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Universal Access in the Information Society
Published in: Universal Access in the Information Society 2/2016

01-06-2016 | Long paper

Increasing participation in the information society by people with disabilities and their families in lower-income countries using mainstream technologies

Authors: Tim Barlott, Kim Adams, Al Cook

Published in: Universal Access in the Information Society | Issue 2/2016

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Abstract

Assistive technology (AT) has been actively researched, developed and implemented throughout higher-income countries, but is relatively absent from lower-income countries. In lower-income countries, there is very little AT for reading, writing, communicating and for participation in the information society. In order for persons with disabilities in lower-income countries to participate fully in society, mainstream information and communication technologies (ICTs) such as mobile phones should be used as AT. This paper explores the potential for using mainstream ICTs as AT in lower-income countries, keeping in mind current ICT trends, characteristics of the post-PC era and ICT-based AT in higher-income countries. The paper concludes with a case study where mobile phones and SMS were used by people with disabilities and their caregivers to access information in a resourced-limited community in Bogota, Colombia. Mobile phones, a readily available mainstream ICT in this community, were a useful tool for addressing the information exclusion of people with disabilities and caregivers.
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Metadata
Title
Increasing participation in the information society by people with disabilities and their families in lower-income countries using mainstream technologies
Authors
Tim Barlott
Kim Adams
Al Cook
Publication date
01-06-2016
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
Universal Access in the Information Society / Issue 2/2016
Print ISSN: 1615-5289
Electronic ISSN: 1615-5297
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10209-015-0418-z

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