Global Media Journal – Indian Edition
Winter Issue / December 2010
INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION FOR PERSONS
WITH DISABILITY
Dr. Ruma Chatterjee
Associate Professor
Kidderpore College, CU
Vice President (Hon), Society for the Visually Handicapped
Email: [email protected]
Abstract:
Persons with disabilities suffer from denial of proper place in the society. Societal attitude was
of charity and rehabilitation towards them. But the mindset is changing with growing awareness
among the persons with disabilities themselves about their potentialities as contributing
members of society. The United Nations initiatives are significant landmarks in this respect to
induce the national governments for legislatures in conformity with the UN declarations. The
access to information and need for communication of the persons with disabilities necessitated
the adaptations in technology to suit the specific requirements of different categories of
disability. But the assistive technology should be made available to the potential group of young
persons with disabilities who can equip themselves in a better way to contribute to the society.
The “Capability Theory”, as proposed by Amartya Kumar Sen, will have limited implication for
this group of population, if the legislations of the country are not implemented truly.
Keywords: accessibility, reasonable accommodation, full participation, assistive technology,
Capability Theory
The attitude of society towards persons with disabilities has been changing with time. All over
the world, people with disabilities are the largest minority group. They are subjected to a long
history of neglect, segregation, isolation, deprivation, charity, welfare and even pity
1
(Finklestein : 1980). (1) This scenario has significantly changed due to the movements of the
persons with disabilities themselves to build a rights based society, not through rehabilitation,
but through exercise of equal rights and entitlements. The persons with disabilities do not
perceive themselves as separate and isolated individuals, but as people with capabilities to
contribute to the society in which they live. The various international and national legislations
have contributed in this direction.
The major objective of the Asian Pacific Decade of the Disabled Persons, 1993-2002 was full
participation and equality of persons with disabilities. It had focused on the promotion of special
efforts to foster positive attitudes towards children and adults with disabilities, and undertaking
of measures to improve their access to education, employment, cultural and sports activities and
also the physical environment. The Biwako Millenium Framework of Action (BMFA) towards
an inclusive barrier-free and rights based society for persons with disabilities in Asia and the
pacific was adopted extending the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons to 2003-2012.
Among the 7 priority areas for action, number 6 mentions “Access to Information and
Communications, including information, communication and assistive technologies”
(BIWAKO: 2002). (2)
This paper intends to bring out the requirements of the persons with disabilities for accessible
formats in information technology, for enhancement of their abilities and qualities as well, to
compete with the non-disabled population. It also highlights the efforts taken by the
professionals and activists to bring about the requisite changes in the existing laws of the country
for maximum utilization of their potentialities.
I
People with disabilities are not a homogenous group of people. Disability covers a broad range
of physical, mental, sensory and emotional or learning difficulties. Disabled people are infants,
children, teenagers, adults, and elderly, and both male and female. Each person with a disability
will have different information and communication needs. Disabled people are handicapped in
society because they ‘encounter cultural, physical or social barriers which prevent their access to
various systems of society that are available to other citizens’ (Eade and Williams 1995: 305306).
2
As an aftermath of the Biwako Declaration (2002), although some countries have actively
pursued a policy of developing capacity to make low-cost, local assistive devices and aids, others
are totally reliant on donor agencies for support to provide these essential devices. In either case,
there is a significant shortfall in availability and the need within the region is largely unfulfilled.
Priority attention needs to be placed on the issue, at regional and sub-regional level, to alter the
situation for millions of persons with disabilities, who are currently prevented from participating
fully in family, community and economic life. The situation is worse for the rural people with
disabilities. The census of India, 2001 recorded that 75% of the persons with disabilities live in
rural areas. (3)
India is one of the countries with a low dependency window of opportunity, where only 7.1% of
the population is 60 years and above. Approximately 51 % of its population of 1.1 billion is
under 25 years and two-thirds is under 35 years. According to UNESCAP (2008) 34% of the
persons with disability in India are employed in Public sector. (4) In India, the euphoria around
generation X is evident in reports suggesting that it is the driver behind the retail boom,
providing a large proportion of the new consumers of the technology revolution (Ahmed: 2004,
BBC News).(5) While attention is focused on young people’s potential contribution to social
transformation, young people with disabilities remain alienated from mainstream debates.
