Overview

Technology is integrated in many aspects of our daily lives, promoting inclusivity, including education, transportation, employment, recreation, and social interaction. For instance, it can support young people and professionals in the workplace with special educational needs and disabilities to communicate, access learning and express themselves creatively. To fully participate in community life, persons with disabilities must have access to devices, services, and training that enhance independence, mobility, communication, environmental control, and self-determination. Designers, manufacturers, service providers, educators, and PWDs and their families should be educated about the benefits of technology and trained in how to use it.

Promoting inclusivity cuts across several aspects of accessibility, and for this conversation, through technology – adapting the power of intelligent tools to develop systems and solutions to equip vulnerable, and marginalized groups with skills and support to enhance their livelihood. For this article, we shall focus on some roles of technology for persons with disabilities.

The Problem

Persons with disabilities often do not have access to solutions, because of lack of knowledge, experience, and the right devices to interact effectively. Without access, individuals with disabilities will continue to be marginalized in many parts of the system. To address this critical issue, a comprehensive system that improves access to resources must be developed, by creating and building relationships between the needed resources and disability communities.

Digital access and skills are critical components of gaining independence. For example, accessibility to e-government services is crucial for all citizens, more specifically for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities. As technology adoption in Africa keeps growing, the support for people with disabilities is still woefully limited despite the calls for digital inclusivity and the need for accessibility for people with disabilities.

Understanding Disabilities

A disability is not just a medical condition, but also a social and environmental barrier that affects a person’s ability to participate in various activities. A person with a disability may have limitations in body structure or function, such as loss of a limb or vision, or in activity, such as difficulty walking or problem solving.

It is the experience of any condition that makes it more difficult for a person to do certain activities or have equitable access within a given society. Disabilities may be cognitive, developmental, intellectual, mental, physical, sensory, or a combination of multiple factors. Disabilities can be present from birth or can be acquired during a person’s lifetime. Historically, disabilities have only been recognized based on a narrow set of criteria—however, disabilities are not binary and can be present in unique characteristics depending on the individual. A disability may be readily visible, or invisible in nature.

Faced with such challenges, assistive technologies can be used in developing comprehensive systems and solutions that improve accessibility for disability communities, and to help them fully engage in life activities.

There are many types of disabilities, each affecting individuals in different ways.

• Mobility Disabilities: These include conditions that affect a person’s ability to move, such as spinal cord injuries, arthritis, and cerebral palsy.
• Sensory Disabilities: These affect one or more of the senses. Examples include blindness, low vision, deafness, and hearing impairments.
• Cognitive Disabilities: These impact a person’s ability to think, learn, and remember. Common examples are learning disabilities, intellectual disabilities, and traumatic brain injuries.
• Mental Health Disabilities: Conditions like depression, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia.
• Chronic Illnesses: Some long-term health conditions can also be considered disabilities, such as diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and chronic fatigue syndrome.
• Developmental Disabilities: These are present from birth or early childhood and include conditions like autism spectrum disorder and Down syndrome.

Each type of disability can vary greatly in its impact on an individual’s daily life for which specific designed technologies are needed to improve their lives.

Role of Technology and Benefits

1. Assistive technology plays a crucial role in enhancing the lives of individuals with disabilities. It is about the inclusion of people with disabilities in every aspect of society and how technology can serve this process as a tool. It means that technology helps people with disabilities to be more independent, more successful, more self-confident, and more fulfilling.  They can do with technologies, things which seemed impossible for them: typing text using the mouth, reading books while blind, talking with people when a person couldn’t speak at all. By this, they make use of tools such as screen readers, Braille displays, voice recognition software, and adaptive keyboards. These technologies bridge the gap and enable improved access to digital content.

Assistive technologies, adaptive software, and digital platforms provide PWDs with tools that enable them to contribute and excel. In the workplace, technology enables remote working, offering PWDs flexible job opportunities that align with their skills and needs. In healthcare, telemedicine and digital health records ensure that PWDs receive personalized care without the barriers of physical distance.

• Examples of assistive technology include:

• Mobility aids/devices (such as wheelchairs, crutches, scooters, walkers, and prosthetics) that enhance physical independence.
• Communication aids (like speech-to-text software or communication boards) that help those with speech difficulties/impairment express themselves.
• Visual aids like screen readers, magnification devices and software, and Braille displays (for reading and writing) enable visually impaired individuals to access digital content.
• Hearing aids and captioning services/devices for people with hearing impairments to hear more clearly.
• Alternative input devices (such as eye-tracking systems or sip-and-puff devices) for computer access.
• Smart home technology/environmental control devices that allows people to control their environment (lights, temperature, etc.) through voice commands or mobile apps.

These technologies can significantly improve the quality of life for individuals with disabilities by providing greater independence and accessibility.

• Education and Employment Opportunities
• Access to education is critical for personal growth and career prospects. Technology ensures that people with disabilities can access educational materials, participate in online classes, and take advantage of e-learning platforms. It enhances learning and teaching methods.
• In the workplace, assistive technology allows individuals to contribute effectively using tools like screen readers, voice recognition software, and ergonomic keyboards, etc.
• Technology opens doors to higher education and meaningful employment for people with disabilities. So, whether it is AI-driven communication tools or state-funded programs, the goal is to empower individuals with disabilities and enhance their quality of life.

• Increased Independence and Participation
• Assistive devices empower individuals to perform tasks that were previously challenging or impossible. For example, a person with limited mobility can use a motorized wheelchair to move independently.
• Technology also enhances social participation by enabling communication, connecting people through social media, and facilitating virtual interactions.

Global Commitments and Practical Examples: A Guide to Inclusion

Inclusive technology education is a global priority, aligning closely with several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities). These goals collectively emphasize the need to create an inclusive world where everyone, regardless of their abilities, has access to opportunities for learning, working, and fully participating in society.

