1. eInclusion Stops Where The
Beneficiary Cannot Afford Or
Understand ICT Based
Solutions
Karel Van Isacker
AEGIS Workshop and International Conference, Brussels

2. ICT AT impact on Daily Life
• Definitions
• eInclusion embraces the use of ICT to achieve wider
inclusion objectives. It focuses on participation of all
individuals and communities in all aspects of the
information society. - 2006 Riga ministerial
declaration
• AT is any item, piece of equipment, or product
system whether acquired commercially of the shelf,
modified or customized, that is used to increase,
maintain, or improve functional capabilities of
individuals with disabilities. – [2] Individuals with
Disabilities Education ACT (IDEA) 20, USC, Chapter
33, Section 1401 (25) US
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3. Benefits AT ICT
• AT ICT provide a wide plethora of opportunities
to (again) actively participate in daily life, and
communicate and interact with one's
environment.
• Provides increasingly creative solutions with
consumer goods (e.g. iPad applications for
communication support to those with speech
impairments).
• An efficient implementation of AT requires that it
is recognised that people have different needs,
abilities and preferences and not a “one size that
fits all”.
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4. And?
• This was the good news.
• So why is it that not everyone in need of AT ICT
support is using it, or has access to it?
• Inclusion is an illusion
OR
• Successful Inclusion: Not Just an Illusion
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5. Let‟s have a look at some data …
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6. Various research projects
• Recent research by the AEGIS (2009),
ACCESSIBLE (2009) and ViPi (2011) EC funded
projects.
• Highlighted vast array of barriers and problems
that have hampered the full take-up of AT ICT
by every person with a disability.
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7. Main barriers
• AT industry issues:
• European AT industry: patchwork of small specialised
companies with limited financial basis
• Because of the limited size of local markets, products
tend to be expensive.
• Policy issues:
• Different social policy across European Member States
for subsidising/reimbursing AT products
• Some countries offer full refunds (e.g. Belgium), some
cover basically nothing (e.g. Greece).
• Most countries lack specialised agencies/staff to assist
people with disabilities with correct choice on AT ICT.
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8. Main barriers
• End-user issues:
• End-users largely unaware of the available AT solutions
• AT that are easiest to obtain are also the ones most easily
abandoned.
• High purchasing costs for end users.
• Ongoing mismatch between needs end user and offered AT.
• High percentage (up to 30% in the USA) of obtained ATs
being discarded within a year.
• Almost half of the end-users experience problems using AT.
• Training lacks to use AT, but mainly basic ICT skills.
• End users having AT cannot use it to a full extent, or in
some cases not at all, and resulting in abandonment
(between 50-70%).
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9. Main barriers - Purchase of AT by
end-users
• The medical oriented model:
• Starting point is the handicap where the physician initiates
necessary procedures and must approve the need for listed
and reimbursed AT based on medical arguments.
• The social oriented model
• Based upon national legislation and local and decentralised
execution, and involves national/local agencies that
coordinate the provision and funding of AT, often also after
the person with disability is evaluated by a panel of medical
experts (like in the medical oriented model) to define the
degree of disability, and the access to subsidies.
• The consumer oriented model:
• The end-user has direct contact with a retailer in order to
get his/her AT product (e.g. personal budget).
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10. Main barriers - Purchase of AT by
end-users
APPLS FOR VOICE SOFTWARE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL
HEARING AIDS BRAILLE READERS
COMMUNICATION COMMUNICATION CONTROL SYSTEMS
AUSTRIA medical social social social social
BELGIUM medical social social social social
DENMARK social social social social social
FINLAND medical medical medical medical medical
FRANCE medical social consumer social + consumer social + consumer
GERMANY medical social social social social
GREECE medical consumer consumer consumer consumer
HUNGARY medical consumer consumer consumer consumer
IRELAND medical + consumer medical + consumer medical + consumer medical + consumer medical + consumer
ITALY medical medical medical medical social
NETHERLANDS medical social social social social
PORTUGAL medical consumer medical + social social + consumer consumer
SLOVAKIA medical social social social consumer
SLOVENIA medical medical medical social + consumer social + consumer
SPAIN medical * consumer social + consumer social + consumer social
SWEDEN medical medical medical medical medical
UK medical social social consumer social
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11. Main barriers - Purchase of AT by
end-users
Gérard Abramovici: Social Protection in Europe, Statistics in focus: Population and social conditions Theme 3 – 6/2004, p.1-8
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12. A New Reality, The Financial Crisis
• 2008-2009 financial and
economic crises
• Escalating effect
• Fiscal, political and largely
neglected social impact
• UN “Report on the World Social
Situation 2011: The Global Social
Crisis”
• Many governments do not pay
sufficient attention to the social
implications of the global economic
crisis.
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13. Reaction…
• European Union‟s “Europe 2020”
strategy
• Social inclusion 1 of the 3 pillars to
strengthen Europe.
• European Disability forum (EDF)
recently pointed out that:
• Current economic, social and political
policies adopted by Member States
and the EU may lead to an increase in
the numbers of people experiencing
social exclusion in Europe.
• „EDF observatory on the impact of the
economic crisis on the rights of
persons with disabilities‟
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14. Own survey…
• Limited survey in August-
September 2011 among
European Anti Poverty
Network (EAPN)
• Limited to no impact:
• Malta
• Hungary
• Germany
• Cuts experienced:
• Ireland
• Spain
• Greece
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15. Greece…
• Never had any funding in
place for end-users for
purchasing AT hardware
or software
• No state support
mechanism, such as for
instance an exhibition
centre or electronic
gateway, for gaining
information on or testing
assistive ICT devices, or
even receiving training.
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16. Greece…
• Greece
• Poor pre-crisis social system with hardly
any support
• 2006, disability benefits accounted for 4.7% of
all benefits expenditure compared to an EU27
average of 7.5% (2nd lowest)
• Now: social budgets have been
substantially cut
• Minimum 10% cut in social security spending
• Unemployment is growing with a record high of
18.4% in August 2011
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17. Greece…
• Identified barriers in AT usage in Greece
• Only 4 in 10 PwD aware of AT solutions that meet
their accessibility needs in using ICT.
• 11% of non-users of ICT with a disability believe
that their disability prohibits them from using AT.
• 9% indicates that there is no AT adapted to their
needs.
• Non-use of ICT attributed to lack of digital skills for
23% of non-users with a disability.
• 45% of all participants with a disability believe that
using ICT and AT requires a high level of digital
skills.
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18. Greece…
• Typical example how eInclusion
stops where the beneficiary cannot
(longer) afford ICT based
solutions.
• Typical example how eInclusion
stops where the beneficiary cannot
(longer) understand ICT based
solutions.
• Similar situations are in the
making in countries like Spain,
Portugal, and potentially spreading
to other European member states
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19. Possible Solutions
• Policy
• Unified policy with regards to the funding
provided by governments for purchasing
AT ICT.
• Towards “lending” of AT, even across
borders, to fill the gap between the
have‟s and the have not‟s among the
people with disabilities.
• Austerity measures to be shared more
equitably to minimise losses for lower
income groups.
• Financing of social NGOs should be
preserved from cuts both at EU and
national level.
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20. Possible Solutions
• Training
• Well-organised training programmes to allow
people with disabilities to become aware of how
they need to use AT (Basic ICT skills). In line
also with the Lisbon Summit.
• End-users should be more aware of
• what exists to address their personal needs,
• what the benefits are for each AT,
• How they can use these ATs in an optimal manner.
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