Mainstream policies and programs overlook the needs of those with disabilities, while the focus
is more on children and adults. Thus the unique social, psychological and physiological concerns
of young people with disabilities tend to go unaddressed. Young people with disabilities are
among the neediest and most overlooked of all the world’s children, and are subject to a double
marginalization, being overlooked in the literature and policies focused on youth, as well as in
literature and policies addressing issues related to people with disabilities(UNICEF, 1999).The
BMFA noted that ‘persons with disabilities, and especially women, youth and those in rural
areas, remain disproportionately undereducated, untrained, unemployed, underemployed and
poor’ (Biwako, 2002).(6)
Significant increases in the numbers of adolescents and young adults with disabilities are
predicted over the next few decades, not just reflecting the increase in youthful age structures in
developing countries, but also because medical advances allow those to survive, and all people
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with disabilities to live longer lives. Most of the Government trainings for persons with
disabilities require some minimum educational qualification. Even if this population gets training
in regular training institutes, government or private, are probably physically inaccessible for
them. (Ghai: 2002) (7). A majority of the private training institutions require them to pay high
tuition fees, which the family may not be able to afford. Lack of accessible transportation and
additional cost of going for training can also prevent persons with disabilities from opting for
regular training opportunities, apart from the attitudinal barriers from the management and staff
of training institutes. Though some companies may be providing on-the-job training to their new
recruits, most demand prior training and make the persons with disabilities go through a
screening process (Friday meeting Transactions, 1999) (8)
Thus, the provisions for “reasonable accommodation” of this group of young adults in accessing
information and communication networks are still either unorganized or not given proper
attention at the implementation level. The legislations speak of the provisions for availability of
the resources for full participation of the young adults with disabilities. This article has provided
information of the available modifications/attachments in technologies for persons with
disabilities of different categories.
Technology
In human-computer interaction, computer accessibility refers to the accessibility of a computer
system to all people, regardless of disability or severity of impairment. It is largely a software
concern; when software, hardware or a combination of software and hardware, is used to enable
a person with disability to access computer facility, it becomes Assistive Technology.
There are different types of disability/impairment which restricts computer use. The
impairments/disabilities mentioned below may be present at variable severities. They may be
acquired from disease or trauma, may be congenital or degenerative in nature. These include:
•
Cognitive impairment and learning disabilities, such as Dyslexia, ADHD,
or Autism
•
Visual impairment such as Low vision, complete or partial blindness
•
Hearing impairment including deafness and hard of hearing
•
Motor or Tactile Impairment such as paralysis, cerebral palsy, etc.
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The biggest challenge in computer accessibility is to make resources accessible to people with
cognitive disabilities, particularly those with poor communication skills and those without
reading skills. The software for computer graphics and visualizations enable persons with
cognitive disabilities to enhance their abilities of expressive communications through
pictures/graphics/cartoons.
Generally computer interfaces solicit visual input and visual feedback in response. For persons
with low vision (mild to medium category), large fonts, high DPI displays, high contrast themes
and icons supplemented with auditory feedback and screen magnifying software are of much
help. One such device is the Optelec Compact+, a pocket sized video magnifier which offers
bright and clear images. While shopping, the snapshot facility is useful for capturing images such
as the price displayed on asupermarket shelf, read contents on prescription labels, and also read
maps and directions.The camera is located at the centre of the unit, allowing the user to use
Compact+ as a handheld magnifier. Easy Reader, a digital talking book player, can be used
anyone who enjoys reading; it is user-friendly for the print-impaired, dyslexic or other specific
learning disabilities. (9)
In the case of severe vision impairment or total blindness, screen reader software that provides
feedback via text to speech or a refreshable Braille display is a necessary accommodation for
interaction with a computer. The Intel Reader works by utilizing a high resolution camera to take
a picture of text. It is as simple as pointing the reader, taking a picture of the text, and letting it
read aloud for the user. The devise converts the printed text into a digital readout which can
either be magnified or played back via synthesized voice. Another added feature is a headphone
jack that would enable the user to maintain privacy. The Intel Reader is compatible with MP3
and Daisy audio formats. (10)
Some people may not use the conventional input device such as the mouse or the keyboard due
to impairment in motor control and/or tactile impairment. Therefore, specialized solutions like
on-screen software keyboards and alternate devices like switches, joysticks, head-pointer/kneepointer, and trackballs are available. Speech recognition technology is also a compelling and
suitable alternative to conventional keyboard and mouse input as it simply requires a commonly
available audio headset. Stephen Hawking, the renowned Astro-Physicist, is the example of a
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person suffering from motor disability. He uses a switch, combined with special software, that
allows him to control his wheel-chair mounted computer using his remaining small movement
ability. This performs as a normal computer, allowing him to research and produce his written
work, and as a Voice Output Communication Aid (VOCA) and environmental control unit.
