Access Technologies and Accessibility for Inclusion

“Access technology” (AT) is a term used to discuss assistive and adaptive technologies. While these terms are often used interchangeably, “access technology” is proposed insofar as the idea of “assistive” may be understood as redundant and condescending, since every technology can be perceived as assistive in one way or another (Ladner, 2010). The United States Assistive Technology Act (Technology Related Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities Act of 1988, Public Law 100–407, renewed 1998) defines assistive or adaptive technologies as “products, devices, or equipment, whether acquired commercially, modified or customized, that are used to maintain, increase, or improve the functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities” (Section 3.1).While this definition includes a vast range of artifacts extending from wheelchairs to eyeglasses, this entry focuses on computing or digital information based AT. The growing field of ICT4D examines many ways in which technology can impact on social and economic inclusion in lowand middle-income countries (LMICs). Such work is frequently social commentary and practice focused on the role of technology in social inequality and in service delivery in a range of areas from health care and education to governance and financial services. Among the various conversations on institutional capacity and marginalization, there has been a debate on questions of accessibility in society, particularly for citizens with disabilities. With the recent signing and ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), there has been a great deal of work, undertaken with a sense of urgency, on the policy front. This has been particularly the case as countries with no history of disability