Abstract
This paper presents an ethnographically-based account on the impact of technologies appropriated in the livelihood strategies of people with disabilities (PWDs) in Sierra Leone, West Africa. In contrast to other developing countries, Sierra Leone presents a situation where people with disabilities are socially marginalized but not necessarily wholly disadvantaged. Through a lens of technology-amplified capabilities we show how PWDs leverage information and communication technologies (ICTs) to counteract social dampeners they regularly experience that prevent their participation in society. We discuss the role of the war experience and its impact on services and attitudes towards people with disability and how disruptive contexts can open up opportunities to support and amplify existing life skills towards development goals.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Information and Communication Technologies and Development, ICTD 2015 |
| Publisher | Association for Computing Machinery |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 9781450331630 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - May 15 2015 |
| Event | 7th International Conference on Information and Communication Technologies and Development, ICTD 2015 - Singapore, Singapore Duration: May 15 2015 → May 18 2015 |
Publication series
| Name | ACM International Conference Proceeding Series |
|---|---|
| Volume | 15 |
Other
| Other | 7th International Conference on Information and Communication Technologies and Development, ICTD 2015 |
|---|---|
| Country/Territory | Singapore |
| City | Singapore |
| Period | 5/15/15 → 5/18/15 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:Acknowledgment. This research was supported by the Ministry of Education, Seoul, Korea, under the BK21 project and research fund of Chung-Ang University in Seoul.
Keywords
- Accessibility
- Africa
- Amplification
- Assistive technology
- Capability
- Disability
- Education
- Marginality
- Mobile
