Exploring the Smart Future of Participation: Community, Inclusivity, and People With Disabilities

COVID-19 is having an enormous impact on civic life, including public services, governance, and the well-being of citizens. The pace and scope of technology as a force for problem solving, connecting people, sharing information, and organizing civic life has increased in the wake of COVID-19. This article critically reviews how technology use influences the civic engagement potential of the smart city, in particular for people with disabilities. The article aims to articulate new challenges to virtual participation in civic life in terms of accessibility, usability, and equity. Next, the article proposes a framework for a smart participation future involving smarter communities that utilize universal design, blended bottom-up, and virtual community of practice (VCoP) approaches to planning and connecting citizens with disabilities to smart cities. Policy and ethical implications of the proposed smart participation future are considered.

Automated summary

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted civic life, with technology playing an increasingly important role in addressing challenges and connecting people, particularly those with disabilities. This article critically examines how technology influences civic engagement in smart cities, focusing on accessibility, usability, and equity issues, and proposes a framework for a smart participation future involving smarter communities and virtual community of practice (VCoP) approaches to better connect citizens with disabilities to smart cities. Policy and ethical implications of this proposed future are also discussed.