Publications
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AT2030 Frontiers symposium awardees
Royal Academy of EngineeringMarch 26, 2026NepalCase Studies and ReportsAwarded in December 2025 to participants of the AT2030 Frontiers symposium "Inclusive innovation in action: community-led Assistive Technology solutions in local context", held in Kathmandu, Nepal from 8 to 10 October 2025.
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Strengthening OPD Capacity for Inclusive Development in Kisumu County, Kenya
Kilimanjaro Blind TrustMarch 25, 2026KenyaCase Studies and ReportsOrganisations working to bridge this gap face persistent challenges: gaps in digital literacy, limited access to assistive technologies, fragile organisational systems, and low visibility in decision-making spaces. Insights from a workshop convening 15 local leaders revealed a critical shift needed: moving from participation to influence. These findings directly inform the OPD Capacity Strengthening Framework, led by Kilimanjaro Blind Trust Africa (KBTA) and the Global Disability Innovation Hub (GDI Hub). By strengthening governance, advocacy, digital capacity, and partnerships, the framework equips organisations to drive sustained, strategic influence in inclusive development.
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Strengthening OPD Capacity for Inclusive Development in Nairobi County, Kenya
Kilimanjaro Blind TrustMarch 25, 2026KenyaCase Studies and ReportsThe Nairobi workshop revealed a system already in motion. OPDs are adapting, questioning, and beginning to reimagine inclusion in practical terms. With the support of a structured capacity-building framework, this momentum can be sustained and scaled, positioning OPDs not just as participants but as drivers of inclusive development in Nairobi and beyond.
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Bridging the Digital Divide: Enhancing Digital Inclusion of Blind or Partially Sighted and Deaf or Hard of Hearing Individuals in Low- and Middle-Income Countries through Smartphones as Assistive Technology
Vicki Austin, Catherine Holloway, Dr Giulia Barbareschi, Laxmi Gunupudi, Vinicius Delgado Ramos, Satish Mishra, Maryam Bandukda, Amit PrakashMarch 17, 2026GlobalAcademic Research PublicationsIn this study, we developed a two-day scaffolded digital skills training intervention for mobile literacy for people who are blind or partially sighted (BPS) and deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) across three research settings: Brazil, India, and Kenya. Using an adapted Mobile Device Proficiency Questionnaire (MDPQ) administered at pre- and post-intervention, we measured the impact of the digital skills training intervention on the perceived proficiency in smartphone use.
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Beyond Stigma Workshop - ideas, learning and sharing
Loughborough UniversityJan. 27, 2026Case Studies and ReportsThe Beyond Stigma knowledge sharing workshop created a conversation that moved beyond awareness or attitude to focus on how stigma is produced through systems, and what that means for efforts to address it. Capturing reflections, experiences and learnings from the AT2030 Para Sport Against Stigma programme, the event provided an opportunity to step back and reflect - as is captured by the visual illustration of the disussions.
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OPD Country Level Strategy for Kenya
Global Disability Innovation HubDec. 19, 2025KenyaAT2030 ResourcesThe primary aim of this project is to develop an OPD Country Level Strategy for Kenya, titled: ‘How can technology support OPDs to build capacity, impact and influence’ - through a lens of Assistive Technologies which will include an OPD Capacity Building Framework co-created by OPDs.
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Communication for Localisation: “Making” the Paralympics Malawian
Jennie Wong, Prof. Mufunanji Magalsi (UofMalawi), Jo Tacchi, Jessica Noske-TurnerNov. 27, 2025MalawiAcademic Research PublicationsLike many media and communication initiatives for development and social change that are highly global in nature, the social impact of expanding the broadcast footprint of the Paralympic Games to regions such as sub-Saharan Africa is often simply assumed, and the markers of success are underpinned by a reach-centric logic. In this paper, we explore whether and how the Paralympics can become a platform for social change. Informed by findings from a four-year participatory action research project, this paper analyses experimentation with different communication for social change approaches related to para sport and the Paralympics, with a focus on Malawi.
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Building a Case for Disability-Inclusive Local Climate Action.
