling the social and economic inclu-sion of persons with disabilities. In many coun-tries, the denition of disability is complex andevolving. It can also differ signicantly from one

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40

country to another. This lack of harmonization

in the denition has an impact on interventions,recourses and tools needed or to be allocated.Similarly, the lack of understanding that ICTsand assistive technologies play an importantrole in helping persons with disabilities to makethe transition from education to work (fromacquisition of soft skills to technical, and soci-etal skills) is also linked to societal attitudes,

existing stereotypes, and even harmful prac-tices. Furthermore, updating disability legis-lation to include ICTs in the legal denition ofaccessibility would also allow to mainstreamdisability in ICT-related policies, plans andprogrammes. Lastly, opportunities brought byuniversal service funds are often put forward tonance or subsidize accessibility-related initia-tives. Considering this recommendation, effec-tive legislation is a critical prerequisite to bringabout effective and sustainable improvements.

By undertaking the aforementioned three prior-ity actions, governments will be creating anenabling environment that provides incentivesto other stakeholders to advance the inclusion ofpersons with disabilities in development efforts.

THE UNITED NATIONS SYSTEM

AND OTHER INTERNATIONALORGANIZATIONS

The agencies, programmes and bodies of theUnited Nations system are playing an importantrole in the denition of the post-2015 interna-tional development agenda. While each memberof the family contributes by bringing their ownperspective and mandate xxiii it is important thatthe collective delivers as one to incorporate theissue of disability into the discussions, identify-ing the key barriers that need to be addressedand the main opportunities - such as the use ofICTs - that can be leveraged to achieve a post-2015 disability-inclusive development agenda.

In this context, the expert views gathered inthe consultation highlight that the most urgent

action to be undertaken by the UN system isthe implementation of operational activities tomeet the disability-inclusive development goals,complemented by the monitoring and evaluationof development efforts at the global, regionaland national levels along with the performancereview to assess whether development policies,programmes and projects are effective and

results-driven (see gure 15 ). In this respect, it isimportant to ensure that the analysis of results


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UNITED NATIONS


Carrying out operational activities to meet the disability-inclusivedevelopment goals

#1

Monitoring and evaluating development efforts on the global, reg. and national level #2

Analysing results to determine whether development policies, programmes andprojects are effective

= #3

Setting awareness raising and mobilization campaign to create ademand for action

= #3

INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS


Participating in international standardizations bodies to develop and/orharmonizing accessible ICT standards

#1

Strengthening research and development to develop new ICT-enabled solutionsfor persons with disabilities

#2

Raising policy makers awareness of accessibility barriers to be addressed #3


Figure 15 : Priority actions for international organizations

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42

is quantitative and supported by consistentdata. The necessary national and global neededdata on the use of ICT by persons with disabili-ties has yet to be collected. It is also important toensure that analysis of results is designed withthe participation of persons with disabilities,in order to make sure that the correct factorsare measured. Lastly, the United Nations hasto continue implementing awareness-raisingactivities and mobilization campaigns in orderto create a demand for national governmentalaction.

The United Nations system can also take a moreactive role in identifying and engaging relevantstakeholders to promote collaboration acrossthe broad range of actors for the development of

ICT-enabled solutions for persons with disabili-ties. Such stakeholders include ICT manufactur-ers, developers, and vendors, as well as creatorsand distributers whose content can be madeaccessible in different languages and through various types of ICTs. This is particularly neces-sary for the development of technical stand-ards, building capacity, sharing good practices

and encouraging new partnership mechanisms. At the community level, it is important that the

whole community organizations are tra inedon how to maximize the potential of ICTs toimprove the social, economic and politicalparticipation of persons with disabilities in thecommunity life.

International organizations are another keycategory of stakeholders, as they also play aspecial role in providing a neutral platform from

which develop and harmonize internationalstandards and provide recommendations relatedto accessible ICTs. Furthermore, internationalorganizations can contribute to the promotionof research and development focused on devel-oping specic ICT-enabled solutions for persons with disabilities. Lastly, international organi-zations bear the responsibility to raise policy

makers awareness of accessibility barriersto be addressed.

These priority actions were highlighted as essen-tial for removing the barriers that still preventpersons with disabilities from accessing socialand economic opportunities. The next sectioncomplements this roadmap with a set of indica-tors for measuring progress towards a disability-inclusive economic and social development.


