Rethinking digital and AI inclusion: participatory and intersectionality-informed methods for disability and migrant...

Area of Science:

• Disability Studies
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Sociology of Technology

Background:

• Everyday consumer technologies are crucial for autonomy and social participation.
• People with disabilities and culturally and linguistically diverse (CaLD) migrants often face inaccessible and exclusionary technologies.
• The intersection of disability and CaLD identities exacerbates technology access challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine how CaLD migrants with disabilities engage with everyday consumer technologies.
• To understand the challenges and opportunities presented by technology at the intersection of disability and CaLD identities.
• To inform the development of disability-inclusive and intersectionality-informed research methodologies.

Main Methods:

• Participatory and intersectionality-informed approaches were employed.
• Individual interviews, creative workshops, and guided discussions were conducted.
• Co-creation of AI-generated e-books and post-workshop reflections were utilized.

Main Results:

• Participants faced significant burdens navigating digital accessibility and advocating for their needs.
• Generative AI tools exhibited biases and misrepresentations of intersecting identities.
• Participants actively leveraged everyday technologies for agency, learning, caregiving, and cultural connection.

Conclusions:

• Sustained participatory engagement is vital for inclusive research.
• Methodological parameters were identified for future disability-inclusive and intersectionality-informed research.
• Addressing digital exclusion requires a focus on accessibility, bias mitigation, and empowering user agency.