The following are the outputs of the captioning taken during an IGF intervention. Although it is largely accurate, in some cases it may be incomplete or inaccurate due to inaudible passages or transcription errors. It is posted as an aid, but should not be treated as an authoritative record.
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>> MUHAMMAD SHABBIR: Hello and good morning, everyone. I am Dr. Muhammad Shabbir and I welcome you in the session building barriers free‑emerging tech through open solutions. Jointly organized by the Dynamic Coalition of accessibility and the Dynamic Coalition on open educational resources. I'm thankful to the Internet Governance Forum for the opportunity and also to the team who have worked with me to organize this session.
Just a couple of housekeeping rules, there aren't many. First we have amongst us some speakers. We will talk about different issues. Each speaker would have about 10 to 12 minutes for their early initial intervention. Then we would come to the hall and online for the participants if there are any questions. People can address the question to a specific speaker or make general intervention as well. And then we would have the wrap up by the moderators and we would have wrap up and in the end, (?). So we'll start with I will invite our first speaker Dr. Tawfik Jelassi. And Dr. Jelassi will speak about overview of UNESCO's vision for digital accessibility and open pointing. Dr. Jelassi, over to you. Doctor, do you want to ‑‑
>> TAWFIK JELASSI: I was talking. Okay. Okay. Thank you. Good morning to all of you. I thank you for coming to this session and let me also thank our moderator, Dr. Shabbir, but also Dr. Hellerstein from the Dynamic Coalition on Accessibility and Disability for co‑organizing this important session in the context of IGF 2024.
I'm very pleased with the topic that was selected building barrier‑free emerging technologies through open solutions. Clearly, this is a very timely topic, especially in the topics of IGF. The multi‑stakeholder approach that characterizes this global forum, but also I think it's a timely topic in today's digital environment. I'm sure that the session will explore open solutions. In particular, (?) and include digital spaces. We all know that emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and generative AI are drastically impacting the way we approach education. When we pair open education resources with these technologies, the impact can only be transformative. What type of learning value can we deliver to people and to students? And here I can say something from my more than three decades, Minister of higher education, the new technologies of today will open education resources. It will give us the opportunity, maybe the unique opportunity to deliver personalized learning value so learners can adapt to the content to their base, to their style and sometimes choosing their preferred language to give access to knowledge. The key element beyond personalized learning is enhancing accessibility. We can here think about visually impaired students. How can they navigate textbooks? This is very important in terms of accessibility especially for persons with disabilities.
The third major transformative is how to expand localization? When we talk about today's word is borderless, it's a global, but also I think technology can help us have relevant value and content that is actually relevant and this is very important nowadays; however, these technologies, especially when I say Artificial Intelligence, tomorrow they have to be used in a responsible and ethical manner. I won't mention the recommendation by UNESCO 2021 on the ethics of Artificial Intelligence, recommendation being currently implemented by more than 60 countries worldwide. So their ethical use of AI is a major challenge for everybody. We need to combat existing biases. They take agenda‑related biases. In some of these AI large language models, there are many biases in domestic calls and there is an association with family with children, with households while men are more linked to business carrier (?). So obviously what you have seen from our studies at UNESCO is that large language models in generative AI only replicate online the gender biases that exist offline, but even amplify them. It is very dangerous. Second is the (?) reminded two days ago at the opening of this (?). (sound cutting out) and therefore, they don't benefit from any digital (?). This is a major challenge. The third is representation in AI systems. 40% of the diverse population lacks seas in the language. (background voice cutting in) we have to take stock of accomplishments what it is in terms of enhanced accessibility, whether it is in terms of access to open educational resources which are universally available through digital platforms. And I want to mention a major outcome of the UNESCO third world congress on open education resources that took place last month in Dubai. It was endorsed as this major event which calls for a commitment in exclusive education through open solutions. And this is very important I think to take ‑‑ (background voices) the recommendation ‑‑ open education by 193. So that was made in Dubai last month. It has the reach of (?) by 25%. So this is goal, but hopefully through collective efforts achieve it. And we mention here the UNESCO revised guidelines with disabilities in online and distance learning. These revised guidelines comprehensive roadmap to create open educational resources and digital platforms that can sort of diverse needs of learners.