Global Disability Innovation Hub, Mikaela Patrick, Bala NagendranNov. 21, 2025GlobalAT2030 ResourcesThe Global Disability Innovation Hub (GDI Hub) presents this White Paper titled ‘Building a Case for Disability-Inclusive Local Climate’ as an effort to synthesise available insights at this intersection and frame a narrative for future research, innovation, and action.
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Understanding Professionals’ Needs in Integrating AI Chatbots for Wheelchair Assessment Services in Low- and Middle-Income Countries
Wen Mo, Catherine Holloway, Aneesha SinghOct. 22, 2025GlobalAcademic Research PublicationsWhile AI chatbots have been proposed to support wheelchair provision services in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), the perception of physical therapists regarding how they could be integrated into their service workflow remains unclear. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 11 professionals from Africa and South Asia, using two design probes to investigate the potential and limitations of using chatbots in their everyday wheelchair assessment services.
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Toward a Multi-layer Framework to Assess the Quality of Life Impact of Smartphones as Assistive Technology for People with Sensory Disabilities in Kenya
Vicki Austin, Catherine Holloway, Dr Giulia Barbareschi, Lan Xiao, Maryam BandukdaOct. 22, 2025KenyaAcademic Research PublicationsRecent advances in smartphone technology have elevated their potential as digital assistive technologies (AT) for blind or partially sighted (BPS) and deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) individuals. However, there is a gap in fully understanding the use of smartphones as AT and their impact on the quality of life (QoL) of BPS and DHH individuals. To address this gap, we conducted a mixed-methods longitudinal study over six months with 193 participants in Kenya. The study involved a baseline survey, smartphone digital skills training, and a follow-up survey and interviews to examine the impact of smartphones as AT. The findings emphasise the significant impact of smartphones on their quality of life, including impact on their identity and well-being, social inclusion and leisure, access to information and education, and material well-being. Building on the findings, we contribute an AT Impact Framework, which highlights the behaviours enabled by smartphones and their impact on the individual
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Designing with Tensions: Understanding Professionals’ Needs in Integrating AI Chatbots for Wheelchair Assessment Services in Low- and Middle-Income Countries
Wen Mo, Catherine Holloway, Aneesha SinghOct. 22, 2025GlobalAcademic Research PublicationsWhile AI chatbots have been proposed to support wheelchair provision services in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), the perception of physical therapists regarding how they could be integrated into their service workflow remains unclear. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 11 professionals from Africa and South Asia, using two design probes to investigate the potential and limitations of using chatbots in their everyday wheelchair assessment services. Our findings revealed 13 tensions that arise when the envisioned chatbot use misaligns with three interconnected domains - professional values, practice structures, and contextual readiness, such as conflicts in professional autonomy, evolving responsibilities, and confidence in AI.
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Understanding the Video Content Creation Journey of Creators with Sensory Impairment in Kenya
Catherine Holloway, Lan Xiao, Maryam BandukdaOct. 22, 2025KenyaAcademic Research PublicationsVideo content creation offers vital opportunities for expression and participation, yet remains largely inaccessible to creators with sensory impairments, especially in low-resource settings. We conducted interviews with 20 video creators with visual and hearing impairments in Kenya to examine their tools, challenges, and collaborative practices. Our findings show that accessibility barriers and infrastructural limitations shape video creation as a staged, collaborative process involving trusted human partners and emerging AI tools. Across workflows, creators actively negotiated agency and trust, maintaining creative control while bridging sensory gaps. We discuss the need for flexible, interdependent collaboration models, inclusive human-AI workflows, and diverse storytelling practices. This work broadens accessibility research in HCI by examining how technology and social factors intersect in low-resource contexts, suggesting ways to better support disabled creators globally.
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More Than Games: Why Sport Must Matter in the Assistive Technology Agenda
Loughborough UniversitySept. 30, 2025NamibiaCase Studies and ReportsHow participatory research, co-creation with Global South partners, and extended project cycles can lead to policy change for disability inclusion. Exploring how the African Union Sport Council Region 5 Youth Games (July 2025, Namibia) brought together 100 delegates from government, NGOs, and the Olympic and Commonwealth Sport Movements.