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44

THE ROLE OF PRIVATE SECTOR

Private sector entities are already playing a keyrole in designing, manufacturing, developingand putting into the market key ICT-enabledsolutions for persons with disabilities. However,this crucial contribution may currently belimited due to the high cost that many of thesesolutions imply for persons with disabilities, inparticular in developing contexts. Addressingthis issue and introducing measures to lowerthe cost of assistive solutions are main priorityactions identied in the context of the consulta-tion (see gure 16 ).

Increasing research and development inthis area and incorporating universal design

principles at the earliest stage of productdevelopment would be two approaches to addressthe cost issue. Although these actions maymean higher development costs, this additionalinvestment presents an important marketopportunity, considering that the annualdisposable income of persons with disabilitiesand their relatives represents US$ 9 trillion xxiv .

Available best practices indicate that there is value in involving persons with disabilities inproduct development in early developmentstages, testing, focus groups, as well as at various

decision-making levels. Incorporating personalexperiences and insights of each group of


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PRIVATE SECTOR


Lowering the cost of assistive technologies #1

Training information technology professionals on ICT accessibility #2

Strengthening research and development to develop new ICT-enabled solutionsfor persons with disabilities

#3


Figure 16 : Priority actions for the private sector

persons with disabilities allows better under-standing and meeting their needs and contrib-utes to making products and services accessibleby design.

Another prior ity action is to address theshortage of information technology profes-sionals with ICT accessibility skills. Thisshortage can be addressed by organising inter-nal training programmes on ICT accessibil-ity, adding this issue to university curricula,as well as to programmes of conferencescarried out by professional societies and

in periodicals published by each segment ofthe industry.

The private sector can help raising awarenessof policy-makers and civil society organizationson existing accessible devices and services. Thiscan be done through corporate and product-re-lated communication activities and through thedesignation of a corporate liaison to coordinatethese activities.

Finally, the private sector has a vital role to playregarding the employment of persons with disa-bilities. By removing attitudinal barriers andmaking the workplace accessible, employers cangreatly contribute to a society where persons

with disabilities can participate in work life, andhave increased independence.


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THE ROLE OF CIVIL SOCIETY ANDORGANIZATIONS OF PERSONS WITHDISABILITIES

Organizations of persons with disabilities andother civil society organizations are essential inpromoting coordinated action among persons with disabilities and other citizens. They posi-tively contribute to development efforts as theyallow mobilizing social capital and organizingcollective action, thus enhancing interactionsbetween communities and other stakeholders.

Civil society organizations can play a key rolein promoting the use of ICTs as an enabler of adisability-inclusive development framework.In particular, they have a tremendous priorityidentified in the consultation (see figure 17 ). Additionally, these organizations can contrib-ute to the development of relevant nationalpolicies through their involvement in nationalconsultations led by policy makers. Civil societyorganizations also need to become more activein the work conducted by international stand-ards organizations that are working on thesetechnologies, including consortium-based and voluntary standards, as well as formal stand-ards developed by organizations such as the

ITU, the International Standards Organization(ISO) and the International Electrotechnical

Commission (IEC), which are open to the partic-ipation of civil society. New multi-sectorial and

multi-stakeholder partnership mechanisms andinitiatives are also encouraged between inter-national organizations such as UNESCO orITU and civil society as it helps to ensure long-term sustainability of initiatives for inclusion ofpersons with disabilities, maximise participa-tion, and oversee the monitoring and implemen-tation of policies and practices.

Civil society organizations also have the abilityto bring about social progress and economicgrowth by raising the awareness of persons withdisabilities and their parents of what ICTs can doto facilitate their economic and social inclusion.In addition, these organizations can undertakeextensive training xxv of persons with disabili-ties on the use of these ICT tools. Such trainingcould cover the whole range of potential uses,such as adopting ICTs for basic communications,accessing key public services or using ICTs in aprofessional context. Lastly, one priority actionto be considered by civil society organizationsis advocacy for the mainstreaming of the useof the universal design principle in all develop-ment efforts. This would contribute to ensuring

that the international development frameworkis disability-inclusive.


