Rehema Baguma
ABSTRACT
But, for a disabled learner, use of ICTs particularly that adapted to their abilities acts as a sort of extension of their physical body part and provides an opportunity to communicate, participate more meaningfully in learning activities and become gainfully employed. For PwDs to use ICTs and ICT enabled services, they need appropriate Assistive Technologies. Therefore, mainstream ICTs and ICT enabled services must be adapted to work with assistive technologies. The adapted ICTs are commonly called inclusive ICTs. In Uganda, the status of provision and support for use of inclusive ICTs in general and in the education of PwDs in particular, is not known. A few studies have reported low level accessibility of ICT and ICT enabled services for PwDs but at a general level. Therefore, more effort is needed not only to report the status but also to address the gaps. Relevant policies such as the 2011 Draft1 Special Needs and Inclusive Education policy, the Uganda National ICT policy, the Rural Communication Development Fund (RCDF) and the Government of Uganda Website Standards are all silent about making ICTs accessible in general and in the education for PwDs in particular.
This paper reports results of an audit of inclusive ICTs for education of PwDs in Uganda. The study was an implementation of the first phase of the UNESCO policy on inclusive ICTs in education for PwDs in Uganda. The aim of the study was to audit current actions in Uganda on use of inclusive ICTs in education for PwDs and provide recommendations on actions needed to increase use of inclusive ICTs for education of PwDs. Due to time, and resource constraints, and the interest of the sponsor, the scope of disabilities covered in the study was limited to visual and hearing impairments.
- Baguma, R. Bommel, V.B. and Wanyama, T. (2007a) Accessibility of E-government Web Sites for people With Disabilities in Uganda, In proc. of the International Computer Science and ICT Conference 5th to 7th February 2007, Nairobi, Kenya.Google Scholar
- Baguma,R. Wanyama, T.. Bommel, P.V. and Ogao, P. (2007b). Web Accessibility in Uganda: A study of Webmaster perceptions, In proc. of the 3rd Annual International Conference on Computing & ICT Research (SREC'07) 6th - 9th August 2007, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.Google Scholar
- Baguma, R. (2010). Accessible Web Design through Web Accessibility Guidelines, PhD thesis, Radboud University, NetherlandsGoogle Scholar
- Busulwa, A. (2015). From disparity to parity: understanding the barriers to inclusion of persons with visual disabilities in the digital revolution of Uganda, PhD thesis, University of Twente, Netherlands.Google Scholar
- Becta ICT Research: http://mirandanet.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/wtrs_ictsupport.pdfGoogle Scholar
- Elsa, Tomasz and Nuno {2016}. Policy Monitoring on Accessible Technology for Inclusive Education -- Research Findings and Requirements for a Software Tool, Journal of Computer Science and Technology (JCS&T), Vol.16, No.1.Google Scholar
- Emon, P. G. (2014). The realization of human rights for disabled people in higher education in Uganda: a critical analysis drawing on the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, PhD thesis, University of Leeds, UK: http://etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/6863/Google Scholar
- Mattingly, J. & Mwesigwa, M. B. (2011). Impact Assessment of Inclusive Education Approaches in Uganda Commissioned by DFID.Google Scholar
- Nangosi, D. (2014). Children with disabilities (CWDS) are vital and valuable part of the society, yet most marginalised and vulnerable group of persons in Uganda; accessed on 11th February 2016 from: http://www.newvision.co.ug/new_vision/news/1339464/challenges-faced-children-disabilitiesGoogle Scholar
- Riche, N. and Rwampigi, J. A. (2014). A Research Study on Children with Disabilities Living in Uganda, commissioned by UNCEF in Uganda.Google Scholar
- http://www.mediacentre.go.ug/details.php?catId=3&item=221Google Scholar
- Uganda Communications Commission, (2009). Rural Communications Development Policy for Uganda; accessed on 11th May 2016 from: http://www.ucc.co.ug/data/smenu/71/Rural-Communications-Development-Fund---RCDF.htmlGoogle Scholar
- UNESCO (2014). "The Flagship on Education for All and the Right to Education for Persons with Disabilities: Towards Inclusion," 2014Google Scholar
- UNESCO (2014). Model Policy for Inclusive ICTs in Education for Persons with DisabilitiesGoogle Scholar
- UNDP (2016). Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); accessed on 12th February 2016 from: http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/sdgoverview/post-2015-development-agenda.htmlGoogle Scholar
- UNICEF (2014). Research Study on Children with Disabilities Living in Uganda Situational Analysis on the Rights of Children with Disabilities in UgandaGoogle Scholar
- https://www.w3.org/WAI/mobile/Google Scholar
- https://www.w3.org/WAI/intro/wcagGoogle Scholar
- https://www.w3.org/TR/ATAG20/Google Scholar
- http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/uganda_62001.htmlGoogle Scholar
- http://www.daisy.org/daisypedia/versions-daisy-standardGoogle Scholar
- http://idpf.org/epubGoogle Scholar
- http://www.ubos.org/2016/03/24/census-2014-final-results/Google Scholar
- http://www.oystersandpearls.org/author/sandra/Google Scholar
- http://www.esulservices.com/index.htmGoogle Scholar
- http://www.cyberschooltech.com/index.aspGoogle Scholar
- http://idpf.org/epubGoogle Scholar
- http://idea.ed.gov/explore/view/p/,root,statute,I,A,602,1.Google Scholar
- http://www.ureport.ug/Google Scholar
- http://wps.pearsoned.com/accessibility/115/29601/7577872.cw/Google Scholar
- http://www.ict.go.ug/Google Scholar
- http://www.ucc.co.ugGoogle Scholar
- An Audit of Inclusive ICTs for Education in Uganda
Recommendations
Priorities, Technology, & Power: Co-Designing an Inclusive Transit Agenda in Kampala, Uganda
CHI '21: Proceedings of the 2021 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing SystemsThere is considerable effort within the HCI community to explore, document, and advocate for the lived experiences of persons with disabilities (PWDs). However, PWDs from the Global South, particularly Africa, are underrepresented in this scholarship. ...
Citizen-to-Citizen vs. Citizen-to-Government eParticipation in Uganda: Implications for Research and Practice
Electronic ParticipationAbstractThe use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) is growing globally, as is interest in the use of digital technologies to improve citizens’ participation in governance. In African countries, where ICT use remains low and where there is ...
Promoting Inclusive Open Education: A Holistic Approach Towards a Novel Accessible OER Recommender System
Computers Helping People with Special NeedsAbstractOER can pave the way to reach equitable and inclusive access to education for all. However, unleashing its full potential is disrupted due to the disregard of the special needs and learning characteristics of certain user groups such as people ...
Comments