Please Do Not Call It Human Right: A Southern Epistemological Perspective on the Digital Inclusion of People With Disabilities in South Africa
- Authors: Dalvit, Lorenzo
- Date: 2023
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , book chapter
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/468228 , vital:77034 , ISBN 9781003388289 , https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781003388289-5/please-call-human-right-lorenzo-dalvit
- Description: South Africa is one of the world’s most unequal countries and has a well-known past of serious human rights abuses. Despite a progressive legal system, a relatively large economy, and one of the highest rates of Internet penetrations on the African continent, social inequalities extend to the digital domain. While digital inclusion for all is inscribed as a desirable goal in policy documents, in practice this is not the case. The rights based on which policy documents rely and from which much of the formal civil society sector draws is rooted in Western understanding of concepts such as “dignity”, “ability”, “inclusion”, and even “disability” itself. Employing a decolonial approach, this chapter problematises narratives about the digital inclusion of people with disabilities. It argues that for South Africans with disabilities, benefitting from government interventions and enforcing their rights depend to a large extent on their socio-economic background. An emerging body of research documents challenges associated with the new forms of exclusion/invisibility of people with disabilities online, such as inaccessible software/hardware, a steep learning curve, or the practice of hiding one’s disability to avoid pity or stigma. The ubiquity of digital technology makes digital inclusion of people with disabilities more of a necessity rather than a choice or a right.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Dalvit, Lorenzo
- Date: 2023
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , book chapter
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/468228 , vital:77034 , ISBN 9781003388289 , https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781003388289-5/please-call-human-right-lorenzo-dalvit
- Description: South Africa is one of the world’s most unequal countries and has a well-known past of serious human rights abuses. Despite a progressive legal system, a relatively large economy, and one of the highest rates of Internet penetrations on the African continent, social inequalities extend to the digital domain. While digital inclusion for all is inscribed as a desirable goal in policy documents, in practice this is not the case. The rights based on which policy documents rely and from which much of the formal civil society sector draws is rooted in Western understanding of concepts such as “dignity”, “ability”, “inclusion”, and even “disability” itself. Employing a decolonial approach, this chapter problematises narratives about the digital inclusion of people with disabilities. It argues that for South Africans with disabilities, benefitting from government interventions and enforcing their rights depend to a large extent on their socio-economic background. An emerging body of research documents challenges associated with the new forms of exclusion/invisibility of people with disabilities online, such as inaccessible software/hardware, a steep learning curve, or the practice of hiding one’s disability to avoid pity or stigma. The ubiquity of digital technology makes digital inclusion of people with disabilities more of a necessity rather than a choice or a right.
- Full Text:
The role of the web in the promotion of African languages
- Maseko, Pamela, Nosilela, Bulelwa B, Sam, Msindisi S, Terzoli, Alfredo, Dalvit, Lorenzo
- Authors: Maseko, Pamela , Nosilela, Bulelwa B , Sam, Msindisi S , Terzoli, Alfredo , Dalvit, Lorenzo
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/431370 , vital:72768
- Description: In this article we explore the possible contribution of the Web in promot-ing the use and status of African languages. Participation in sharing and producing knowledge through the Web can play a key role in the eco-nomic, social and educational development of Africa. While physical ac-cess to information is hampered by lack of infrastructure and connectivi-ty, epistemological access is hampered by the use of English. Re-sources in African languages are available. Until the amount of Web content and the number of users reach critical mass, these resources play a symbolic rather than an instrumental role in promoting African lan-guages. The use of electronic resources available on the Web could contribute to cutting the printing and transport cost of paper material, es-pecially in multilingual settings where many languages would have to be represented. Another practical way in which the Web can promote the development of African languages is to promote communication among their speakers. This is already showing its potential by allowing experts from various disciplines to work collaboratively on the development of new indigenous terminology through mailing lists and chat rooms. On a larger scale, the Web can play a unifying function among speakers of different varieties of the same African language.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Maseko, Pamela , Nosilela, Bulelwa B , Sam, Msindisi S , Terzoli, Alfredo , Dalvit, Lorenzo
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/431370 , vital:72768
- Description: In this article we explore the possible contribution of the Web in promot-ing the use and status of African languages. Participation in sharing and producing knowledge through the Web can play a key role in the eco-nomic, social and educational development of Africa. While physical ac-cess to information is hampered by lack of infrastructure and connectivi-ty, epistemological access is hampered by the use of English. Re-sources in African languages are available. Until the amount of Web content and the number of users reach critical mass, these resources play a symbolic rather than an instrumental role in promoting African lan-guages. The use of electronic resources available on the Web could contribute to cutting the printing and transport cost of paper material, es-pecially in multilingual settings where many languages would have to be represented. Another practical way in which the Web can promote the development of African languages is to promote communication among their speakers. This is already showing its potential by allowing experts from various disciplines to work collaboratively on the development of new indigenous terminology through mailing lists and chat rooms. On a larger scale, the Web can play a unifying function among speakers of different varieties of the same African language.
