Information Services for the Disabled

BACKGROUND

• Inaccessible environments ( lack of ramps, automated door openers, adjustable work stations, signs, visual-audio alerting systems (e.g. lifts), purpose built toilets)
• Attitudinal barriers and social exclusion ( disabled persons are seen as outcasts & a burden in some cultural set ups).
• Disabled persons are doubly disadvantaged because of their functional limitations, lack of skills, illiteracy; lack or minimal access to basic services (health, education), technical, and communication and information services.

In recognition of the key role information access plays in development, the WB Disability Unit embarked on a pilot project aimed at ensuring that disabled persons and in particular those with visual disability have access to information. Kenya Public Information Center was identified as a pilot project.

At the initial stages, consultations were held with Disabled Persons Organizations (DPOs) to establish opportunities and challenges that persons with visual disabilities face while accessing information. It was found out that:

• Access to information is expensive, tedious & at times frustrating. Persons with visual disabilities rely on others to read for them at a cost
• Persons with visual disabilities most often need a guide to move from one place to another in search of information.
• Braille academic materials are rare and those available are bulky for regular use.
• Buildings housing information centers were not designed with disabled person’s access in mind.
• Very few institutions & individuals have / can afford assistive technologies

Only the Kenya Society for the Blind was undertaking training on some of the assistive technologies at a cost and only few could afford.

• Only two trainers were identified as skilled in use assistive technologies.
• Computer literacy was found to be very low among persons with visual disabilities

The findings indicated a major challenge of information access by persons with visual disabilities. With this background, the Kenya PIC in consultations with DPOs and an architect, started working towards alleviating some of the physical and technological challenges likely to hinder use of the PIC by persons with disabilities.

FACILITIES

While undergoing renovation in the year 2004, the Kenya PIC made deliberate efforts to ensure ease of accessibility and comfort for persons with disabilities. Things taken into account during the renovation included ramps, adequate movement space, usable toilets, chairs, low shelves, signs as well as favorable entry point to the PIC.

Assistive Technologies

Five (5) computers with assistive technologies have been set apart for use by the visually disabled persons. The s oftware in these computers include:

• JAWS, specially designed screen reader software which converts a normal PC into a “talking” computer.
• MaGIC, a screen/font magnifier for persons with low vision
• Duxbury , a Braille translation software for converting normal text into Braille

The hardware available in the PIC include:

• Embosser which embosses the words onto the Braille paper
• Focus 44, a Braille display device that allows a person who has both visual and hearing disabilities to read the contents of a screen
• Ear Phones t o avoid distractions on other users

PARTNERSHIP AND OUTREACH

Outreach and partnership have been identified as key to awareness creation and as an important aspect in the increase in the use of PIC services to both regular and disabled persons. Some of the outreach services undertaken to increase the use by persons with disabilities include:

• The PIC Launch held in the year 2004 had heavy presence of representatives from DPOs. and saw persons with various categories of disabilities participating. The services for the disabled persons were the days’ highlight with the key note speech given by a visually handicapped university lecturer who gave an account of challenges he has had to undergo to get where he is. Demonstrations on the use of the assistive technologies were also presented by a visually handicapped person too.
• The PIC continues to be involved in meetings and other outreach activities organized by the DPOs. For example, the PIC was proactively involved in the Disability Week of Nov 2004 where a half day seminar was organized round the topics that were in discussion in Washington, D.C. This brought together disability groups of various categories.
• PIC brochures, some in Braille format, are distributed whenever we have an outreach event
• The Kenya PIC launched a partnership with the Society for Professionals with Visual Disabilities (SOPVID) on 8 th December 2004. The partnership aims at ensuring full participation of persons with disabilities in development through information access, which is in line with the World Bank’s corporate focus on inclusion of people with disabilities into the development agenda.
• The PIC avails the facilities for use for activities even organized outside the bank. In January 2006, the Africa Union for the Blind utilized the PIC facilities in the preparation of their regional meeting. The UNDP too will hold a Training of Trainers program in the PIC.

