* An essential resource for all development agencies seeking to include people with disabilities* User-friendly tools and practical advice from experienced practitionersThere are four hundred million people with disabilities living in developing countries today. All too often they live in poverty and isolation. If development is to truly address the needs of the poor and marginalized, the inclusion of people with disabilities is crucial. Building an Inclusive Development Community is a toolkit for development agencies and others concerned with the participation of people with disabilities at all levels and in all areas of the international development process. The manual is organized into issues and includes helpful worksheets, best practice examples, resources and much more.

The book addresses the complex relationships among learning, education and the community. It examines the significance of the community for the individual’s development and the potential that learning and education have for the development of the community. The volume gathers together the findings of a number of quantitative and qualitative studies conducted on different samples, theoretical discussions set in comparative international contexts. Although the studies employ Slovenian samples and analyse situations in this country, the contributions address issues that are of concern to the global research community. Moreover, they respond to international debates and engage in the dialogue between the local/partial and the global/universal. The book is unique in its embeddedness in the intellectual continental European tradition that has been characterised by the failed historical experience of attempting collective unity through the community understood as a common identity in former Yugoslavia.

"Beginning with key questions about clients of microfinance - Who are they? What financial services do they want? What is the impact of financial services on their lives? - the book examines all levels of the financial system. It shows what works, what does not work, and where more learning is needed. By focusing on promising models and practices, it offers a vision of how to achieve financial systems that will ultimately offer access for all."--BOOK JACKET.

Several decades of international aid, predominantly granted by the highly developed world (the haves), for the use of ICT in developing regions (known by several labels, such as the have-nots, bottom of the pyramid, the south, or, some time ago, the third world) have passed, but the holy grail of turning these societies into the ideals defined by the donors is still elusive. Previously the emphasis was on top-down approaches in this endeavour. Now priority is increasingly given to bottom-up approaches, putting the targeted communities first, using methods such as co-creation and living labs. Information and Communication Technologies for Development (ICT4D) is still a domain in search of a common ground. The many different perspectives from diverse ideologies, paradigms and theoretical perspectives here lead to an interesting debate, but, meanwhile, agents of social change are doing their best to change communities â " ostensibly for the better. An ongoing endeavour, this discussion requires further investigation of the complexities of techno-societies. The contributions to this volume range from explorations of theory, models and methods to investigations into the practical implementation of ICT in communities, covering the characteristics of social groups and different generations and gender issues, as well as its applications in education and health. As such, the contributions in this book will inform continuing debates concerning the role of ICT in developing communities on the wrong side of all the technical and social divides in human societies.

This Open Access book is an anthropological urban study of the Emirate of Dubai, its institutions, and their evolution. It provides a contemporary history of disability in city planning from a non-Western perspective and explores the cultural context for its positioning. Three insights inform the author’s approach. First, disability research, much like other urban or social issues, must be situated in a particular place. Second, access and inclusion forms a key part of both local and global planning issues. Third, a 21st century planning education should take access and inclusion into consideration by applying a disability lens to the empirical, methodological, and theoretical advances of the field. By bridging theory and practice, this book provides new insights on inclusive city planning and comparative urban theory. This book should be read as part of a larger struggle to define and assert access; it’s a story of how equity and justice are central themes in building the cities of the future and of today.

An invaluable resource for designing communities that accommodate social diversity and provide equitable opportunities for all residents. Inclusive Housing focuses on housing that provides access to people with disabilities while benefiting all residents and that incorporates inclusive design practices into neighborhood and housing designs without compromising other important design goals. Emphasizing urban patterns of neighborhood development, the practices outlined here are useful for application to all kinds of housing in all types of neighborhoods. The book addresses trends that have widespread significance in the residential construction market and demonstrates that accessible housing design is compatible with the goals of developing livable and healthy neighborhoods, reducing urban sprawl, reducing reliance on fossil fuels, and ensuring that the benefits of thoughtful urban design are equitably distributed. Inclusive Housing recognizes that to achieve the goals of urbanism, we must consider the total picture. The house must fit on the lot; the lot must fit in the block; and the block must fit with the character of the neighborhood. Its context-sensitive approach uses examples that cover a wide range of housing types, styles, and development densities. Rather than present stock solutions that ignore the context of real projects and design goals, it explores how accessibility can be achieved in different types of neighborhoods and housing forms, all with the goal of achieving high-quality urban places.