While sound user interfaces have a secondary role in common desktop computing, software
producers take into account people who cannot hear, either for personal disability, noisy
environments, silence requirements or lack of sound hardware. Such system sounds like beeps
can be substituted or supplemented with visual notifications and captioned text.
II
We are talking of computer accessibility for the persons with disability in the context of United
Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disability (UNCRPD, 2008). (11) Our
country was a signatory to this Convention. It becomes mandatory for a country which had
signed in the Convention, to bring out required changes in the law so that the persons with
Disability can access information and communicate in a dignified way in the society. These
persons should no longer be “excluded” from the facilities and privileges enjoyed/accessed by
the non-disabled citizens in the country. The question is raised whether accessibility can be
ensured to Persons with Disability as it requires capital input to modify/change the infrastructure
for better accessibility and communication; and the general answer to these questions from
ministerial/bureaucratic level are non-availability of financial resources or non-allocation of
funds. (Price & Takamine: 2003). (12)
But one redeeming feature is that the voice of the persons with disabilities has strengthened
during the decade, 1993-2003. The paradigm shift from a medical to a social model of disability,
has been accompanied by the realization that people with disabilities have the right to speak for
themselves and should be consulted on all matters which concern them. In addition to the
extensive networks of national organizations of the World Blind Union and the World Federation
of the Deaf, 22 national cross-disability organizations of people with disability, have been
formed in the region (Asia-Pacific), with others in the process of being started. Governments
were increasingly seeking consultation with these self-help organizations and providing funds to
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support their development, indicating that the Government values the role that they play in
disability concerns (UNICEF: 1999) (13)
The progress of the first Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled persons, exceeded expectations
but the clear message that came out of the detailed evaluation of achievements, was that there is
no room for complacency. Progress made was uneven, and in most cases from such a low
baseline, that it would be surprising indeed, if ten years of attention were sufficient to wipe out
the decades of neglect and rejection, which persons with disabilities, have experienced for
generations in this region, and indeed around the world. Significant changes in attitude, in
acknowledgement of the rights of persons with disabilities, still have to be translated into
continued action, to fully empower persons with disabilities and to ensure that their concerns are
reflected fully in national development agenda throughout the region and that progress towards
this goal is maintained and sustained. The link between the poverty and disability must be
addressed—and redressed (Singhal & Jeffrey: 2009) (14).
III
In a country of where the population is around 110 crores, the number of Persons with Disability
are only 2.1 % according to the Census of India, 2001. In the countries of South Asia,
percentages of persons with disability are much higher compared to India. Even in Sri Lanka,
where the standards of living as well as the health-care provisions have attained a dignified level,
the Persons with Disability to total population are 7%. Due to severe under-estimation in the
numbers of people with disability, the grants in the XIth Five Year Plan are meager to mitigate
the demands of accessibility/inclusion. (15)
Therefore, in the context of the UNCRPD and the Census of India, 2001, civil society
movements were launched all over the country. The pressure from the activists, of whom a
sizable numbers are Persons with Disability themselves, parents and NGOs made the Ministry of
Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India, to assure the enactment of a new law as
against the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full
participation) Act, 1995. A committee was formed to draft the articles of the new law which is
7
now being discussed. Moreover, the Census Office was convinced to incorporate a specific
question on “disability” (No. 9 with 8 columns) in the questionnaire, to be asked by the
enumerator in door to door enumeration, all over the country. The training of the enumerators on
disability question will be provided by the NGO professionals at the district level. The idea is to
ascertain the number as correct as possible for each disability. The questionnaire has been
framed in such a manner as to ascertain the specific numbers of disabilities regarding vision,
hearing, speech, mobility, mental ability, mental illness, other than these (Autism, Haemophilia,
Thalassemia), and multiple disabilities. The numbers would only ensure provisions for better
facilities and accessibilities for the Persons with Disabilities in all walks of life, from birth till
death.
