ICT Opportunities and Challenges for Increasing Social Inclusion

Dr Baharul IslamChairman & CEOSouth Asia Development GatewayGuwahati (India)

UN Convention on the Rights and Dignity of Persons with Disability: A call for action on poverty, discrimination and lack of access

Addis Ababa, 19-22 May 2008

OUTLINE• Emergence of “Information Society” • Knowledge Economy• ICT as creators of another divide with new forms

of exclusion. • Challenges thrown up by the ICT and Policy

issues of inclusion/exclusion of persons with disabilities.

• National policy perspectives from Africa and Asia • Opportunities and the need to address the

inclusion impacts of ICT diffusion • Pro-active action on poverty, lack of access to

ICT avenues.

Information Society

• WSIS Declaration of Principles say Information Society should pay particular attention to the special needs of persons with disabilities.

• It should address capacity building, and provides that the “use of ICTs in all stages of education, training and human resources development taking into account the special needs of persons with disabilities…etc.

• ICT infrastructure should address the special requirements of persons with disabilities, using appropriate educational, administrative and legislative measures

• WSIS-Tunis also advocated universal design concepts and the use of assistive technologies that helps persons with disabilities

Knowledge Economy• In Knowledge Economies ICT has significant economic implications• Information goods and services are recognized as central

components of the new economics of development• ICT catalysts for change and social re-engineering based on

“accessibility for all”• Accessibility is not solely the concern of persons with disabilities• Equalization of opportunities by, for and with persons with

disabilities.• Focus on service-side solutions rather than client-specific fixes to

promote accessibility in the work place and among program constituencies.

• Two challenges are - accessibility requires constant vigilance and always is "under construction".

ICT as creators of another divide with new forms of exclusion

• The Digital Divide in 2025 (BT) digital exclusion as not having access to the internet at home.

• Problems of access often associated with income and ability to pay for technology (home computing and internet access) but also issues such as disability and skills gaps.

• Problems of engagement whereby people do not see the need to engage with new technology and do not perceive the benefits of the online world.

• Digital optimists believe that convergence and the emergence of more user-friendly technology will diminish the impact of the digital divide going forward.

• Digital pessimists question many of these assumptions. • The intangible nature of the digital divide means the problem is

perceived to be less concrete and therefore less real.

Challenges thrown up by the ICT and Policy issues of inclusion/exclusion

Element of ICT policy Evident in

General – not special needs education specific – ICT policies that include statements and objectives on the five areas

Austria, Belgium, Cyprus (under development), Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, UK

The general ICT policy includes statements of equity of educational opportunity with respect to and through the use of ICT

Belgium (Flemish Community), Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden

SOURCE: European Agency for Development in Special Needs Education

As an element of educational policy, ICT is embodied within the school curriculum that applies to all pupils, including those with SENs

Austria, Belgium (Flemish Community), Cyprus (applies to secondary and special schools only), Czech Republic, France, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Sweden, UK

Different bodies are responsible for policy implementation

Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK

Some form of evaluation of general ICT policy is being conducted

Austria, Belgium (Flemish Community), Denmark Finland, Greece, Ireland, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain (at a regional level), Sweden, Switzerland, UK

SOURCE: European Agency for Development in Special Needs Education

ICT is incorporated as a particular element of national disability and SEN policy and legislation

Cyprus, Portugal, Slovakia

Policy is being implemented and evaluated via dedicated ICT projects at a national level

Czech Republic, Lithuania, Norway

Policies have a direct impact upon a teacher’s access to training, support and information relating to ICT

Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK

SOURCE: European Agency for Development in Special Needs Education

National policy perspectives from Africa and Asia

• NICI Policies of Africa• ICT Policies of Asian Countries: UNESCAP

Recommendations on Policy/Legislative Guidelines concerning ICT accessibility for Persons with Disabilities in the Asian and Pacific Region, June 2002.

• Asian Tele-center survey• Community Access Centers in India• Community Access Centers in Africa

Opportunities of ICT diffusion

Pro-active action on poverty, lack of access to ICT avenues

Thank You