This document discusses the challenges and strategies for improving web accessibility in developing countries, highlighting lessons learned from developed nations. It emphasizes the need for culturally sensitive approaches to accessibility, taking into account various factors such as economic conditions and user limitations. The authors propose that effective policies should balance adherence to guidelines with practical solutions that address specific barriers faced by diverse populations.

1. Developing Countries, Developing Experiences: approaches to accessibility for the real world Brian Kelly , University of Bath, UK Sarah Lewthwaite , University of Nottingham, UK David Sloan , University of Dundee, UK W4A 2010, Raleigh, NC, April 26 th 2010

2. Outline Lessons from applying web accessibility in the Developed World Digital Accessibility and Social Inclusion Observing patterns of best practice A framework for policymakers in the Developing World

3. Lessons from Web Accessibility Policy in the Developed World Successes Accessibility (WCAG) integrated into Web Standards movement Section 508 influencing market approach to web accessibility Limitations Known shortcomings of the WAI model Debates on role of accessibility in standards (re)development (HTML 5!) Uneven focus on accommodating specific impairments Balancing ‘conformance’ with ‘helping people’

4. Digital inclusion and aversive disablism In the UK, digital inclusion initiatives have not always been inclusive! Why? Theory from disability studies to explain behaviour: aversive disablism hierarchy of disabilities Might this be holding back research and development and willingness to adopt accessibility? Case 1: security vs accessibility (CAPTCHAs, other demands for supply and recall of profile information) Case 2: text’s domination of definitions of ‘accessible content’

5. Alternative approaches to accessibility Less formal approaches to accessibility that might influence how we use the web to optimise inclusion: Aggregating information in alternative media www.boagworld.com approach to sharing web design info (podcast, show notes/transcript, blog, twitter, discussion forum…book) Amplified conferences: using social web technology to overcome barriers to access that may be due to disability, economy or geography

6. Developing effective Web accessibility policies How do we promote accessibility within a wider, and globally applicable, digital inclusion objective? Challenges we know need to be considered: Complex use cases – web applications versus informational web Dealing with existing (and often complex) publishing technologies, environments and workflows User agent limitations Resource limitations: expertise, time, cost (more significant in less affluent countries)

7. Developing effective Web accessibility policies Balancing: Taking advantage of guidelines in defining current best practice in making a web site accessible With Addressing known limitations in current best practice by using the web to make real world tasks more accessible to more people Sharing examples of how aggregation of solutions, or use of non-web alternatives can be embraced in a web accessibility policy

8. Advancing directions of accessibility R&D We need to ensure aversive disablism does not distort a globally-appreciated definition of web accessibility Acknowledge and address the effect of text bias in current accessibility work on populations with low literacy Consider the effectiveness of open source accessibility solutions on communities where pirated versions of proprietary software may be the norm Embrace the convergence of mobile usability and accessibility

9. Closing thought Let’s be wary of a “wholesale colonial export of accessibility” to the developing world, and instead adopt an approach that is culturally- and context-sensitive

10. Brian Kelly [email_address] twitter: @briankelly Sarah Lewthwaite [email_address] twitter: @slewth David Sloan [email_address] t witter: @sloandr