Leela Damodaran

Promoting Digital Inclusion - Unlocking the Potential of the Internet for All,

1. Benefits of digital inclusion

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Personal health

Benefits of Digital Inclusion

Self efficacy

Well being

Skills and capabilities

Social interaction & cohesiveness

Civic engagement & participation

Economicand life chances

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Success is exhilarating!

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Source: Digital Unite

2. Reality check!

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55+

0-54

Never used InternetHave

used Internet

17.8 million (35%)

of the population

are aged 55+(ONS, 2013a)

6.8 million (38%) of

55+ have never

used Internet(ONS, 2013b)

Scoping the challenge - UK

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Who is excluded?

People:

• over 65 years of age

• with limited educational attainment

• of lower income

• disabled

3. Barriers to inclusion

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Benefits of digital engagement

Inadequate learning and

support

Technological problems

Ageing issues

Disability

Benefits of digital engagement

Inadequate learning and

support

Technological problems

Ageing issues

Disability

Benefits of digital engagement

Inadequate learning and

support

Technological problems

Ageing issues

Disability

Benefits of digital engagement

Inadequate learning and

support

Ageing issues

Disability

Technological problems

Benefits of digital engagement

Inadequate learning and

support

Technological problems

Ageing issues

Disability

Connection in the balance

The Dual Challenge:

- launching new internet users -

especially the 'hard-to-reach'

- sustaining digital participation of new

and existing users

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4. Taking on the challenge

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On-going support in the workplace

No cost to end user

Troubleshooting assistance

Access to free training

Internet provision

Spam filters and virus protectors

Updates and hardware maintenance

Free of charge to end user

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No cost to end user

On-going training

Internet provision

Spam filters

Virus firewalls

Software updates

Mail box maintenance

Server updates

Network maintenance

Systems maintenance

ICT support

provision

Home aloneWork place

User experience is worlds apart….

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Filling the ICT support void beyond the workplace

readily available, trusted and sustained

delivered in familiar, welcoming and local venues

embedded in social activities / personal interests

free of time pressure and assessments

inclusive of problem solving / troubleshooting

offering impartial advice and ‘try before you buy’

User requirements for support - informed by 1000+ older people

Meeting the needs: proposition of community hubs or clubs (available at http://kt-equal.org.uk/downloads )

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How do we get from where we are to

where we want to be?

Bridging the Gap in ICT learning support

Vision for

the future

Current

situation

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There’s no silver bullet - many contributions

will be needed e.g.:

Business

Government

Third sector

Policy

Research

Design

Meeting the demands of the challenge

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The priority of designing for inclusion

The demands of digital engagement , especially

cognitive load – can be reduced by designs which are:

• Tailored to diverse user requirements

• User friendly

• Accessible

• Intuitive

• Seamless

• Embedded where appropriate (“hidden functionality”)

• Adaptive

• Making upgrading and administration transparent and easy

Role of research

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Extensive international research relevant to digital inclusion

UK Research councils give high priority to achieving impact, informing

business, government, and society : e.g.

New Dynamics of Ageing (NDA) Programme: ‘Sus-IT’ project

Sustaining IT use by older people to promote autonomy and

independence - giving new knowledge and understanding to inform

solutions to empower older people to participate fully in the digital

economy and society. (http://sus-it.lboro.ac.uk/)

KT-EQUAL (formerly SPARC) - a consortium of UK researchers

dedicated to extending quality life for older and disabled people.

Both programmes involve older and disabled people in research and bring

together researchers from different disciplines, policy-makers and service

users. to share knowledge and expertise to inform regulations, policy and

practice across many sectors.

5. Achieving strategic change

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Essential components of strategic change

Policies and strategies

Strategic alliances and

partnerships

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Collaborative Opportunities

Innovating for:

Opening up new market opportunities in every sphere of

life e.g.

Education

Homecare

Commerce

Recreation

Healthcare

Inclusion

Accessibility

Integration

Summing up • We have the vision of universal connectivity and

inclusion

• The potential economic and social rewards are vast

• The challenges are immense – but we have the know-

how to meet them

• The opportunities for innovation and change in business

and in society are even greater than the challenges.

• With leadership and commitment we can tackle social

inclusion through digital inclusion

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