Let me try to conclude here by saying that this session this morning for ideas hopefully is a springboard for chain. As educators, we can (?) for education resources tailored to local needs. Policymakers can insure Internet connectivity ranging in the divide and clearly developers can design technologies from the onset. (?) said information is a public good and that's a public good information needs to receive public support. I think the same is true for openness and accessibility and this requires obviously a collective commitment. Let me assure you that UNESCO is bringing its mission to insure no one is left behind in the digital age. This is just to envision change, but hopefully to make it happen. Thank you.
>> MUHAMMAD SHABBIR: Thank you, Dr. for these opening remarks and the enlightening vision and how UNESCO is accessible to open resources. Our next speaker Lidia Best was supposed to be online, but unfortunately we saw a message from her this morning that she fell ill. So she cannot contribute. So we wish her the best in her recovery.
Next, I will be speaking about solutions into addressing accessibility barriers in emerging technologies.
And this is a topic when as I myself, a person with a disability encounter and interact with emerging technologies. There are a number of challenges that come in the way. And it is really unfortunate that the technologies that are coming up these days, they carry a huge potential to facilitate people with disabilities. But certain beggars in the planning of execution of those solutions, those emerging technology solutions that when it comes to people with disabilities, they encounter certain barriers. And before I move forward, I would like to give a personal example. Some years back, I happen to encounter a wonderful VR solution headset with some specific solutions. But when I tried to use that, it was ‑‑ we found that it was only application or active through touch. It had not any sort of futures. I'm not sure if the latest VR or AR systems they do come with this assistive technologies or solutions, but it was about two or three years back. I believe it was in the end of 2021. So we might have those solutions, but unfortunately, some sort of developers started developing solutions. They either forget or unaware of or sometimes they deem it convenient to disregard the accessibility. When it comes to sessions like this and this session is a remembrance that disability as UNCRPD, United Nations convention on persons with disabilities says that disability occurs when impairments in persons interact with societal barriers. And this way I would say disability is not specific to me or any specific group. It is cross gender, transways, transreligion and trans the boundaries of developed and developing bird. So any accident, any natural or mapped disaster or any witness by passing of time. Whether you are a policymaker, whether you are a developer (?) and decisions are being made. You need to insure that the technologies that are being developed are developed inclusively. And inclusively following the design or universal design so that when if today we needed tomorrow, it may happen. We won't fix it on any been, but it may be that you needed and you find the technology was inaccessible. The time has passed the decisions. There are technologies in the (?) those technologies, but also persons with disabilities are found elected in the development of those technologies. Charge EBT and other element systems they certainly provide certain accessibility issues. I would not talk about their biases against disabilities. That's another topic and not the subject of this session, but we need to consider how they interact with different kind of disabilities. Coming in with these kinds of solutions or platforms, similarly, when different banks and different financial institutions they developed their applications, they developed in a way that make them secure, they make the websites and the' inaccessible for people with disabilities. I have encounters number of LMS provided to international providers and local providers as well. When the students and teachers with disabilities, when they interact with those kinds of technologies and LMS, we found that those technologies were developed.
So what is the solution then? The question comes to mind? What is the solution? The solution is definitely number 1 the developers need to be aware of the standards that are internationally available to make the solutions and let farms accessible for people with disabilities such as web content accessibility. The version is 2.1. And more as we move long and more and more technologies are coming out, these standards are also being evolved. So the developers need to know this. The policy makers need to consider the policies that the development phase, the research phase and the execution phase all phases include people with experiences of disabilities and testing them that these developments and technologies are being developed accessible and inclusive for everyone.
I will stop here and give the cue to the next speaker who is online again. And we will keep discussing. But my next speaker is Amela Odobasic. Broad casting Bosnia and Amela shall be speaking about frameworks and policies for accessible, digital technologies. Amela, the floor is ours.
