Marginalization

The process by which individuals or groups are pushed to the edges of society, denied equal access to resources, opportunities, and power. People with disabilities, particularly those with communication disabilities, face compounded marginalization — excluded from education, employment, and social participation due to both disability-related barriers and systemic failures in providing needed support. In the Global South, marginalization is intensified by poverty, limited healthcare infrastructure, and cultural attitudes toward disability. Intersecting factors of disability, poverty, gender, and geography create layers of marginalization that assistive technology alone cannot address.