Realizing the potential of accessible ICTs in developing countries.

PURPOSE: To raise the awareness of policy makers, economic development practitioners, and service providers about the importance of making information and communication technology (ICT) based international economic development in low- and middle-income countries inclusive of people with disabilities and to discuss the role and importance of addressing the complete ICT and assistive technology (AT) ecosystem to ensure sustainable, scalable, and affordable access to ICTs and ICT-based programs. METHOD: This commentary piece draws upon recent literature and practice cases to examine the role of accessible ICTs in international development. RESULTS: Accessible ICTs can enhance economic participation and prevent exclusion from participation in international development programs. Access to and use of accessible technologies are largely determined by the ecosystem in which they exist and can be enhanced or hindered by government policy and legislation and the quality of the service delivery systems and financing mechanisms. CONCLUSIONS: People with disabilities in developing countries face daunting barriers to socioeconomic participation. Accessible ICTs can eliminate or mitigate some of these barriers. However, technology advancements do not solely promote penetration, affordability, or scalability of ICT-based development for persons with disabilities. A comprehensive ecosystem approach can help in developing sustainable mechanisms for access, affordability, and availability.

Assistive/rehabilitation technology, disability, and service delivery models.

The United Nation's Millennium Development Goals do not explicitly articulate a focus on disability; similar failures in the past resulted in research, policy, and practice that are not generalizable and did not meet the needs of persons with disabilities since they were developed for an "average" population. Academics and professionals in health and other disciplines should have a knowledge base in evidence-based practices that improve well-being and participation of people with disabilities through effective service delivery of assistive technology. Grounded by a theoretical framework that incorporates a multivariate perspective of disability that is acknowledged in the convention on the rights of persons with disabilities and the World Health Organization's International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health, we present a review of models of assistive technology service delivery and call for future syntheses of the fragmented evidence base that would permit a comparative effectiveness approach to evaluation.

Workplace accommodations: occupational therapists as mediators in the interactive process.

Employers are required under the Americans with Disabilities Act to provide qualified individuals with disabilities workplace accommodations if needed to enable their performance of essential job functions, maintain successful employment, and effectively contribute to the workforce and society. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and many federal courts recommend an "interactive process" between the employee and employer, to facilitate effective accommodations. Research demonstrates, however, that often the parties to the process are uncertain of their roles and responsibilities. Similarly, court decisions have not uniformly clarified the specific requirements of the interactive process or alternate best practices to achieve an effective outcome. This article asserts that an occupational therapist with special training in ergonomics may make a significant contribution to identifying and implementing effective workplace accommodations, by mediating the interactive process between employer and employee. This unique role is illuminated by examination of the occupational therapist's professional expertise implementing a successful accommodation (case study) contrasted with an unsuccessful accommodation process that required litigation to resolve. Furthermore, we discuss the role of legal mediation principles in the occupational therapist's practice, suggesting ways to improve accommodation outcomes and avoid litigation. Recommendations for future research and practice are presented.

Corporate culture and employment of people with disabilities: role of social workers and service provider organizations.

Corporate culture reflects an organization's value system and impacts the recruitment, retention, and promotion of employees. Individuals with disabilities are positively impacted by a corporate culture that espouses and establishes a diverse workforce as a priority. This article provides an overview of corporate culture and the employment of individuals with disabilities, and presents a case example of the corporate culture of a large not-for-profit disability service organization. With an in-depth understanding of corporate culture and disability issues, social workers can be particularly helpful to applicants and employees with disabilities as well as employers.

Developing accessible cyberinfrastructure-enabled knowledge communities in the national disability community: theory, practice, and policy.

Since publication of the Atkins Commission report in 2003, the national scientific community has placed significant emphasis on developing cyberinfrastructure-enabled knowledge communities, which are designed to facilitate enhanced efficiency and collaboration in geographically distributed networks of researchers. This article suggests that the new cyberinfrastructure movement may not fully benefit those participants with disabilities, unless closer attention is paid to legal mandates and universal design principles. Many technology-enhanced learning communities provide geographically distributed collaboration opportunities that expand the inclusion of diverse peoples and help close the digital divide. However, to date, most collaboratory efforts have not emphasized the need for access among people with disabilities nor meeting minimum standards for technological accessibility. To address these concerns, this article reports on two pilot collaboratory studies that explore the role advanced information, communication, and collaboration technologies play in enhancing geographically distributed collaboration among specific research and applied networks within the national disability community. Universal design principles inform the design of the collaboratory and its use and our efforts to ensure access for all. Data for this article come from Web-based surveys, interviews, observations, computer logs, and detailed, mixed-methods accessibility testing. Emerging results suggest that with deliberate and systematic efforts, cyberinfrastructure can be more accessible and generate benefits among persons with disabilities. The authors provide lessons learned and recommendations for future research, policy, law, and practice.