>> AMELA ODOBASIC: You have very much. Meetings to all of you. I would have preferred to be in reality with you, but I was not able to. So let me first say that I'm extremely sorry that Lidia Best could not join us because she's such an expert in this field, but however, Dr. Shabbir made an excellent introduce into the topic. Let me first say that I am not going to talk only from the perspective of the regular authority, but I'm also the rapporteur for the question on ICT accessibility, for persons with disabilities that is being discussed within the international telecommunication. I will tell what are the biggest challenges when it comes to policy? Makers and efficiency or lab of efficiency in the area of creating policies legal and regulatory framework, but if you love me, refer to some of the global practices and perhaps can ‑‑ so as was previously pointed out, there is no doubt that our profound global impact of information and communication technologies and are not deniable across all sectors. And this is something that within the question that I just mentioned, International Telecommunication Union, we always stress that the topic on ICT accessibility cannot be singled out. We cannot look at this topic as in silos. It should be looked as within the approach. So Dr. Shabbir already touched upon the challenges that persons with disabilities are facing and then numerous whichever country you look at. So at the same time, you see it is quite interesting to see during our meetings within DIDU, we have the same meetings and representatives. We also have academia, et cetera. It is not right for us. They face all the challenges a person with disabilities are facing. As I said, there are many.
First of all the biggest challenge persons with disabilities are facing, especially 10 years from now that the barriers were even more solid and bigger. And that has considerably changed within this period. Nowadays, persons with disabilities stay ‑‑ the association they became more organized, more upfront. For example, in Bosnia, we encouraged persons with disabilities to be a little bit more loud in educating for their ‑‑ for their goals and in educating for, you know, going ‑‑ where's the government and really demanding that their needs have been met. And I will just say that during one meeting, we also quite like to refer to this topic that persons with disabilities have their specific needs. I will always remember that one of the representatives or one of the associations of persons with disabilities said once. Well, okay. Our needs are ‑‑ and this is the only thing that we are really asking for. So the first step persons with disabilities as I said, the government not only the persons with disability, but even the government should be open to have a dialogue to listen to the problems that persons with disabilities do need. And they are however, you see we always think that the governments are very closed bodies. Close authorities are not allowing access to external parties. After the regulatory authority, I gave working group within the telecommunication union. Another ready Andrea Socks. And man other experts. So the most important thing is not only to have that dialogue, but the most important thing is really implement. Fulfill all the pre‑conditions in order to make, you know, services, available and affordable most importantly to persons with disabilities.
So there is bureau of development section. So there are many ‑‑ there are so many good practices that can be replicated, that can be adjusted to our environment, you see. So there is ‑‑ the governments, for example, the policymaker, he creates regulatory framework. They're usually going to say. We talked about Artificial Intelligence. The government will say sorry. We can't really ‑‑ in Europe, there is the Europe country. And six countries all together. We're not members of the European. There is distinct legislation being developed and implemented in countries. In the country that the governments will always find excuses and I will say, well, look. We are not log. It's not oh ‑‑ and this is basically the role of the regulators. This is crucial, expert bodies. Our job is to find out what has happened eventually. To talk to all interests parts. And to try to do our best and through the development of the regulatory framework, okay, to inflate the provisions to certain in the light of the Artificial Intelligence, there is the ‑‑ put in forth as of May of this year, we as the usual of. Visual we're moving away from singling outcome ICT accessibility, but putting it in the context, that's the only way that we responding to the topic. For example, in our country and in many others, there's many other countries in Europe. So what we can do for now, we can follow the development. We can follow good practices and see if there are any provisions that we can already put in our ‑‑ in our regulatory framework. Inevitable for that, they should have willing maintain to do that. In most of the countries, we do not have legal mandate. It is such a brand new topic for them to deal with. Then they can probably develop this recommendations or guidelines for the ‑‑ for the ‑‑ for our licensees. And try to sort of ‑‑ regulators educate and raise awareness. They incentivize; however, at the same time, the regulator authorities could establish a dialogue with policymakers. Okay? And then they could advocate that continue provisions should be there are certain provisions that should be put in law and encourage the governments that in the process of public consultations, persons with disabilities and other interested parties are involved in this process.