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A Cookbook for Community-driven Data Collection of Impaired Speech in LowResource Languages
Gifty Ayoka, Catherine Holloway, Richard CaveSept. 30, 2025GhanaAcademic Research PublicationsThis study presents an approach for collecting speech samples to build Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) models for impaired speech, particularly, low-resource languages. It aims to democratize ASR technology and data collection by developing a "cookbook" of best practices and training for community-driven data collection and ASR model building. As a proof-of-concept, this study curated the first open-source dataset of impaired speech in Akan: a widely spoken indigenous language in Ghana. The study involved participants from diverse backgrounds with speech impairments. The resulting dataset, along with the cookbook and open-source tools, are publicly available to enable researchers and practitioners to create inclusive ASR technologies tailored to the unique needs of speech impaired individuals. In addition, this study presents the initial results of fine-tuning open-source ASR models to better recognize impaired speech in Akan.
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Sex and Gender in AT2030 V2 funded projects Involving Primary Data
Dr Dilisha Patel, Elizabeth Mc GuinnessSept. 30, 2025GlobalAcademic Research PublicationsThe UK International Development funded AT2030 programme, which focuses on improving access to Assistive Technology (AT) across more than 40 countries, has reached over 37 million people till the end of AT2030 V2. As AT2030 enters its third phase (v3), an evaluation of its past work from 2019-2024 (v2) highlights the need for improved inclusion of sex and gender-disaggregated data in its research outputs.
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Developing National Priority Assistive Products Lists: experiences and lessons from six Sub-Saharan African countries
Frederic Seghers, Satish MishraSept. 27, 2025Academic Research PublicationsThis study examines the experiences and lessons learned from six Sub-Saharan African countries in developing National Priority Assistive Products Lists (APLs) between 2020 and 2024, aiming to provide insights for improving assistive technology (AT) access in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Data analysis involved synthesising information to identify common themes, challenges, and best practices in APL development. The study highlights the complex nature of developing National APLs and emphasises the importance of inclusive stakeholder engagement, data-driven prioritisation, and integration within broader health system strengthening efforts. These insights can guide other countries in developing and implementing effective APLs, ultimately improving AT access and advancing disability rights.
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Exploring the Usability of Gaze-based Mobile Communication in Ghana
Gifty Ayoka, Vicki Austin, Catherine Holloway, Dr Giulia Barbareschi, Richard Cave, Derick OmariSept. 26, 2025GhanaAcademic Research PublicationsIn Ghana, people with communication challenges could benefit from gaze-based Augmented and Assistive Communication devices (AACs), widely used in countries with greater resources. However, there is limited evidence about the potential of such devices by people with communication disabilities in the Global South. Our study sought to evaluate the usability, identifying barriers and facilitators of adoption of a freely available Android-based eye-gaze AAC application called Look to Speak. The study included training of 10 local speech and language therapists and 15 people with communication difficulties. Our findings highlight how, despite some initial successes and the positive opinions of clients, caregivers and speech and language therapists the Look to Speak application largely failed to deliver substantial communication benefits to individual users. This was due to a combination of factors including the high cognitive load, design flaws of the application - such as the lack of optimi
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Inclusive Climate Infrastructure Design Challenge
Global Disability Innovation HubSept. 25, 2025GlobalAT2030 ResourcesWe had an enlightening session today as part of the New York Climate Action Week, exploring Inclusive Climate Infrastructure Design Challenge
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A scoping review of gendered barriers and facilitators of access and use of assistive technology
Vicki Austin, Dr Dilisha Patel, Elizabeth Mc GuinnessSept. 18, 2025GlobalAcademic Research PublicationsThis scoping review aimed to synthesise existing evidence concerning how sex and gender affect access, use, and attitudes towards AT. A systematic search across seven databases yielded 120 relevant publications.
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A scoping review of gendered barriers and facilitators of access and use of assistive technology
Vicki Austin, Dr Dilisha Patel, Elizabeth Mc GuinnessSept. 18, 2025GlobalAcademic Research PublicationsA disparity exists in the access and use of assistive technology (AT), with women exhibiting lower rates of access compared to men, despite a higher reported prevalence of disability. To address these gendered inequities in AT, a comprehensive understanding of the influence of sex and gender on AT utilisation, access pathways, and associated perceptions is crucial.
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