Challenges and Opportunities

1. Challenges

Digital accessibility is a multidimensional issue that includes conflicting requirements and needs. It covers people, regulations, technology, and education, with complicated regulations and complementing roles. Although disability is common among different users from all countries, there are many external and internal challenges in addition to technological and educational challenges.

Persons with disabilities in all societies face common challenges and local challenges, which are influenced by poverty, culture, social background, education, and awareness. Although ICT is advancing accessibility, many challenges remain. For example, a study on web accessibility challenges[1] identified three categories of challenges with direct influence on e-accessibility advancement. The main challenge was related to regulations and standards, while the other two challenges revolved around the design and evaluation phases. The first challenge includes guideline ambiguities, limited/inadequate translation to other languages, incomplete guidelines, and navigational problems. The second challenge entails lack of accessibility awareness and motivation owing to the cost of additional design. The third category of challenges includes problems with either automated testing or evaluation tools, or user-based evaluation and testing owing to the time, cost and degree of knowledge and skills required.

Based on interviews with members of the Jordanian Higher Council for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the following e-accessibility challenges and opportunities were identified (by no means unique to the Arab region):

• In many countries, e-accessibility is either a part of a law or included in a policy/strategy, which makes compliance voluntary rather than mandatory;
• Disability is narrowly defined, and data disaggregation varies between countries, which affects accurate and reliable disability statistics;
• There is lack of compliance with international standards/guidelines or even national ones by the public and private sectors, including Government, universities, business, and service providers, although all Arab States are signatories to CRPD;
• The cost of assistive technologies and services is high, and the financial situation of the majority of people with special needs is difficult, particularly in poor and rural areas (affordability);
• There is lacking awareness of the needs of persons with disabilities and of their accessibility issues when designing web-based or mobile apps or government e-services;
• There are cultural issues including high illiteracy rate among persons with disabilities and high school dropout rates;
• Priorities differ for the care of persons with special needs, especially in countries experiencing conflicts, security and political instability;
• The use of Arabic in technology-based applications and services is not fully developed, in addition to high costs, low quality and localization issues;
• There is a shortage of designers/developers who are familiar with accessibility design and evaluation tools. This is a problem for people with cognitive impairment, in particular those who require special and simplified language in e-accessibility solutions;
• The private sector is hesitant to adopt e-accessibility owing to cost-benefit considerations;
• There are security and privacy issues;
• Technology challenges are emerging, including the Internet of Things, AI, unmanned vehicles and robotics, wearables, and virtual and augmented reality.

2. Opportunities

• An international and domestic supportive context, mainly through CRPD and the Marrakesh Treaty;
• Political will in all Arab countries, which creates a supportive environment;
• A young generation that embraces technology and is capable of creating technological momentum that will benefit everyone;
• Emerging technologies that positively impact assistive technology for persons with disabilities;
• Digital infrastructure that serves all societal sectors, especially rural areas;
• High Internet penetration and high numbers of smart mobile owners in many countries, especially among young people.