As you can see, this is always a process; however, it may look as a very complicate the process, but still. It is possible of ‑‑ when I was first started ‑‑ (background voices) I was confused and thinking how can I make the first step. Okay? A few ‑‑
>> MUHAMMAD SHABBIR: Amela, you need to wrap up, please.
>> AMELA ODOBASIC: Let me say that, yes. The topic is very important for the governments., however, I believe that all stakeholder. We should look at it as a cross country topic. We advocate towards the policymakers. If you have available, will follow up.
>> MUHAMMAD SHABBIR: Thank you very much, Amela. I do have questions, but cutting crossed speakers when they are exceeding their time limit.
Our next speaker is from Carthick. He is the digital accessibility services acting Manager. The ADA of upstates and he will be talking about innovations in accessibility services in the Arab states region. Dr. Mohammed, the floor is yours.
>> DR. MOHAMMED KHRIBI: You know, 20 years of my first participation in the WSIS summed back in 2005, you know, I sent at that time, I knew it and I'm pleased to represent and privilege ‑‑ I work as acting of the digital accessibility services, but I'm just saying that ‑‑ I have prepared the presentation to shed light on contributions to bridging the digital accessibility gaps, but it doesn't, you know, (inaudible) to this setting of panelists yesterday. So I'm going to have a talk about my organizations and shed light on some of the projects. I have a goal to empower people with disabilities, technology and participate on all aspects of life. What has been said by Dr. Muhammad, he explained it. How do we need to addressed this ability and how do folks on that prevent people with disabilities to access technology. So, you will know let me say it is not (?) from the medical or more. The social barriers preventing them to avail all digital services and opportunities. This is what we are doing in our organization. We are trying to enhance ICT accessibility and Qatar and rained. Let me rapidly say this. I found it under Ministry of communication. Now we shifted 2 years ago to the development and family. As I purposely said, we are focusing on enhancing ICT accessibility for person with disabilities in Qatar and beyond. We are working closely with all the that is in order to innovate and to, you know, we are offering ‑‑ madam, accessibility services as well as programs and activity. We are all ‑‑ the services are on pillars. There is accessibility ‑‑ kiosks and (?). So consultants and one of these illusions and let them make a digital platform access. Of ‑‑ make sure it is fully accessible and those with disabilities.
Also assistive technology services we have assistive technology that can ‑‑ technology assessment for persons with disabilities and occupy which solutions are devices that fit better.
Also, we have continuous support for them in order to make sure of that assistive technology devices and solutions are available.
We also have training and capacity services not only for persons with disabilities, but stakeholders. We have sessions for teachers, from the vacation (?) and also for web development in order to make sure that they are developing and designing digital solution. Our training services are delivered with training mobilities. We have face to face training workshops. We have (?) and we also have blended learning experiences. We have that in order to have the software including one person (?). I'd like to shed light (?) (audio cutting in and out) the first pillar is dealing (?) and the second and access for training material. First of all, I would like to take this opportunity to (?). Also, there is a lack in terms of accessible open and social. My mic is not working? There is an interruption, right? Let me first maybe recall the name that drive us working on this. Let me say proposals. That with the digital accessibility, it's a bench mark tool developed by ICT organization. An initiative on inclusive ICT organization. (?) it has been ranked first. Discover 89 out of 100. Whether there are many domains and ‑‑ the key findings (?) is that ‑‑ basically the discipline of computer science or IT, we don't have any competition in digital accessibility.
