Information for Decision-Making: Nuancing Layered Disability Needs Through Geotagging
摘要
The availability and accessibility of knowledge that suits the needs of people with disabilities is critical to respect and include people with disabilities. In today’s digitalised world, nuanced and layered information is created and enacted through the click of a button to lead routine lives and make decisions. This calls for an interrogation of how inclusion is fostered through the accommodation of differences and respect for diversity, particularly in the provision of information. Accessible technology and geospatial information design enable all people, including those with disabilities, to make informed decisions regarding service access and utilization. This chapter argues for the centrality of information and knowledge to promote early intervention and rehabilitation. Visibilising nuances of layered information and their formats of availability influence the choices made by persons with disabilities. Using the findings of a research in the National Capital Region of Delhi, the data uncovers significant gaps in service provision and utilisation. It underscores clear, comprehensive, and dynamic information about disability services, procedural details, and contact information thus making the invisible visible. Doing so will promote inclusion and ensure protection of fundamental rights for all. This will, in turn, expand the functional universe of the disabled, and foster dignity and respect for all.