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Adoption of ICTs in a marginalised area of South Africa
- Mapi, Thandeka, Dalvit, Lorenzo, Terzoli, Alfredo
- Authors: Mapi, Thandeka , Dalvit, Lorenzo , Terzoli, Alfredo
- Date: 2008
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/431130 , vital:72747 , https://d1wqtxts1xzle7.cloudfront.net/4390301/5-thandeka-libre.pdf?1390837024=response-content-disposi-tion=inline%3B+filename%3DAdoption_of_ICTs_in_a_Marginalised_Area.pdfExpires=1714988863Signature=N683m3iYa8BDSsrNBb-fZpYmsy~pftZZQbiEdNz8ZFJaL2I-Wt32FIJcLEKFnrSjj0AfnYak4RVZjuZhuFVHQZOnkt7tIBBwccqexeEkwq94rCX6r1~aA~GdyL4Z3WzHRK~Xoug17mnu869TGq8VxuSNBf-LmbSr03uZeXlk2dpobbp3ROl06wauhLm02p1th1qBM5n-Bc0q8wYS-zkY-jA9fc7w6ZE~m6hlHE6Amt1xg~db99oRcu1EuXSdHyWDZDw3OsQ9zlMfX7AU6EBhfAtFbxXuVXOlNOEPuXHgiQ1UbFveqfVKGFRg0dmYXzw62MQM0EQQ2g4qXgk2Xc2z0cQ__Key-Pair-Id=APKAJLOHF5GGSLRBV4ZA
- Description: This paper examines how a community in Dwesa, a marginalised area in the Transkei Region of the Eastern Cape, South Africa, adopts Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). This research is part of the Siyakhula project, which aims at promoting the potential of the area through ICTs. The project is situated in four different schools: Mpume, Nondobo, Mtokwane and Ngwane. Fostering ICT awareness and a sense of owner-ship by the community are seen as crucial factors, and computer literacy education is an integral part of the project. The study focuses on how di-verse groups of people adopt new technologies and approach ICT educa-tion. Qualitative research methods such as Participatory Action Research (PAR) and Participant Observation (PO) were adopted in the study.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Mapi, Thandeka , Dalvit, Lorenzo , Terzoli, Alfredo
- Date: 2008
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/431130 , vital:72747 , https://d1wqtxts1xzle7.cloudfront.net/4390301/5-thandeka-libre.pdf?1390837024=response-content-disposi-tion=inline%3B+filename%3DAdoption_of_ICTs_in_a_Marginalised_Area.pdfExpires=1714988863Signature=N683m3iYa8BDSsrNBb-fZpYmsy~pftZZQbiEdNz8ZFJaL2I-Wt32FIJcLEKFnrSjj0AfnYak4RVZjuZhuFVHQZOnkt7tIBBwccqexeEkwq94rCX6r1~aA~GdyL4Z3WzHRK~Xoug17mnu869TGq8VxuSNBf-LmbSr03uZeXlk2dpobbp3ROl06wauhLm02p1th1qBM5n-Bc0q8wYS-zkY-jA9fc7w6ZE~m6hlHE6Amt1xg~db99oRcu1EuXSdHyWDZDw3OsQ9zlMfX7AU6EBhfAtFbxXuVXOlNOEPuXHgiQ1UbFveqfVKGFRg0dmYXzw62MQM0EQQ2g4qXgk2Xc2z0cQ__Key-Pair-Id=APKAJLOHF5GGSLRBV4ZA
- Description: This paper examines how a community in Dwesa, a marginalised area in the Transkei Region of the Eastern Cape, South Africa, adopts Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). This research is part of the Siyakhula project, which aims at promoting the potential of the area through ICTs. The project is situated in four different schools: Mpume, Nondobo, Mtokwane and Ngwane. Fostering ICT awareness and a sense of owner-ship by the community are seen as crucial factors, and computer literacy education is an integral part of the project. The study focuses on how di-verse groups of people adopt new technologies and approach ICT educa-tion. Qualitative research methods such as Participatory Action Research (PAR) and Participant Observation (PO) were adopted in the study.
- Full Text:
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