#digitalinclusion — Public Fediverse posts

We're pleased to welcome Samantha Schartman, Director of Philanthropic Programs at Connect Humanity, to Broadband Breakfast Live Online on July 8.

The discussion will explore AI, workforce change, and why digital inclusion remains essential for ensuring everyone can participate in the digital economy.

Check it out:
https://broadbandbreakfast.com/broadband-breakfast-on-july-8-2026-ai-and-workforce-combatting-job-displacement/

#AI #DigitalInclusion #DigitalEquity #FutureOfWork #Broadband #tech #technology #artificialIntelligence

SUMMARY - Revisiting the digital divide in Europe: The profile of those on the wrong side of the divide

https://isoclive.substack.com/p/europe-digital-divide

New European Social Survey Round 10 analysis: Europe's access divide still tops 10% — over a quarter of Portugal offline. The typical excluded European is older, less educated, rural and isolated.

#DigitalDivide #DigitalInclusion #Europe

What if the problem isn’t access to support—
but the ability to access the system itself?

https://substack.com/@hybridmind42/note/p-194712512?r=75c2ac

#HybridMind42 #PublicPolicy #UKPolicy #DWP #HMRC #MakingTaxDigital #SystemsThinking #Accessibility #DigitalInclusion #AdministrativeBurden #SocialSystems #PolicyDesign

What if the problem isn’t access to support—
but the ability to access the system itself?

https://substack.com/@hybridmind42/note/p-194712512?r=75c2ac

#HybridMind42 #PublicPolicy #UKPolicy #DWP #HMRC #MakingTaxDigital #SystemsThinking #Accessibility #DigitalInclusion #AdministrativeBurden #SocialSystems #PolicyDesign

MYSTERY IN BLUE

A TRAVEL TROUBLES NOTES STORY

THE ECHO OF THE BLUE MOUNTAINS

Book III: An Australia Day Mystery

CHAPTER 1: THE TIMEOUT TRAP

It was Australia Day, and the heat was enough to melt the CSS off a stylesheet. The Three Best Friends—Liam, Dax, and Dev—were driving their trusty 4WD up the winding roads of the Blue Mountains. The esky was chockers with lamingtons and snags, and the mood was “she’ll be right”.

“I reckon we camp near the Three Sisters,” Dax said, adjusting his sunglasses. “Great view, high contrast, easy navigation.”

But as they approached Katoomba, the car’s dashboard display flickered. A countdown timer appeared on the GPS screen:
SESSION EXPIRING IN 10 SECONDS.

“Dev, extend the session!” Liam yelled.

Dev reached for the “Continue” button, but the car hit a pothole. His finger slipped.

3… 2… 1…

The GPS went black. The engine sputtered. The car rolled to a halt on the shoulder of the highway.

“It’s the Timeout Trap,” Dev groaned. “The system didn’t give us enough time to interact. It violated the rule: Provide users enough time to read and use content”.

The Genial Fix

“A standard timeout is fine for security,” Liam said, wiping sweat from his brow. “But for a critical task like driving? We need an option to turn off, adjust, or extend the time limit”.

Liam pried open the dashboard panel. He found the physical timer relay. “I’m bypassing the default setting. I’m hard-coding an exception for ‘Real-time Activity’.”

He twisted two wires together. The screen roared back to life, but the map was different. The roads weren’t marked with names; they were marked with code.

“We aren’t in Katoomba anymore,” Dax whispered. “We’re in the Source Code.”

CHAPTER 2: THE RECURSIVE RAVINE

They hiked into the valley, but the path was behaving strangely. Every time they walked 100 meters, they found themselves passing the same gum tree.

“It’s an infinite loop!” Dax cried. “We’re stuck in a recursive function without an exit condition!”

“It’s worse,” Dev said, pointing to a signpost. It spun wildly, the arrows changing direction every second. “The navigation is inconsistent. One minute the ‘Home’ link is on the left, the next it’s in the footer.”

A voice boomed from the canyon walls—a distorted, echoing laugh.

“Welcome to the Echo. Navigation is fluid here. Try to find the breadcrumb trail.”

“Breadcrumbs!” Liam realized. “The Echo is mocking us. We need to create a Site Map to understand the structure of the valley.”

The Physical Site Map

Dax grabbed a stick and began drawing in the red dirt. “If the visual path is broken, we rely on the DOM order.”

