The document discusses ICT opportunities and challenges for social inclusion, particularly for persons with disabilities. It outlines how ICT can both create new divides through digital exclusion as well as opportunities to promote equal access. Some of the key challenges discussed are ensuring accessibility, overcoming barriers to engagement, and addressing poverty and lack of access to ICT. International agreements like WSIS emphasize the need for universal design and assistive technologies to promote inclusion of persons with disabilities in the information society.

1. ICT Opportunities and Challenges for Increasing Social Inclusion Dr Baharul Islam Chairman & CEO South Asia Development Gateway Guwahati (India) UN Convention on the Rights and Dignity of Persons with Disability: A call for action on poverty, discrimination and lack of access Addis Ababa, 19-22 May 2008

6. Challenges thrown up by the ICT and Policy issues of inclusion/exclusion SOURCE: European Agency for Development in Special Needs Education Belgium (Flemish Community), Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden The general ICT policy includes statements of equity of educational opportunity with respect to and through the use of ICT Austria, Belgium, Cyprus (under development), Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, UK General – not special needs education specific – ICT policies that include statements and objectives on the five areas Evident in Element of ICT policy

7. SOURCE: European Agency for Development in Special Needs Education Austria, Belgium (Flemish Community), Denmark Finland, Greece, Ireland, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain (at a regional level), Sweden, Switzerland, UK Some form of evaluation of general ICT policy is being conducted Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK Different bodies are responsible for policy implementation Austria, Belgium (Flemish Community), Cyprus (applies to secondary and special schools only), Czech Republic, France, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Sweden, UK As an element of educational policy, ICT is embodied within the school curriculum that applies to all pupils, including those with SENs

8. SOURCE: European Agency for Development in Special Needs Education Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK Policies have a direct impact upon a teacher’s access to training, support and information relating to ICT Czech Republic, Lithuania, Norway Policy is being implemented and evaluated via dedicated ICT projects at a national level Cyprus, Portugal, Slovakia ICT is incorporated as a particular element of national disability and SEN policy and legislation

10. Opportunities of ICT diffusion

11. Pro-active action on poverty, lack of access to ICT avenues