Integrating cultural factors in user-interface design: the case of the Nasa Colombian native people

The research context of this thesis is the inter-cultural development of computer tools. The thesis considers as case study the Nasa people, a Colombian native society, which preserves different traditions and cultural particularities. The research questioning emerges from the sociocultural differences between a rural society, such as the Nasa, and […]

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Heliox: free software to assist indigenous access to computers

Excerpt Indigenous communities may benefit from new computer technology that allows them to access educational resources and the internet using their own language, says the software’s developer. The innovation comes from an international, interdisciplinary group that is currently working on using the technology to reduce the digital gap and help […]

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Globalization, Negotiating Technology, and Indigeneity in Nepal

This paper explores how indigenous peoples negotiate with their state and mainstream narratives by glocalizing indigenous political and cultural identities through virtual spaces offered by digital technology or information and communication technology (ICT). The first section makes an announcement of its concern about how globalization and indigeneity at some points […]

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mycitizen.net: Social Networking for Civil Society

Mycitizen.net is a free and open-source platform that facilitates social networking of local communities. It has been designed from the outset for the specific needs of civil society, particularly in closed societies and in countries in transition, it can be used with otherwise unsupported languages, where the Internet is very […]

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The Foundation for Indigenous ICT in Ethiopia

Abstract Ethiopia’s standards body, the Quality and Standards Authority of Ethiopia, has legalized the nation’s first character set standard. The highly anticipated standard, ES 781:2002, sets the foundation that future computer, software, and electronic communication standards of Ethiopia will be built upon. With “Ethiocode” now at hand, Ethiopia is braced […]

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Mozilla Firefox in Indigenous Languages

The Mozilla in Mexico community supports efforts to translate and localize the internet browser Mozilla Firefox into indigenous languages of Latin America. Their website currently features modules for 26 indigenous languages across Mexico, Guatemala and Ecuador, including kichwa, tz’utujil, yaqui, and others. If you would like to install Mozilla Firefox […]

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The Power of Play: An interview with Pinnguaq founder Ryan Oliver

This interview originally appeared on Rachael Petersen’s blog, Global Native Networks. Pinnguaq is a software localization initiative based in beautiful Pangnirtung, Nunavut in Canada’s high Eastern Arctic. In June 2013, they released an Inuktitut-language version of the best-selling iPad game, Osmos. To do this, they engaged Inuit across the territory to complete […]

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ICT for development and commerce: A case study of internet cafés in India

The paper, drawn from on-going studies of internet cafés in India, reports interesting localization of information and communication technology (ICT) offerings in shared public spaces. These are in some disjuncture with the ideology of digital inclusion striving to integrate hitherto excluded and ‘information poor’ communities. We find context specific and […]

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African Languages in a Digital Age: Challenges and Opportunities for Indigenous Language Computing

About the Book Offering practical approaches to finding a place for African languages in the information revolution, this overview lays the foundation for more effectively bridging the “digital divide” by finding new solutions to old problems. Conducted by the PanAfrican Localization project under the sponsorship of Canada’s International Development Research […]

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Language Preservation Technology: Online Torwali (Kohistani) Dictionary

Reposted from the Center for Language Engineering website: On the occasion of International Mother Languages Day (21st February 2011), Center for Language Engineering at Al-Khawarizmi Institute of Computer Science, University of Engineering and Technology is pleased to announce the launch of Online Torwali Dictionary (OTD). Torwali is an indigenous language […]

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