He mapped the landmarks like HTML elements: : The Sky (Always visible) : The Valley Floor (Where the content is) : The River (The end of the page)

“The Loop is in the ,” Dev noticed, looking at Dax’s map. “We’ve been walking in a sidebar! We need to Skip to Main Content.”

“Skip Links!” Liam shouted. “Find the anchor!”

They spotted a hidden trail marker labeled #main-content. They jumped over the barrier, breaking the loop and landing on the true path toward the Three Sisters.

CHAPTER 3: THE VOICE OF THE SISTERS

They reached the famous rock formation, but the viewing platform was deserted. A single, massive microphone stood at the edge of the cliff, pointing at the rocks.

“To pass,” the Echo’s voice thundered, “You must speak the Password. But be warned: The Echo listens to all inputs.”

“It’s a Voice Input Control,” Dev said. “But look at the wind. It’s blowing a gale. The background noise is too high.”

Liam stepped up to the mic. “Open Sesame!”

The wind howled. The system responded: “Did you say ‘Open Salami’?”

“No!” Liam yelled. “Cancel! Undo!”

The system processed the command: “Ordering Salami.”

“It’s an Error Prevention nightmare!” Dax panicked. “For inputs that cause legal commitments or financial transactions, we must be able to reversible, checked, or confirmed”.

The Modal Trap

A holographic receipt appeared in the air, blocking their path.
CONFIRM PURCHASE?

There was no “Cancel” button. Only “Yes.”

“It’s a Focus Trap,” Dev said. “I can’t tab away from the ‘Yes’ button. We need to force a keyboard interrupt.”

“Don’t speak,” Liam whispered. “Switch input modalities. The WCAG guidelines say users should be able to switch between input modes (voice, keyboard, mouse) at any time.”

Liam plugged his portable keyboard into the base of the microphone. He typed: ESCAPE.

The receipt vanished. The “Salami” order was cancelled.

“Fair crack of the whip,” Liam muttered. “That was close.”

CHAPTER 4: THE FOG OF #CCCCCC

They descended the Giant Stairway, but a thick fog rolled in. It wasn’t just white; it was a flat, featureless gray.

“I can’t see the steps,” Dax said, freezing in place. “The contrast ratio between the stone and the fog is 1:1. It’s invisible.”

“The Echo has lowered the contrast of the world,” Dev realized. “It’s targeting users with low vision.”

Dax, the designer, pulled out his “High Contrast” visor—a pair of augmented reality goggles he used for testing.

“I’m switching to High Contrast Mode,” Dax announced. “I’m inverting the colors.”

Through the goggles, the gray fog turned black, and the stone steps glowed neon yellow.

“Follow me!” Dax shouted. “I’ve got sufficient contrast!”

The Text-Only Fallback

But then the fog thickened, blocking even the AR signal. Dax stopped. “I’ve lost the visual.”

“Don’t rely on sensory characteristics alone,” Liam recited. “Don’t rely on shape, size, or visual location”.

Liam closed his eyes. He reached out and felt the railing. It had Braille markings etched into the steel.

“The railing has a text alternative!” Liam said. “It says: ‘Step 842. Turn Left.'”

They descended the rest of the stairs by touch, guided by the tactile “Alt-Text” of the mountain.

CHAPTER 5: THE PHANTOM’S SERVER

At the bottom of the valley, they found it. Not a cave, but a bunker. The door was marked with the “Echo” symbol—a sound wave eating its own tail.

“This is where the Australian Day broadcast is coming from,” Dev said. “If we don’t fix the accessibility settings, the Prime Minister’s speech will be broadcast without captions, without Audio Description, and in a font size no one can read.”

They burst inside. The server room was unguarded, but the console was protected by the ultimate barrier.

A CAPTCHA.

But not just any CAPTCHA. It was a grid of 16 images of Australian animals.

“Select all the Quokkas,” the computer sneered.

“They all look like Quokkas!” Liam yelled. “That one might be a Wallaby! Or a small Kangaroo!”

“It’s a cognitive barrier,” Dev said. “It relies on cultural knowledge and visual acuity. It’s inaccessible.”

The Biometric Twist

“We need an alternative,” Dax said. “Look for the audio icon.”

There was none.

“Wait,” Liam said. “This system is old. It’s running on Legacy Code. It probably supports ‘Device Authentication’.”

Liam pulled out his USB key—his “Authorized User” token.

“Not requiring CAPTCHAs for authorized users,” Liam grinned, plugging it in.

The screen flashed green. AUTHENTICATED.