I want to build the capacity in the field of accessibility and inclusion (?) topics around digital inclusive education or digital accessibility to let one go in the elbow and those are one those at competency, so there are six competency domain. And (?) then we developed also common repository across the OM common platform called ICT. We are wondering all the accessibilities around the theme song. ICT is ‑‑ we have generous online experiences. I got that ‑‑
>> Yes. Thank you very much, doctor. It is ‑‑
>> MUHAMMAD SHABBIR: It was really enlightening listening to you.
So the income speaker, ladies and gentlemen, they weren't off to the hell room? I'm sorry if I am. This is of learning equality and shall be speaking about open content platforms for inclusive education, case study and insights.
>> Thank you so much, everyone. Sorry I couldn't join in person. I will very quickly start sharing my screen. I am from ‑‑ I'm going to talk about my education. We'll be talking about how some of the specifically comes alive in the world that we do at learning equality. Yeah. So I think in the world today, there are 2.6 billion people that remain offline. I am here to this paints a Stark picture of the global learning crisis. And were fortunately, who are most it further widens the gap in learning opportunities for these.
>> We know it's a song means for addressing some of these gabs and I know yeah. We build and maintain of and for those of you who may not know what open education resources are, they're licensed materials that can be reused, redistributed and depending on license. That whole such resources. We also provide support to educate us to different Yale learning and return. Colibry is working with older and local devices and it also supports divers including self‑learning, group‑base learning, whole class instruction by having it into the libraries. We also insure that our products are compliant for people with disabilities. We work who to continually use this. And we keep adding new features. The learning platform is partially confirming with 2.1 level. OERs do not have the habit. You know friendly for users, but the content is not thoughtfully designed. And that's a challenge that we often case. You support uses, but these are cost preventative. Some of the challenges and some examples of what this looks like is to insure it is resizable up to 200%, while some videos include sign language. Two organic partnerships is they have reached over 2 million learners.
>> And he also develops on needs of learners. Colibry can be printed for several days. For groups enabling collaborate of learning and might be rid that come. Learners can sit a centralize, let's see and continue learning independently at home. Their data sinks and an educator can make without the Internet and this flexibility showcases thought. To insure the technology can be used and you believe it is crucially to make their element quality as well and you're getting into a new process that advancements and generative of AI. They're collected through my manually organized the content. As a relate, we have developed the new process that creates extra curriculum by crossing theory sources need it is time spent for the process from moms to a couple of days. And quickly, I wanted to share an example of what Colibry usage can look like in a school setting. So let's say there's a student called Angela. A student where Internet access is limited or U.S. beekeep and digital learning resources. They start that on a user said. Expert lessons are allowing her to get online. You have a detailed report that straights strengths and arrests. They provide targeted support. I help and Angela this allows the program administrators who are locating as well to analyze reports and here's the most powerful charge is everything this is impactful learning to students like Angela who may not have at learning equality just like all of you, we want the world to be connected, but we know that process is stagnating. Based on what we do to eye copy of actions that I want to invite you who is left out when the Internet is not available? That's a question I want us to think about. How can it be used for teaching and learning for everyone. Not everybody can be able to afford technology availabilities with special iced learning through AI. The question is how are you? I hope that you share and I inn to connect with me with learning and even when the internet is yeah. That would come up.
>> Thank you for very much for your comments, case studies and thank you very much once again.
So whenever we go, I want to talk about my own questions if there are any online questions. In many, many other countries, persons with disabilities have ‑‑ they may be slower learners or apply different types of learning environment and often times, I know both autism and people with dyslexia, there are other ways of teaching. And what can we ‑‑ is there something that we can do that can help am more training and capacity building.
>> Is the question directed to (inaudible) speaker? Mama(inaudible) or captain. Is it possible. Thank you.
>> MUHAMMAD SHABBIR: Do you want to take the chance? Or should I ‑‑
>> I know.
>> MUHAMMAD SHABBIR: I think I can give a chance to Dr. Muassumid.
