Inclusion and Independence: The impact of Mobile Technology on the Lives of Persons with Disabilities in Kenya and Bangladesh

Resource type
Conference Paper
Authors/contributors
Title
Inclusion and Independence: The impact of Mobile Technology on the Lives of Persons with Disabilities in Kenya and Bangladesh
Abstract
Globally, mobile technology plays a significant role connecting and supporting people with disabilities. However, there has been limited research focused on understanding the impact of mobile technology in the lives of persons with disabilities in low or middle- income countries. This paper presents the findings of a participatory photovoice study looking at the role that mobile phones play in the daily lives of 16 persons with disabilities in Kenya and Bangladesh. Participants used a combination of pictures and voice recordings to capture their own stories and illustrate the impact that mobile phone use has on their lives. Through thematic analysis, we categorized the benefits of mobile phones captured by participants as 1) Improved social connection; 2) Increased independence and 3) Access to opportunities. While mobile phones are ubiquitously used for communication, for persons with disabilities they become essential assistive technologies that bridge barriers to opportunities which are not accessible otherwise. Our paper adds evidence to the need for mobile phones for persons with disabilities to enable communication and connectivity in support of development.
Date
2020-10-29
Proceedings Title
2020 IEEE Global Humanitarian Technology Conference (GHTC)
Conference Name
2020 IEEE Global Humanitarian Technology Conference (GHTC)
Place
Seattle, WA, USA
Publisher
IEEE
Pages
1-8
Language
en
ISBN
978-1-72817-388-7
Short Title
Inclusion and Independence
Accessed
12/01/2024, 17:07
Library Catalogue
DOI.org (Crossref)
Citation
Jahan, N., Barbareschi, G., Jan, C. A., Mutuku, C. M., Rahman, N., Austin, V., & Holloway, C. (2020). Inclusion and Independence: The impact of Mobile Technology on the Lives of Persons with Disabilities in Kenya and Bangladesh. 2020 IEEE Global Humanitarian Technology Conference (GHTC), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1109/GHTC46280.2020.9342934