Qatar and the needs of Arabic PWD

Rethinking Universal Access

Rethinking the issue

• Traditionally the model has been to see the problem as one of the region

• This equates to a medical not social model of disability

• We perceive the problem as being local, not systemic

Current model

• AT industry design and builds for a market, it has to as it must make profit to develop

• The model has been successful in developing for fixed markets.

• As a result english speakers and broadly latin based languages use and reuse eachothers material from advice to training to code and experience

• Non Latin languages are excluded as a result of the model

• Solution is to attempt to localise and retrofit AT to meet regional needs

AT Ecosystem in Middle East is Changing

Region is characterised by – Variation of Language– Variation of Wealth– Variation of culture from west – differing principles

Region is developing Services – Awareness– Assessment– Training– Support – Research

Examples•Mada Center Qatar links with Egypt, Tunisia, UAE, Saudi Arabia•Technology platforms are changing from local to pervasive and cloud based

Growth in Global Access requires new thinking• AT and Accessibility reframed

• Take account of language and culture – without assumptions and imposition of value judgements

• Explore definitions where integration of AT enhances existing social roles rather than replaces

• Found on principle that globally PWD have more in common than differences

• Start with licences -Open source and Creative commons need to evolve to allow universal use and reuse whilst protecting and financing industry and copyright holders as key stakeholders

• Entry level concept needs to be rethought as a global issue based on local dependencies not as a universal designed for those countries with long AT history, wealth or infrastructure

• Based on Universal Access• Designed as Vanilla to be flavoured

Risks ?• Increased fragmentation• Increased dependence on Industrial model• Creation of a new third world of Digital Societies

• As global politics shift and evolves it is as much in the interests of developed AT regions to respond as it is of benefit to emerging ecosystems

• Leads to increased – Market– Investment– Value