CHAPTER 6: THE FINAL REFACTOR

They had access. Now they had to patch the broadcast before it went live in 5 minutes.

Dev worked on the player. “I’m adding a transcript toggle. I’m ensuring the media player keyboard controls are standard.”

Dax worked on the visuals. “I’m fixing the color palette. No more red-on-green text. I’m boosting the luminance.”

Liam worked on the content. The speech was written in dense, academic English.

“I’m simplifying,” Liam muttered. “Short sentences. Plain Language. Expanding acronyms.”

3… 2… 1…

The “On Air” light turned red.

On screens all across Australia—from the pubs in Sydney to the stations in the Outback—the broadcast appeared.

It was perfect.

The captions were synced.

The Audio Description described the flag waving in the wind.

The text was readable, high-contrast, and clear.

“She’ll be right,” the Prime Minister said on screen.

“She certainly will be,” Liam smiled, collapsing into a beanbag chair in the corner of the bunker.

EPILOGUE: THE NULL ISLAND

The sun was setting over the Blue Mountains, painting the Three Sisters in gold and purple. The Three Best Friends sat on the bunker roof, eating the lamingtons that had miraculously survived the trek.

“We did good,” Dax said. “We made Australia Day accessible.”

“But who built the Echo?” Dev asked, holding up a strange, black microchip he had pulled from the server.

Liam took it. Etched into the silicon were coordinates.

0°N 0°E.

“Zero Zero,” Liam whispered. “That’s Null Island. The place where bad data goes to die.”

“There’s no land there,” Dax said. “It’s just ocean off the coast of Africa.”

“That’s what the maps say,” Dev said, his eyes gleaming with a new mystery. “But the code says otherwise. Someone is building a digital fortress at Null Island. And they just pinged us.”

Liam stood up, dusting the crumbs off his shorts.

“Well,” he grinned. “I’ve always wanted to go on a cruise.”

“Pack your togs,” Dax laughed.

“And your keyboards,” Dev added.

The Three Best Friends looked at the horizon. The Blue Mountains were behind them, but the Ocean of Null was waiting.

#Forthcoming #NewYearResolution2026

Honoured to give an #InvitedTalk at #Tecnun #MUBIL #Gipuzkoa #BasqueCountry on 20 Feb 2026, 10:00.

I’ll present ongoing #ActionResearch on #DigitalInclusion + #Anticipatory #AIGovernance + #EcoTechnoPolitics

#Academic & #policy audiences welcome

The government is banning credit and debit card surcharges -- and that's a win for accessibility.

For many disabled people, digital payments aren't a choice -- they're a necessity. Surcharges meant we were paying more just to access the same services.

This move makes things fairer, more inclusive, and more accessible for everyone.

Affordability is an access issue.👏

#AccessibilityMatters #DisabilityInclusion #FairPayments #Accessibility #NZGov #DigitalInclusion

📍 @56tambo – Bloemfontein, South Africa

56 Tambo is a youth-led, inclusive arts venue in Bloemfontein Central, offering a space for creativity, collaboration, and community engagement.

🔗 Learn more:https://www.radical-guide.com/listing/56-tambo/

#56Tambo #YouthArts #CommunityEmpowerment #DigitalInclusion #BloemfonteinArts #ARadicalGuide

On #LabourDay2025, I wish to share that my #research work has now surpassed 5000 #citations on #GoogleScholar #metrics. Grateful to all peers who have engaged over years https://scholar.google.gr/citations?user=zRABPGQAAAAJ&hl=en #ResearchImpact #DigitalCitizenship #UrbanAI #SmartCities #AI #DigitalInclusion #Web3

Darryl Adams retired after nearly three decades at Intel, but he’s far from shaping the future of accessible technology. Adams, who recently stepped down from his role as Intel’s Director of Accessibility, joined AXSChat to reflect on his journey and share his vision for the next frontier of technology. His story offers a compelling blend of personal resilience, professional achievement, and a deep-seated belief in the transformative power of technology to make the world more inclusive.

The Personal Journey Behind a Passion for Accessibility

When Adams began his career at Intel, accessibility wasn’t at the forefront of his work. However, a personal battle with retinitis pigmentosa, a degenerative eye condition, and single-sided deafness forced him to confront the challenges that millions face daily. His need for assistive technologies, both for himself and others, led him to a role that would shape his career and the future of technology for people with disabilities.