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CIVIL SOCIETY


Raising policy makers awareness of accessibility barriers to be addressed #1

Mainstreaming the use of universal design principle #2

Getting organizations of persons with disabilities involved in policy making #3

ORGANIZATIONS OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES


Training persons with disabilities to use accessible ICTs #1

Raising persons with disabilities awareness of what ICT can do to facilitate theireconomic and social inclusion

#2

Getting organizations of persons with disabilities involved in policy making #3


Figure 17 : Priority actions for the civil society and organizations of persons with disabilities

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A PROPOSALOF

INDICATORSFOR

MEASURING

PROGRESS5.

This section presents a proposal of measura-ble indicators has proven to be a valid strategyin advancing the implementation of the globaldevelopment agenda. The consultation hasgathered the following set of indicators tosupport the definition of an action oriented

agenda aimed at fulfilling the contribution of

ICTs to achieve a disability-inclusive agenda.These preliminary indicators can be furtherrefined by involving relevant stakeholders ineach domain and by defining time-boundedgoals, to be integrated with the SustainableDevelopment Goals to be agreed as part of the

post-2015 discussions.


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GENERAL INDICATORS Access, accessibility and awareness

Access to ICTs based on impairment type per technology (telephone, Internet,broadband)

Availability of accessible ICT products and services across markets

Affordability of ICTs for persons with disabilities

Proportion of ICT products and services with built-in accessibility functions

Awareness rate of persons with disabilities on the use of ICTs to improve theireconomic and social inclusion

Disability legislation updated with the inclusion of ICTs in the denition ofaccessibility

GDP proportion spent on research and development relating to ICT-enabledsolutions for persons with disabilities

Total of patents led/awarded to ICT-enabled solutions for persons with disabilities

INDICATORS BY SECTOR

Healthcare

Proportion of persons with disabilities accessing healthcare services through ICTs

Primary, secondary and tertiary education

Digital literacy rate among schoolteachers and students

Availability of accessible ICTs in primary and secondary schools and in

Special teacher training programmes and courses on inclusive ICTs

Professional and lifelong education

Digital literacy rate among persons with disabilities

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These are the experiences, challenges andrecommendations gathered as a contributionto the HLMDD. By further presenting the ICTopportunity for persons with disabilities, iden-

tifying the remaining challenges and barriers

to be overcome and proposing a roadmap ofactions, this report invites all stakeholders toacknowledge the role of ICTs as critical enablersof a disability-inclusive international develop-

ment agenda.

The divide that separates personswith disabilities from other persons, inhaving equal and easy access to ICT,

must be bridged. ITUs standards aredesigned from inception to help achievethat goal - universal access to commu-nications for everyone, with a focus on

availability, and affordability. Globallystandardized solutions increase marketsize, usability and interoperability, andreduce complexity and cost. Malcolm Johnson, Elected Director of the ITU

Telecommunication Standardization Bureau


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I. UN (2006) Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Available at: www.un.org/disabilities/convention/conventionfull.shtml

II. As of April 2013.

III. As of April 2013.

IV. ITU and Telecentre.org Connect a School, Connect a Community toolkit, Module4 Using ICTs to promote education and training for persons with disabilities. TheITU-G3ict e-Accessibility Policy Toolkit for Persons with Disabilities is an onlinetoolkit designed to assist policy-makers to implement the ICT accessibility disposi-tions of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

V. ITUs Telecommunication Development Sector (ITU-D) fosters international

cooperation and solidarity in the delivery of technical assistance and in the crea-tion, development and improvement of telecommunication/ICT equipment andnetworks in developing countries. ITU-D implements projects under the UnitedNations development system or other funding arrangements, so as to facilitate andenhance telecommunication/ICT development by offering, organizing and coordi-nating technical cooperation and assistance activities.

VI. ITU and G3ict (2012) Making Mobile Phones and Services Accessible for Persons with Disabilities August 2012. See also: ITU and G3ict (2011) Making Television

Accessible, November 2011.Available at: www.itu.int/ITU-D/sis/Persons withdisabilities/Documents/ITU-G3ict%20Making_TV_Accessible_Report_Novem-ber_2011.pdf

VII. More information on the survey questions at www.itu.int/accessibility.

VIII. The ITU Correspondence Group on the Elaboration of a Working Denition of theTerm ICT is currently working on this matter. Its nal report will be presen