Abstract
Despite enormous progress by governments and non-governmental organizations worldwide for action-research projects and awareness of the public, people with disabilities still face much difficulty in their daily lives due to discrimination, non-visibility and ignorance. Using systematic literature review and observational research as research method, this paper will show that despite disability being a driver for innovation, designing for disability has remained an exclusive, niche and expensive market. This is set to change as more normal-abled persons face the possibility of someday developing symptoms associated with disabilities due to life circumstances and a growing elderly population. The need to include more people with disabilities in the workplace, not only as simple employees, but also as integral members of design, testing and decision-making teams will be emphasized. Some of the wide reaching examples of disability innovation are touched upon. Finally, an overview of disability and disability innovation in Mauritius is also given.
Highlights
Based on the experience gained by the Mauritius Research and Innovation Council (MRIC) as a funding agency for research and innovation projects, the appeal for more research and innovation projects in the field of disability innovation will be made
The 2011 Population Census conducted by Statistics Mauritius revealed that some 60,000 persons live with some level of disability, out of which 51.6% were women
The MRIC operates a number of research and innovation schemes since 2014, for different target groups ranging from individuals, start-ups to micro, small, medium and large enterprises, including specific schemes catered for academic institutions, research institutions and NGOs
Summary
A disability is any continuing condition that restricts everyday activities by substantially reducing capacity of an individual to communicate, interact socially, learn or move. Causes of physical disabilities include inherited or genetic disorders, serious illnesses and injuries. Many people worldwide suffer from invisible or hidden disabilities which are not immediately apparent in an individual, e.g. people with visual or auditory disabilities who use contact lenses or discreet hearing aids. Those with joint problems or chronic pain may not use mobility aids on some days or at all. Temporary disability affects an individual for a short period of time (usually days, weeks, months), with the person eventually recovering fully from the illness or injury. Taking the example of hearing, a deaf person, someone suffering from an ear infection and a bartender working in a noisy bar are permanently, temporarily and situationally disabled, respectively (Neves-Charge, 2017)
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