Around the world, various initiatives demonstrate the power of technology in practice. For instance, the Global Initiative for Inclusive ICTs (G3ict) and the Accessible India Campaign are leading efforts to ensure that digital environments are accessible to all. In Kenya, the inABLE program is providing digital skills training to visually impaired students, demonstrating that with the right resources and support, everyone can thrive in the digital space – envisioning a world where disability is not inability, a community where individuals with disabilities have the same access to the same educational, technological, and employment opportunities as the non-disabled. Meanwhile, Europe’s Code Jumper initiative offers innovative coding resources designed for visually impaired students, allowing them to fully engage in digital education.

These global examples highlight a shared understanding – when we design with inclusivity in mind, we create more vibrant, diverse, and innovative communities. By ensuring that everyone has the tools they need to succeed, we can reduce inequalities and promote sustainable economic growth, aligning with the broader goals of the SDGs.

In many ways, the role of technology in fostering inclusion can be likened to the role of guides in the Paralympics. Just as Paralympic athletes rely on guides to navigate their races, persons with disabilities (PWDs) can reach their full potential through the empowering capabilities of technology. This reflects the reality that technology can significantly enhance the development and growth of individuals in all aspects of life—whether in education, employment, or social interaction.

IIPGH’s Commitment: Inclusion at the Core of Our Mission

The Institute of ICT Professionals, Ghana (IIPGH), stands at the forefront of this movement in Ghana. Through initiatives like The Coding Caravan, IIPGH has been pioneering efforts to bring ICT education to underserved and underrepresented communities. Launched in 2021 in collaboration with stakeholders including the Ghana Education Service, Municipal/District Assemblies, the Coding Caravan was designed to introduce students to practical computer skills and coding, providing them with the tools to succeed in an increasingly digital world.

One of the most impactful moments in the Coding Caravan’s journey was the participation of students from the Swedru Salvation Army School for the Deaf. These students, with the help of their dedicated sign language interpreter, were able to fully engage in the coding lessons. This experience was a powerful testament to IIPGH’s commitment to inclusivity. It proved that when educational programs are tailored to meet the needs of all learners, everyone has the potential to succeed. This initiative is not just about teaching coding; it is about opening doors, fostering creativity, and building confidence among students, regardless of their physical abilities.

But IIPGH’s commitment to inclusivity goes beyond the Coding Caravan. In its regular coding classes, there are a few students with disabilities alongside their peers, ensuring they have access to the same learning opportunities. This inclusive approach reflects our belief that education should be a universal right, not a privilege reserved for a select few. By integrating students with disabilities into its everyday classes, IIPGH is helping to break down barriers and build a more inclusive community, using physical computing devices and screen-based tasks.

Impact and Success stories: The story so far is that IIPGH in Ghana initiated coding lessons for an autistic child, a physically challenged child, and a group of hearing-impaired students in an unserved community in Ghana. This has inspired us to proceed to plan to visit larger schools of PWDs by the close of 2024. This is intended to drive and promote inclusivity through technology. By this, we envisage having collaborations with schools and organizations/partners focusing on PWDs, to have code clubs and groupings to learn how to code and other digital skills programs. Visit https://youtu.be/2lliLVvAq90 for more insight.

This is a part of our broader mission to make digital education accessible to all. By developing programs that cater specifically to the needs of different (dis)ability groups, we are laying the groundwork for a more inclusive digital future.

Challenges and Solutions

Assistive Technologies acquisition, training and usage: a study by Inclusive Tech Group, the case of Ghana

The most cited challenges regarding assistive technologies, as reported in a survey by Inclusive Tech Group, include high cost, limited capabilities, lack of training, and lack of subvention from government. It is observed in the report that most PWDs depend on technologies to efficiently perform their duties, and screen readers are the commonly used assistive technologies.

The high cost of assistive technologies is attributed to the lack of local production because ‘there are very few assistive technology devices that you can find on the Ghanaian market for persons with visual impairment or persons with disabilities in general. So, mostly you would have to import what you require.

One proposition to address this challenge is through government intervention in the form of subsidies for the purchase of assistive technologies. Also, stakeholders must advocate forward looking and innovative frameworks, and state institutions to be firm in implementing laws that protect the rights of PWD. Governments must be committed to developing effective policies on accessibility, serving as guiding rules for service providers, developers and creators.

Conclusion

Technology is revolutionizing our day-to-day lives in new ways, with rapid change. But this also comes with barriers to understanding and access, including for people with disabilities. The inclusion of people with disabilities into everyday activities involves practices and innovative policies designed to identify and remove barriers such as physical, communication, and attitudinal, that hamper individuals’ ability to have full participation in society.

This involves making products, communications, and the physical environment more usable by as many people as possible (universal design); modifying items, procedures, or systems to enable a person with a disability to use them to the maximum extent possible; eliminating the belief that people with disabilities are unhealthy or less capable of doing things or using devices and solutions (stigma, stereotypes); governments, private sector and all relevant stakeholders must improve on policy frameworks to expand technology access, understanding, and confidence, to increase the effective adoption of technology, and support technology companies to create accessible and usable products for people with disabilities.

As we move forward, let us remember that true inclusivity is about more than just opening doors; it’s about removing the barriers that prevent people from walking through them. The efforts of IIPGH, alongside global initiatives, show that when we prioritize inclusivity, we build stronger, more resilient communities. By embracing inclusive and empowering through technology, we can create a world where everyone, regardless of their abilities, has the chance to thrive.

Author: Kafui Amanfu, Institute of ICT Professionals Ghana

For comments, contact +233244357006 or email richard.amanfu@iipgh.org