Long before assistive devices for people with disabilities were invented, most people with disabilities found it hard to go out, mingle and socialize. Historically, they have been experiencing isolations and limitations from engaging and enjoying the privileges of an abled bodied individual.
"About 15% of the world's population have some form of disability and difficulty." (World Health Organization, 2012)
Disability according to World Health Organization is
the result of both physical and social condition of a person. Surprisingly, not
only physical impairments were qualified as disability but also social
conditions such as poverty and sexism.
(Source)
Recently people with disabilities have started going
out of their shells and engaging in their communities as well as in the larger
group most especially during the boom of the world wide web which enable them
to engage without the need to go out and travel. Audio books, talking computers
and cell phones, scanners for the visually impaired many other more assistive
devices have been taking its posts and were invented in order to address the
needs of people with disabilities.
(Source)
Also, technology helped them to organize themselves.
According to a study by Sarah Harris and her colleagues, advocacy and
technology are two core strategies used by the disability community to advance
the rights of people with disabilities. They added that these adaptive
technology is important in the inclusion of people with disabilities in the
society and for them to enhance their abilities to involve themselves
indecision making process most especially in politics and policy making.
However, though technology seem very helpful, it can also serve as additional
barrier towards achieving an inclusive, barrier free environement due to its
costs and lack of education as well as inaccessibility of its features.
(Harries et al.,2012)
Therefore in order to utilize the full potential of
the technology as well as the persons with disability, equal access to advanced
technology must be pushed forwards to weaken the isolation and disempowerment
and increase the opportunities for PWDs to enjoy a barrier free life and become
involved and engaged. To quote Harris and her colleagues (2012):
“Creating equal access to advanced technology for all
people will help weaken the digital divide and increase opportunities for
individuals with disabilities to become involved in policymaking processes.”
INCLUSION IS THE KEY TO EMPOWERMENT.
[Mariecar Reyes]
REFERENCES
Harris, S.P., Owen, R., & De Ruiter,
C. (2012). Civic Engagement and People with Disabilities: The Role of Advocacy
and Technology, Journal of Community Engagement and Scholarship,
5(1), 70-83.World Health Organization (2011). World report on disability. Retrieved
from http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2011/9789240685215_eng.pdf
World Health Organization.(2012). Disability
and Health Key facts. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs352/en/index.html
National Statistics Office. (2013) Persons
with Disability in the Philippines (Results from the 2010 Census).
Retrieved last March 10, 2014 from
http://www.census.gov.ph/content/persons-disability-philippines-results-2010-census
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