TRAINING

Primary schools’ teacher training colleges have the largest concentration of students with disabilities. One such college, Highridge Teachers’ College, managed to install the assistive technologies with help from an oil company and reports reaching us indicate the teachers trained in the PIC are already training their students, who are in turn expected to teach primary school pupils on the use of the technologies. The PIC’s and SOPVID’s vision is that this will have a multiplication effect.

OUTCOMES

Visits

These special services have seen a tremendous increase in awareness of the PIC services, which has led to an increased demand for PIC services by persons with disabilities and in particular, the persons with visual disabilities. The current average of 10 disabled persons per week is notable, since the PIC’s location is not convenient for access to the regular users leave alone the disabled.

Value added

Analysis on the feedback from the users of this service indicates that they find the information resources useful to their tasks. Students with visual disabilities are able to independently complete their term papers, access emails and write research proposals.

Reginald Oduor is a notable example of how PIC service has added value to his life. Reginald is lecturer at the University of Nairobi. For more than 10 years, he was unable work on his PhD in philosophy due to lack of access to key information resources. He has been a regular PIC user and is currently a subscriber of a site which offers philosophy journals. Reginald is at a very advanced level in his thesis.

Dissemination to the Bank Audience

The Kenya PIC made a presentation during the 2005 CommNet Forum on experiences with this service with an aim of sensitizing the attendees of the Forum on the issues of disabilities and the need for inclusion in their communication strategies. Several countries have sought advice on how to get started.

Perception of the Bank

The disabled persons who have used PIC services appreciate and view the bank as a listening Bank and an institution ready to assist the local citizen.

Consultations

The Kenya PIC has been identified as a key player in the development of the disabled persons both internationally and locally. We have been consulted by the Uganda, World Bank PIC, UNDP in Azerbaijan, Tanzania Development Information Center, Tanzania Union for the Blind, University of Nairobi, Kenyatta University, United States International University – Africa (USIU), Thika School for the Blind among others.

CHALLENGES AND THE WAY FORWARD

• Budgetary constraints to undertake effective outreach; hold meetings, logistics and transport. Society for Professionals with Visual Disabilities (SOPVID) is working quite hard to train the persons with visual disabilities persons in the use of assistive technologies within Nairobi. Currently, it is a challenge to train out of Nairobi.

SOPVID and the PIC are currently seeking agencies to partner with, so as to move this service to a higher level. The Disability Unit of the World Bank, could play a key role in identification of agencies, who are ready to offer grants to bodies like SOPVID who are geared to increase their participation in training of the persons with visual disabilities.

• Training o n the technologies and ways on how to work and relate with persons with Disabilities is essential for PIC staff

• Inadequate Trainers in the country in use of assistive technologies. Kenyatta University has the largest concentration of students with visual disabilities. Most of the students train as secondary school teachers and would play a pivotal role in the training of trainers. However, the university currently does not have enough computers and assistive technologies in their computer laboratory to adequately cater for these students. There is need for capacity building in this area.

• Other categories of disability . The PIC receives complaints from persons with other kinds of disabilities, for instance, the deaf would like our services to include sign language training. There is need to expand our services.

FURTHER RECOMMENDATIONS

• The high demand for PIC services by PWDS in Nairobi is an indication that there is great need to establish and support other institutions in their efforts to provide PWDs access information.

• It is crucial for all PICs to work towards ensuring information access to persons with disabilities and ensuring that these services are decentralized.

• There is an urgent need to Integrate Disability Messages into the CO’s communication strategies as well as projects communication.

• Develop communication and dissemination methods that are relevant, sensitive & responsive to the needs of persons with various disabilities.

• There is dire need to provide a comprehensive service that meets the needs of all categories of disability.

• Staff training is crucial for effectiveness

• We need to establish mechanisms that will encourage the media to buy in and support the Integration of Disability issues into their work programs. This calls for training of the media personnel.

Article prepared by Keziah M. Muthembwa, PIA, Kenya PIC, Nairobi
Email: kmuthembwa@worldbank.org