In person and situation specific conditions, the “Capability Theory” proposed by Amartya
Kumar Sen, (Nussbaum & Sen: 1994) (16) may be considered in the context of the live
experiences of the persons with disabilities (Manoj Sharma, 2005).(17) The “capability Theory”
does not postulate the importance of goods themselves or the pleasure one derives from the use
of goods, but emphasizes people’s opportunities to make use of the resources to achieve wellbeing (Sen,1987).(18) For the persons with disabilities, interventions have to be designed to
foster access to the goods and services. Secondly, it has to be identified that, what values the
persons with disabilities place on goods and services they utilize. Most important of all, is the
enhancement of capabilities of persons with disabilities, to access the opportunities and services
available. Sen’s theory, to our opinion, has limited application for the persons with disabilities
living in our country. Sen argues for egalitarian access to capabilities for all. But the persons
with disabilities are at a disadvantage as the capabilities in their lives are often stunted or remain
unidentified due to physical, mental, and social limitations. However, the construct of
capabilities is amenable to modification through factors that pertain to personal, institutional and
societal levels. Meaningful interventions have be designed to modify this construct and improve
the lives of persons with disability.
References:
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1. Finklestein V (1980). Attitudes and Disabled People: Issues for Discussion. World
Rehabilitation Fund, New York.
2. BIWAKO MILLENIUM FRAMEWORK FOR ACTION, 2002
3. Census of India, 2001
4. UNESCAP (2008). Disability At A Glance .
5. Z Ahmed. Youth drives India’s mobile phone revolution, in BBC News, 2004
6. BIWAKO MILLENIUM FRAMEWORK FOR ACTION, 2002
7. Success & Ability; Jan-March 2010; p. 10
8. Anita Ghai (2002). Disability in the Indian Context: post-colonial Perspective” in M
Corker and T Shakespeare (eds.) Disability/Postmodernity, Embodying Disability
Theory, London.
9. Friday Meeting Transactions (1999) “Should vocation Rehabilitation be ‘active therapy’
for the disabled individual, or should it result in ‘economic self-sufficiency’?” Associate
Publication of Asia Pacific Disability Rehabilitation Journal, 2(1), 2002.
10. “New Technology for People with Visual impairment”, Success and Ability, April-June
2010; p. 17
11. United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, 2008.
12. Penny Price & Yutaka Takamine. “The Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons
1993-2002: What Have We Learnt”; Asia Pacific Disability Rehabilitation Journal, vol.4,
No. 2, 2003
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13. UNICEF (1999). An Overview of Young People Living with Disabilities. Their Need and
Their Rights. New York
14. Nidhi Singhal & Roger Jeffrey (2009). “Transition to Adulthood for Young People with
Disabilities in India: Current Status and Emerging Prospects”, Asia Pacific Disability
Rehabilitation Journal, Vol. 20, No.1, 2009
15. For an exhaustive note on Census, 2011, “Census 2011 Making Disability Count” in
Success and Ability, April-June 2010; pp. 19-29
16. A K Sen (1987). Commodities and Capabilities. New Delhi
17. Manoj Sharma (2005). “Reifying Capability Theory in Disability and Rehabilitation
Research”, Asia Pacific Disability Rehabilitation Journal, vol.16, No. 2, 2005
18. M Nussbaum & A K Sen (1988). The Quality of Life. Cambridge, 1993
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