Covid-19 has created a new normal and driven up the use of technology in the way we work and we live. This has created opportunities to reimagine our future, and for people with disabilities, unlocking the enormous potential that lies within it.
This potential for technology to assist people with disabilities lies within many dimensions. The need for appropriate and innovative assistive devices, like mobility or posture aids, robotics, communication devices and other adaptive equipment is a much needed area for development. This development needs to occur in a cost effective and sustainable way that enhances access to more people. Together with this, it must be noted that the rise of digital technology and social media itself is a huge boost to the disability cause, and this technology has already changed the way many disabled people access recreational, work and social opportunities. Access to it must be enhanced for various population groups.
Technology can also transform the way in which we deliver services towards people with disabilities. This could be providing accessible health services through Telehealth, or using technology to co-ordinate, protect, or better care for people with disabilities using apps and other means. Artificial Intelligence and streamlining of data is also a strong leverage point to improve the lives of people with disabilities.
Despite this teeming potential, there remains many barriers to use of technology for people with disabilities. These barriers may be psychological, economical, a lack of awareness, accessibility, and even a lack of sufficiently skilled support services to initiate and maintain use of the technology. Most organizations have limited ability to transform their work and become leaders in application of technology to enhance disability support. Those who have done so, might still struggle to get the appropriate support for their work.
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Twitter Chat Format and Questions:
20:00: 5 Minute Intro - Introduce who you are and what you do.
These questions will be posted at 10 minute intervals and you will retweet them with your answers , starting with the appropriate code (T1,T2, T3) and ending with the hashtag #RehabForAllSA
T1: What are some of the ways that technology can benefit disabled people?
T2: How can we build stronger health and support services for disabled people using technology?
T3: What is currently preventing use of technology for disabled people?
T4: What are some great examples of use of technology for disabled people?
T5: Where would you like to see technology and disability go in the future?
CT: Closing Thoughts: What other thoughts you would like to add?
Panelists:
We are compiling a list of experts and advocates who will be joining us for the Twitter Chat here. If you are attending and would like to be listed as a person with high interest in the subject, please do let us know by emailing us at rehabforallsa@gmail.com or contacting us on Twitter.
Voice for Cruz - @Voice4Cruz
Au-some Kids #voice4cruz is committed to helping parents/ legal-guardian /communities have a better understanding of the daily struggles autistic individuals go through and how to better assist and support a loved one/friend/colleague be comfortable in any environment which will lead to unlocking their unique abilities. The platform was founded by a mother and her child with autism in South Africa with the need to openly talk about their journey in hope to raise awareness on the hopes and needs of families with children on the spectrum. Qhayiya Maqaqa - @qhayiya_m Qhayiya Magaqa is a physiotherapist and Rhodes Scholar currently pursuing a doctoral degree at the University of Oxford. Her research examines the availability and accessibility of rehabilitation services in South Africa from a health policy and systems perspective. Qhayiya's conviction is that assistive device-inclusive rehabilitation services should be available for every person who requires these interventions, in order that people can do the things that are important to them.
Diff-ability - @DIffAbilityCIC
We all have different abilities, Diff-Ability Community interest Company aims to promote positivity about disability, Learning disability and Autism through creating inclusive community events, training and conferences. Inspired by our son who has Down Syndrome.
Sinethemba Disabilities - @SinethembaDO
A nonprofit organisation aimed at bringing social awareness to disabilities in South Africa. This organisation seeks to assist and educate abled bodied individuals on how to create a more inclusive society based on the concept of the social disability model. It’s key audience are the youth as they are the leaders of tomorrow who will effect change, and messages are created to connect specifically with this audience.
