IGF 2020 WS #255 Digital (In)accessibility and Universal Design

Information

Session

Thematic Track:

Topic(s):

Design for Inclusion
digital divide
Disability

Organizer 1: Government, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Organizer 2: Civil Society, African Group
Organizer 3: Intergovernmental Organization, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)

Speaker 1: Wairagala Wakabi, Civil Society, African Group
Speaker 2: Tim Unwin, Intergovernmental Organization, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Speaker 3: Bernard Chiira, Technical Community, African Group
Speaker 4: Judith Ann Okite, Civil Society, African Group
Speaker 5: Claire Sibthorpe, Private Sector, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)

Format:

Debate - Auditorium - 90 Min

Description:

A large majority of Persons with Disabilities globally are excluded from reaping “digital dividends” because most digital technologies are, by their design, not accessible to them. Today, more and more aspects of political, social and economic life are being shifted to the online sphere where the societal exclusion of PWD is amplified. At the same time there is evidence that not only persons with disabilities, but everyone could benefit if ICTs were designed inclusively. Universal Design – designing ICTs to be usable for all from the start – improves the user-friendliness for everyone and widens the customer base. Still, inaccessibility is often times “built-in” and accessibility features are added as expensive “after-the-fact” solutions. This workshop will bring together a diverse set of stakeholders – development cooperation, civil society, the private sector and academia mainly from East Africa and Western Europe to discuss two main aspects. First, the speakers will discuss the state of the art of digital accessibility with a special focus on Low- and Middle-income countries (LMIC). Second, systemic barriers to accessibility will be illuminated, in order to develop concrete recommendations for implementation of accessibility policies by governments, development cooperation and the private sector in order to increase the accessibility of ICT and thus improving usability for communities who currently by and large excluded from digital development.

Issues:

Issues ● Digital Accessibility ● Universal Design Challenges ● Exclusion of Persons with Disabilities through inaccessibility of ICT. Specific focus on LMIC. ● Amplification of social inequalities for PWD through digital transformations ● Affordability and Availability of Accessibility-features ● Lack of implementation of accessibility policies Opportunities ● Business Case for Universal Design (User-friendliness, Wider customer base) ● Potentials of ICT for Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities

Policy Question(s):

3) Accessibility & Policy for Social Inclusion What is the current situation (policy, implementation, practice) of ICT accessibility in Low- and Middle-income countries (LMIC) and what could be arguments for and actions of different stakeholders to promote Universal Design and digital inclusion of people with disabilities?

Expected Outcomes:

The intent is to live stream and record the session and share it via social media and other channels. The policy recommendations for the respective stakeholders will be shared through networks of International and German development cooperation as well as through civil society and private sector networks. This will create visibility of disability rights and the need for universal design, and provide evidence for onward advocacy for universal design and accessibility to information and ICT for persons with disabilities.

Relevance to Internet Governance: The Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities (CRPD) is one of the most ratified UN-Conventions in history. However, commitments in terms of improving ICT accessibility have often times not been followed by concrete action. A collaborative effort of stakeholders seems necessary to reshape the understanding of inclusion of people with disabilities and their needs in ICT design and thus improving usability and the leverage of “digital dividends” for everyone through joint action.

Relevance to Theme: Accessibility and Universal Design is directly linked to the amplification of inequality and disadvantage of Persons with Disabilities through digital transformations. In order to leverage potentials of ICT for social inclusion, ways have to be identified to increase accessibility and beneficial usage by marginalized groups including people with disabilities.

Discussion Facilitation:

(1) Introduction to the subject / Introduction of speakers (moderator) (2) Introduction of smartphone based online participation tool. Vote by the audience on the following question: What is the main challenge for the 1 Billion people with disabilities worldwide in using the internet? a. Affordability b. Connectivity c. Accessibility d. Awareness e. Other: _____ (3) First lead question to the speakers: Do you agree with the audience votes? (4) Second lead questions to the speakers: What is the specific challenge of people with disabilities in Low- and Middle-Income countries with regard to ICT usage? (5) Third lead questions to the speakers: What is the main challenge with regard to insufficient implementation of accessibility policies for governments, private sector and international and development cooperation? (6) Forth lead question to the speakers: What could be a way forward? (7) Opening up: Questions and Answers. + there will be an online live stream of the session, including the possibility to use comments.

Online Participation:

Usage of IGF Official Tool. Additional Tools proposed: Smartphone-based participation tools such as Wisembly will be used to facilitate participation of the audience during the session. With regard to the online livestream, the choice of the plattform will be coordinated with the organizing team.

SDGs:

GOAL 4: Quality Education
GOAL 5: Gender Equality
GOAL 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
GOAL 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
GOAL 10: Reduced Inequalities