CONNECT A SCHOOL, CONNECT A COMMUNITY

The United Nations estimates that there are 500 million persons with disabilities around the world.¹¹¹  Policymakers need to consider measures to give these individuals access to the broadband connectivity being offered to their peers.

This is a challenge, since the way broadband is offered needs to be relevant to the disability.  Furthermore, many persons with disabilities are illiterate, so it is essential that basic life skills training be provided as part of broadband initiatives, so that disabled individuals can become independent and fulfilled members of society.

Ideally, funding and planning for assistive technology will be incorporated as an integral component of ICT and education plans.  However, even in less-than-ideal planning exercises, policymakers and educators should identify technologies – both hardware and software, as appropriate – that enable students with disabilities to access online resources and participate in online collaborative environments.  In addition, assistive technologies can be employed to enable persons with disabilities to access existing resources that have previously been out of their reach, such as translation of textbooks into audiobooks.

Assistive technologies can include different types of input devices, such as large-type keyboards, specially designed monitors, text-to-audio and speech recognition applications, and even alternate workstation configurations to accommodate those unable to sit in traditional chairs.  In addition, funding for assistive technologies could include extending the learning environment outside the classroom or school. 

For example, Pakistan’s universal service fund has initiated a programme to provide ICT-related equipment to visually impaired citizens.¹¹²  Although the project is not necessarily education-focused, it could serve as a model for bringing educational opportunities to those who may not be part of the general school population.

Telecom Portugal and Qualcomm are collaborating to fund pilot projects that use 3G mobile broadband technologies for persons with disabilities.¹¹³ The idea of broadband connectivity is to improve educational opportunities and effectiveness for all students.  Using assistive technologies ensures that this includes persons with disabilities.