Beyond Ability Talent Solutions - @MsPhali
Ntsoaki Phali is the founder of Beyond Ability Talent Solutions, an award-winning disability recruitment agency that has placed over 5500 seekers with disabilities in various economic opportunities in South Africa. This includes mentoring over 800 startups and improving awareness to various corporates and audiences in the SADC region, and the general public through media outlets
Vanessa Carter - @_FaceSA
Vanessa is an e-Patient Scholar at Stanford University Medicine X as well as an antibiotic resistance, one health and disability rights activist for facial disfigurement. Due to a severe car accident during 2004 in Johannesburg, she spent ten years in the medical system reconstructing damage caused to her face which resulted in an antibiotic resistant infection called MRSA. Vanessa teaches and consults in digital medical marketing services to improve access to reliable, patient-centered medical information which still presents as a problem for many patients today, and has established the first Twitter chat to discuss sustainable health development in South Africa. Vanessa is also a mother of a child with autism. Samantha Sibanda - @sam_signsofhope
Samantha Sibanda is a Human Rights Advocate. She is the Founder of Signs of Hope Trust, an organization that advocates for Inclusion of people with Disabilities in national and international development. A Mandela Washington Fellow (2019), Wells Mountain Initiative (USA) Scholar and educator in human Rights as a Teaching Human Rights Fellow (2020). Samantha is studying towards a degree in Special Education at the Zimbabwe Open University. Her publication in the Award winning Global Handbook on Disability Activism can be found here: https://www.routledge.com/The-Routledge-Handbook-of-Disability-Activism/Berghs-Chataika-El-Lahib-Dube/p/book/9780815349303 Alecia Samusels - @wheresalecia Alecia Samuels is a lecturer and researcher at the Centre for Augmentative and Alternative Communication at the University of Pretoria. She is particularly interested in the accessibility of digital materials and technology.
Chelsea Williamson - @Chelsea12_12
Inclusion and Accessibility facilitator at iSchoolAfrica. I believe Accessibility and inclusion is for everyone. Yes, even you. I am passionate about opening mindsets to the realities of accessibility and how even though it is life changing for some, it can be equally as impactful for #everyone. I had to overcome my own personal barriers, and as a result has become dedicated to breaking barriers for all communities by creating awareness shedding light on possible solutions to accessibility and inclusion. David John Kerr - @DJKerr88
David Kerr is a Digital Transformation Specialist with a focus on Accessible technologies, and the impact these can have in Disability awareness. He is based in the United Kingdom. Naomi Schauer - @ConecktOrg
Naomi Schauer has spent 20 years in the field of disability and mental health, initially as a teacher and then as a social worker. She is passionate about helping the sector to educate, support and stimulate individuals with various levels of functioning. Naomi is the founder and CEO of C.O.N.E.C.K.T, a dynamic digital networking platform that facilitates the sharing of information, donations, support and resources for non profit organisations and community-based initiatives.
We Can Access - @Wecanaccess WeCanAccess is a social enterprise with a mission to enable people to access the world physically, socially and economically. Since its conception in 2018, WeCanAccess has become a UN SDG Champion, partnered with UNESCO backed project, #LearningPlanet, providing exemplar toolkits on inclusion and accessibility for their 2021 Learning Festival , and their work in providing support, information, and advocacy has recently been endorsed by the University of East London. Visit www.wecanaccess.com to find out more Thuli Zikalala- @Thuli_Zikalala
Thuli Zikalala is a qualified South African Sign Language (SASL) interpreter with an
Honours degree from Wits University, one of only eleven (11) South African Translation Institute (SATI)accredited SASL interpreters in South Africa. Thuli is also a SASL podcast pioneer, being the first person in South Africa to interpret a podcast into SASL, and her company, Yellow Owl, aims to be an industry leader in widespread use of SASL across all mediums. As an entrepreneur and industry-leader. Thuli is always looking for groundbreaking opportunities to inspire people and push humanity forward. Mariza Jurgens - @jurgensmariza Mariza is a proven board leadership in the public, non-governmental, private and regulatory sectors. Chair, convenor, board member and reference point for public advisory and regulatory processes related to consumer rights, ICT and persons with disabilities. Qualified diplomat, skilled negotiator, as well as advocate and national reference point for persons with disabilities. Extensive local and global non-governmental service, with deep knowledge of issues affecting the disability and women’s sectors. Profound results achieved on behalf of the disability community and others through advocacy, networking and effective engagement with business, government and civil society across different countries, cultures and international organisations .
Form Development Consulting- @FormDConsulting Form Development Consulting is a social innovation consultancy that supports Social Impact Organizations , their funders and their supporters to meet their goals in contributing to a sustainable and inclusive society. We help organizations to understand, communicate and transform the impact of their work. In so doing, we assist them to transition to an enhanced state of innovation and productivity together with the ability to attract strategic investment and achieve sustainability in the long term
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