Niklas Kline Lange Frost
Inclusive by Law, Exclusive by Design? Currents and Futures of the Digital Divide
This project explores why digital spaces continue to replicate accessibility barriers from the physical world, and how AI-driven solutions might help or hinder efforts toward truly inclusive design. The goal is to map the key factors shaping digital accessibility today, particularly in Europe, and to examine how universal design principles can be better applied to create spaces that go beyond compliance to genuine inclusion.
The research will take place at European Digital Rights (EDRi) in Belgium and the Inclusive Design Research Centre (IDRC) in Canada. Niklas will also participate at major conferences including CHI, DIS, ASSETS, and W3C TPAC, contributing to the global conversation on accessible digital futures.
Watch Niklas´ pitch here:
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Niklas Kline Lange Frost
's investigation
Niklas has started his investigation. Below you can read posts along the way from his journey, in which he details his experiences and the insight he has gained thus far.
June 2026 - Singapore
Singapore is hot and humid, so I am sweaty about 5 minutes after I step outside. It's also incredibly inspiring. The DIS conference is held at the National University of Singapore (NUS) and is filled with people who work with different aspects of design of Human-Computer-Interaction. I've connected with a bunch of new people, some of whose work I was already familiar, and a lot of people working on ideas I had never heard of before.
I attended 2 sessions specifically about different aspects of accessibility that were directly transferable to the project. A lot of inspiration. But also a quite humbling experience. People are doing such good work trying to make aspects of digital life more inclusive: on-the-fly generated alt text of slides cut into live presentations, non-visual 3D printer interfaces so blind and low vision individuals can design models and 3D print them, studies on live-streamers with autism, and an endless amount of other projects.
The conference also gave me the opportunity to connect with a handful of researchers from ITU, and that was also quite amazing. It feels likepart of a transition of sorts, going from completing my masters studies (LAST WEEK!!!) to having more of a peer relationship with the researchers at ITU. The image is of the people from ITU at the conference in front of one of the universities big signs.
I'm heading home from this trip now with the conference ending, but will be going to Germany in September for another conference, which I am also looking forward to - after some rest!!!