I very loosely said in my speech ‑‑ okay. That's okay. When it comes to offer like inclusive learning experience, there is, you know, a lack in terms of, you know, capacity building for teach, their agency and notice we have to burn with (?) which is fully accessibility for people with disabilities. This is ‑‑ this was also part of the findings as I mentioned previously on the report. How to pack that? I think it shows the universities, especially the college of education. We need to enter it and we need to develop. This is with disability, disability. They were survived even there is special education by all teachers. They really need (?) capacity and there are digital. There are servers training. So we need to collaborate to a multi‑stakeholder approach. We are doing a lot from this perspective as we're collaborating and the mastery of education and sufficient.
>> MUHAMMAD SHABBIR: Okay. So I think Dr. Jelassi. So you want to take a shot on this? Okay. I think to support it specifically strategies like differentiation play a crucial role, but when we're talking about developing countries and global, the south side is huge. Just getting that data about learning performance and differentiating support using that data so each one gets their own the funds. I think even to ‑‑ for something as simple as providing features with tools to cater to disabilities, there are five things that come together. I think those be the two ways I would answer to the solution.
>> We understand there are no easy solutions. Nothing for that is not always the good one. No matter how have to consider. I want the inclusion and participation of it. So Judith, we have a Judith online this question is directed to Amelia pend thank you, Judith. In my intervention, pretty much. Educators cannot take city. As excerpt authorities and necessary knowledge thee of there was one activity I doesn't mention and it was equally relevant for regulators. That is to Taylor the ‑‑ did they continue that without boundaries? The regulators should focus also their activities on media information literacy and touching, the first Sunday ‑‑ we have both regulator and the vast. On both sides in terms of the accessibility, we have been feeding them and the awkwardness of persons with disabilities and in turn, because the other is specialist in their own area. If you need the con‑‑
>> AMELA ODOBASIC: I was looking at the regulator. There's a link to the governments, they can and they definitely do as much as they can in order to act and we detected, for example, the percentage was extremely low. So what we did? We completely changed the provisions within the government. We did not new a so yes. I agree withy can do eye lot and this was just one example. Thank you.
>> Any in‑person participants they. To consider.
>> Am I audible?
>> Yes. Is this ok now?
>> Yes.
>> I'm (?) for the same and disability. The fact is for Milia. What she don't know, disability are not specific needs. They are ‑‑ they're many other persons. In totally such thing, they need to (?).
I wanted to add that the approach also should much focus on (?) remember but I'm from Kenya. It's a program from the educational sector. While the tap top (audio cutting in and out) okay. Sorry. Sorry. Okay. Focus on educating the ‑‑ offering the assistant too. (voice cutting in and out)
>> Thank you. I think there is no reason. From the audience.
>> There is one ‑‑ (?) one open solution and you talked about developments number 1. And that is what I think is very important in this talk ‑‑ I would like us to have open communication. That is how we can easy well and we ‑‑ that's it for my comment. Thank you.
>> Hi. My name is Itzel. I don't have a question. It's more like a hike. When we think about technology and access they have access to basic education because in case of Mexico, that is something is they speak a lot about increase much, I would like to request ‑‑
>> Okay. I think the key take aways we can walk away with is that first of all, we talked about the importance of governance and the role of regulators in insuring that there is the quality and equity in access to information and to learning. And second of all, the rule of openness has been underscored and the role of stakehold in terms of government and educational services. What we're talking about here is not the ‑‑ it's not the ‑‑ there are other factors involved in terms of education and in terms of education that has to be tan into account which is nod ply a big role in insuring that there is movement in this way, you when technology is done, it's guiding the way and make sure they're in the process of developing these. If I may, I'd like to give the floor back here. But I would like to thank with the speakers on behalf of UNESCO and also having a joint complimentary. The richness that comes from the discussion. So with that, I give the back to you. And last but not least, I would pass will 42 to Judith Hellerstein for the sum reef key take aways from the discussion we just had after the speakers and some of the key take aways from the questions are the importance of the regulator and what it can do in helping to advance technical issues for persons with disabilities whether it is through subsidies for universal access, for smart devices, when there was other types of subsidies there, what is their role in policy and that technology is available to all participants.