"Knowledge Comes Through Participation": Understanding Disability through the Lens of DIY Assistive Technology in Western Kenya

Abstract

People with disabilities in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) have limited access to digital assistive technologies (ATs). Most ATs in LMICs are manufactured elsewhere and are expensive and difficult to maintain. Do-It-Yourself Assistive Technologies (DIY-ATs) designed, customized, and repaired by non-technical users offer exciting directions in these contexts. We have been exploring the possibilities and challenges of DIY-ATs in Western Kenya, using community-engaged workshops in rural and urban special education schools for the past three years. We present findings from a concluding-stage research activity: a multiple stakeholder focus group where teachers, disability advocates, and representatives from the local government and technology innovation hubs, discussed the possibilities and challenges of addressing disability issues through DIY-ATs in this context. Participants identified opportunities for DIY-ATs for social inclusion, disability assessment, and inclusive education, and shared concerns about their sustainability, safety, and contextual relevance.