As the 13th Barrier-Free Information Days take the stage, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is taking critical steps for digital inclusion. The event, which took place at the Presidential Campus this year, reveals the common wisdom of the public, academia, private sector and civil society and offers concrete examples of how the IT world removes obstacles.
This initiative, led by Near East University, one of the top 500 universities in the world, focuses on accessibility and digital inclusion goals. The program, held on January 13-14, was moved off campus and held in the Presidential Campus Conference Hall and offered rich, multidisciplinary sessions to the participants. In addition to raising awareness in the field of disability, the event also discussed current developments in settings and standards in IT solutions.
The main goals of the event include increasing social awareness, identifying IT problems and developing solutions for these problems. In this context, public policy, academic research, productive sector and civil society representatives met on the same platform. Sessions covered key topics such as accessibility technologies, user experience, apology-free design and the role of technology in education.
The moderators of the event are Prof. Dr. Fahriye Altınay (Near East University TRNC Barrier-Free Information Platform Coordinator), Dr. Lecturer Member Mustafa Özhan Kalaç (Manisa Celal Bayar University and Turkey Barrier-Free Informatics Platform Coordinator) and Duygu Kayaman (Turkish Barrier-Free Informatics Platform Istanbul Representative and Microsoft Turkey Accessibility Project Manager) were on stage. These names served as a bridge between sessions on the path to inclusive digitalization and provided concrete guidance to the meetings.
It is possible to reach. However, this article delves into the outlines of the event and the intersection of technology and social equality; It examines step by step what steps have been taken for inclusive computing, how which platforms work and what can be done in the next period.
Inclusive Solutions from the Library to the Digital World
One of the prominent topics on the first day of the event was the Inclusive Librarianship Services of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. Belgüzar Aksoy Gürer was on stage as the Library Director and shared with visuals and examples how inclusion-oriented library services are shaped in the digital age. In the same session, Oya Tanyeri emphasized her role in monitoring and coordinating accessibility practices through Sign Language studies. In this context, issues such as infrastructure for the hearing impaired and subtitling and sign language integration of audiovisual contents came to the fore.
Within the scope of the event, the presentation of AİLEM Barrier-Free Communication Center also attracted attention. This chapter focused on communication skills and the communication barriers that disabled individuals face in daily life and strengthened the relationship between social dialogue and corporate social responsibility. During the sessions, private sector representatives demonstrated innovative accessibility solutions and user-friendly design principles with concrete examples.
Another important topic was the session “Barrier-Free IT Studies in the Private Sector in Türkiye”. Here, names such as Utku Demiryakan (Turkish Technology Accessibility Team International Relations and Communications Officer), Burak Yüksek (QA Testing Specialist) and Atakan Nalbant (Founder and CEO of Binclusive) were on stage. This session focused on industry-focused solutions and the economic impacts of access to technology. He explained with detailed examples how accessibility criteria create a competitive difference for companies and product development processes in line with market demands.
“TRNC Barrier-Free Information Studies”, a section that shows how even a change as small as the palm of a hand transforms the user experience, strengthened the multi-disciplinary perspective by bringing together names such as Günay Kibrit, President of the Turkish Cypriot Orthopedic Disabled People Association, and Ahmet Akdeniz, President of the TRNC Disabled Basketball Federation. The sessions aimed to not only talk about the issues of hearing-speech disabilities and body communication, but also to show them as applicable solutions in the daily life of the society.
On the second day of the event, METU Cyprus representatives were on stage. Prof. Dr. Yeliz Yeşilada directed the Web Accessibility and Usability Workshop and discussed user-centered design principles in depth. In addition, Near East University Faculty of Education, Head of Special Education Department, Prof. Dr. Mukaddes Sakallı Demirok, “Empathy Is Not Enough: Is Technology Knowledge Compulsory in Special Education?” He questioned the ties between technology and education with his speech titled. These sessions covered the role of technology in special education, student-centered approaches, and the applicability of inclusive tools in education.
This deep content of the event presented a stage where actors who create an inclusive IT culture came together. The sessions, which brought together data obtained from user experience research with real-world applications, strengthened the bridge between standards and policies. The meetings also brought up critical issues such as data security, privacy and accessibility standards. In this way, while the international competitiveness of local sectors increases, the barriers that users face in their daily lives are also reduced.
Future Emphasis and Implementation Steps
The event was designed as an actionable roadmap, not just an information sharing. Participants collaborated on concrete proposals on infrastructure investments, training programs and cooperation models necessary for inclusive digitalization. It was emphasized that methods such as early accessibility tests and user tests should be adopted, especially in inclusive software development processes. Additionally, the scalability of accessibility solutions through public-private sector collaborations and innovative financing models was discussed.
Looking ahead, it was suggested to build national networks and information sharing platforms that would allow educational institutions and corporate companies to work together. In this context, it was stated that data sharing and common testing infrastructures should be developed in order to close the gap between academic research and industry practices. The event also revealed the need to conduct widespread awareness campaigns on accessibility standards and digital rights.
Finally, it was recommended to strengthen the public-university-private sector trio to produce awareness programs and educational materials for local communities. This approach will disseminate user-centered design principles locally and enable the production of digital solutions that will cover all layers of society. Thus, innovative initiatives in the field of disability will not only be limited to big cities, but will also be implemented in rural and disadvantaged regions.
This event stands out as a strong step towards positioning the issue of disabilities and accessibility as a national digital inclusion program that permeates every aspect of daily life, rather than seeing it as just a festival or conference. The goal is to build a more equitable digital future by not only using technology, but also by co-designing with users and increasing social participation. Actors acting with this vision adapt the lessons learned from international experiences to their own ecosystems while producing solutions suitable for local needs.
