Digital inclusion ensures all people have access to the digital skills and technologies they need to successfully participate in modern society.
At Viasat, for example, we recognize that digital inclusion requires global connectivity enabled by reliable and affordable connectivity solutions. Our satellite technology can power digital inclusion almost anywhere, even in remote and underserved locations.
Our digital inclusion strategy is to continually advance our technology, provide reliable internet connectivity, and build partnerships that expand our reach around the world. Prioritizing inclusion in these ways has allowed us to serve communities from here in the U.S. to Brazil to Mexico to Africa and many more.
In this guide, we’ll cover 5 digital inclusion strategy must-haves we’ve learned in the process.
Quick takeaways
- The need for digital inclusion isn’t exclusive to remote and underserved locations. It also needed in developed countries and tech-driven organizations.
- Three-quarters of workers around the world do not feel equipped to learn digital skills needed for the future.
- A solid digital inclusion strategy is built on access and infrastructure, knowing your users and their needs, setting defined goals, and documenting a detailed execution plan.
- Inclusive content and digital literacy programs promote buy-in and engagement among the users you serve.
- Strategic partnerships are critical for scaling inclusion initiatives, accessing funding, and combining expertise and resources to achieve goals.
Why does digital inclusion matter?
Digital inclusion matters because without it, individuals, groups, and communities can be excluded from many facets of modern life, like education, telehealth, commerce and others.
The thing about digital exclusion is that, while we know it exists in remote and underserved places around the globe, it’s also happening in places where you might least expect it, and often right under our noses.
Consider, for example, that 3 out of 4 professionals do not feel equipped with the resources they need to learn digital skills required to succeed in the next five years. This includes workers at companies in the most developed countries in the world.
In Santa Clara County, just miles from Google headquarters and the campuses of other world-leading technology companies in Silicon Valley, 15,000+ families did not have the internet access needed for students to successfully learn at home during the pandemic.
The need for digital inclusion work is everywhere.
5 Considerations when it comes to digital inclusion strategy
Access and infrastructure
The first step in any digital inclusion strategy is ensuring the right access and infrastructure are in place to execute it. This primarily means internet connectivity and hardware devices, but can also include things like building facilities and programmatic elements, like courses and staff.
User-first focus
Digital skills, knowledge, and needs vary by organization and community. For this reason, every digital inclusion strategy needs a user-first approach to be most impactful. A strategy shouldn’t, for example, be built around worldwide trends, but rather designed to meet needs that exist in the specific places and for the specific audiences it serves.
Inclusive content
Inclusive content recognizes the diverse needs and preferences that exist across a given user group and aligns with them accordingly. Because the success of digital inclusion strategies hinge on the active participation and buy-in of end users, inclusive content is essential.
In short, inclusive content speaks to users in a language users understand. This might mean a literal language or dialect, or channels and engagement strategies they’re most comfortable and familiar with.
For example: In communities where more than one primary language is spoken, multilingual content goes a long way to drive inclusivity. Closed captions make content available to people who are hearing- or visually-impaired. Text-to-speech options can help people who learn better audibly than by reading text.
Digital literacy programs
Digital literacy is an individual’s ability to understand and use digital technology successfully. It’s a core part of digital inclusion—in fact, true inclusion is impossible without literacy. Key digital literacy skills include technical capabilities, independent research, media understanding, digital citizenship, and communication and collaboration.
A good digital literacy strategy incorporates digital literacy programs that teach these skills so that other aspects of inclusion—like access and equipment—can be used to their full potential, and individuals can apply new digital skills to a wide range of life situations.
The good news: Digital literacy doesn’t need to be taught by “experts.” Digital literacy programs can be powered by community activation efforts and employee volunteers who work together to build skills amongst their community members and peers.
Strategic partnerships
Last but certainly not least are strategic partnerships. The best digital inclusion strategies utilize partnerships to enhance impact. When organizations come together to combine experience, expertise, and resources, they’re able to make an impact on a greater scale. Partnerships can be between similar entities or cross the public-private sectors.
At Viasat, we leverage both kinds of partnerships. For example, we’ve partnered with private companies like Microsoft on their Airband initiative to close the digital divide, and with government entities like Mexico’s Federal Electricity Commission to expand internet access.
Partnerships can also be critical for accessing the funding needed to execute or scale up certain digital inclusion initiatives.
Final thoughts
Digital inclusion is directly linked to equity and inclusion by providing access to health care, education, and economic opportunity, and improving nearly every aspect of life — but to date, around half the world is either unserved or underserved with access to high-quality, affordable internet. 2.7 billion people remain unconnected because the internet in their area is unreliable, inadequate, too expensive — or simply not available where they live.
Viasat believes everyone and everything can be connected. Along with several key partners, we’re delivering high-quality, affordable bandwidth to unserved and underserved communities worldwide. When, where, and how it’s needed most. It’s our mission. It’s our business. And it’s our legacy.
Learn more about Viasat’s ongoing digital inclusion strategy and initiatives.