“I didn’t start out in accessibility, but my personal experience made it impossible to ignore,” Adams shared. As his vision worsened, so did his determination to ensure that technology would work for everyone, regardless of their abilities. His leadership at Intel was defined by this mission: to make technology more accessible, not just for himself, but for users around the globe.

Creating Cultures of Trust and Inclusion

Adams’ experience at Intel is a rare example of a company getting it right. He emphasized trust’s critical role in enabling employees to feel comfortable disclosing disabilities and requesting accommodations. This is not always an easy path. “I wasn’t honest with myself about my vision loss at first, and that made it harder for Intel to help me,” Adams admitted. It wasn’t until he self-identified that Intel’s inclusive culture—and its employees—rallied around him.

“Trust is everything,” Adams stated, noting how vital it is for organizations to create an environment where employees feel safe sharing their challenges. However, this goes beyond individual relationships. He stressed that organizations must institutionalize this culture through executive support, employee resource groups, and leadership councils focused on diversity and inclusion. These structures, he said, create the conditions for long-term, systemic change.

The Promise and Perils of AI for Accessibility

As someone who spent nearly 30 years at the cutting edge of technological innovation, Adams is uniquely positioned to comment on the explosion of artificial intelligence and machine learning. While AI promises to revolutionize accessibility—particularly through tools like conversational AI and real-time customization—it also presents ethical challenges. Adams is optimistic but cautious.

He envisions a future where AI-powered technologies personalize user experiences based on their specific needs. “If we can help technology understand us better, we can make it work for us in ways we’ve never imagined,” he said. For those with speech or hearing impairments, for instance, AI could radically improve communication, breaking down barriers that have existed for decades.

But with these advancements come ethical responsibilities. AI, as Adams pointed out, can be biased if the data used to train models isn’t inclusive. “We need to ensure that AI systems reflect the diversity of society and don’t leave anyone behind,” he warned. He argued that this is a systemic issue requiring companies to be proactive in creating responsible AI processes from the start.

A New Chapter in Accessible Technology

Though retired from Intel, Adams has no intention of stepping away from the world of technology. In fact, his next move is set to have a significant impact. He has taken on the role of chair for the Consumer Technology Association’s (CTA) new working group focused on age tech and accessibility. Adams is clear that accessibility isn’t just a matter of disability; it’s a challenge that the world’s ageing population will increasingly face.

“With the global population of over-65s set to outnumber those under 15 for the first time in 2024, age tech will become an urgent focus,” Adams noted. He believes this is an opportunity for technology to truly serve society, ensuring that as we age, we can all continue to interact with the digital world in meaningful ways.

Adams’ new role is particularly timely as CES, the world’s largest Consumer Electronics Show, approaches. His aim is to spotlight accessibility and age tech on one of the biggest stages in the tech industry, ensuring that these critical issues are no longer sidelined but instead become central to how we think about the future of innovation.

A Legacy of Change, A Future of Hope

Reflecting on his 28-year tenure at Intel, Adams expressed pride in how far the industry has come—but he remains focused on the road ahead. He believes that we’re only beginning to tap into the potential of technology to improve lives, particularly for people with disabilities and the elderly. “This is the time for us to make a real difference,” he said. “The technology exists; now we need to make sure it’s being used in the right way.”

As he embarks on the next chapter of his career, Adams’ work continues to be driven by the same principles that guided him throughout his time at Intel: inclusivity, trust, and a commitment to creating technology that works for everyone. And as the world grapples with the ethical and practical challenges of the AI revolution, figures like Adams will be essential in ensuring that the future of technology is one that empowers all.

Adams’ parting message is clear: Technology should be groundbreaking and bridge the gap between different abilities, making the world a better place for all.

Also, available on podcast and video formats.

https://www.buzzsprout.com/719037/episodes/15867949

https://vimeo.com/1016069835?share=copy#t=0

https://antoniosantos.blog/2024/10/04/the-future-of-inclusive-technology-a-conversation-with-darryl-adams/

#accessibility #ageTech #ai #axschat #ConsumerTechnologyAssociation #DarrylAdams #digitalInclusion #diversity #InclusiveTechnology #Intel #selfIdentification #visionLoss

Digital exclusion growing, Scottish advice charity warns | Morning Star
https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/digital-exclusion-growing-says-scottish-advice-charity

#DigitalExclusion
#Poverty
#CitizensAdvice
#CitizensAdviceScotland
#Elderly
#Disabled
#DigitalSkills
#DigitalInclusion