The Communication Initiative
Development action with informed and engaged societies
The Communication Initiative
After nearly 28 years, The Communication Initiative (The CI) Global is entering a new chapter. Following a period of transition, the global website has been transferred to the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in South Africa, where it will be administered by the Social and Behaviour Change Communication Division. Wits' commitment to social change and justice makes it a trusted steward for The CI's legacy and future.
 
Co-founder Victoria Martin is pleased to see this work continue under Wits' leadership. Victoria knows that co-founder Warren Feek (1953–2024) would have felt deep pride in The CI Global's Africa-led direction.
 
We honour the team and partners who sustained The CI for decades. Meanwhile, La Iniciativa de Comunicación (CILA) continues independently at lainiciativadecomunicacion.com and is linked with The CI Global site.
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Integrating Disability in the ICT Value Chain/Industry

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Integrating Disability in the ICT Value Chain/Industry is a South African government project that aims to make information and communication technology (ICT) available to disabled people in South Africa. Phase one of the project was completed in 2004; the project will be rolled out in 3 phases over a 5-year period. The project intends to create awareness through role players in the ICT industry and other sectors about the difficulties of access to ICTs and other challenges faced by people with disabilities.
Communication Strategies

This project uses ICTs to foster full participation on the part of the disabled. It addresses the requirements of disabled and other disadvantaged and vulnerable groups in an effort to ensure that they are fully involved in the information society and its e-strategies.

In the initial phases of programme development, interpersonal interactions were used to foster dialogue on these issues, in the form of a series of consultative meetings. These meetings took place as part of the broader planning process for the national conference on disability, scheduled to take place during the build up to the World Summit on Information Society in Tunisia in November 2005.

The project encourages the design and production of ICT equipment and services so that all people have easy and affordable access to them, including people living with disabilities. It promotes the development of technology, applications and content suited to the needs of the disabled, guided by design principles and enhanced by the use of assertive technologies. As part of the move towards making ICT available to the disabled, the South African government launched plans for a national accessibility portal in June 2004. The portal aims to improve access to information to 4 million South Africans with disabilities, hopefully contributing to their empowerment and ensuring they live independent lifestyles.

Development Issues

Rights, Technology.

Partners

Office of the Status of Disabled Persons, the CSIR, a representative group from the Disabled Person's Organisation, Eskom.

Sources

PolityOrg.za website on January 13 2005.