Disabilities Dissolve On The Internet
This morning Jill Morris completed her mid-term exam in political science, strolled down the aisles of Macy’s, toured a couple of houses and completed a project for her employer. And she did it all without leaving her home or her wheelchair.
Computer technology and the increasing popularity of the internet have tremendous potential to broaden the lives and increase the independence of people with disabilities. A person can shop for groceries, get a college degree, buy a house, make new friends and research their health issues regardless of their ability to walk, talk, see, hear or move their arms.
The Internet has enabled thousands of disabled people to find jobs. Many jobs which traditionally required some degree of mobility can now be done sitting at a desk or telecommuting from home. Thus, potential barriers such as inaccessible buildings can be avoided. Especially for the disabled, having a job means being able to earn your own living, being recognized for your accomplishments and making contributions to society.
Actor Christopher Reeve who became a quadriplegic in 1995 after being thrown from a horse, became an unrelenting spokesperson for spinal cord injury until his death in 2004. When asked in an online chat-based interview if cyberspace held advantages for people with disabilities, Reeve replied, “The internet is an essential tool and literally a lifeline for many disabled people. I have Dragon Dictate and while I was in rehab I learned to operate it by my voice. I have really enjoyed corresponding with friends and strangers with that system. Many disabled people have to spend long hours alone. Voice activated computers are a means of communication that can prevent a sense of isolation.”
Reeve was fortunate to have a voice that is understandable enough to be processed by the voice recognition software. Not everyone with a motor disability can take advantage of this particular technology, but there are many other technologies than can help such people.
In an article published on the website for the International Center for People With Disabilities on the Internet, Mike Burks quotes a disabled physician friend who lauds the power of the Internet.
“If anybody asks me what the internet means to me I will tell them without hesitation that as a quadriplegic the Internet occupies the most important part of my life. It is my feet that can take me to any part of the world; it is my hands which help me accomplish my work. In cyberspace the differences between high and low, rich and poor, disabled and able-bodied all melt away!”
Individuals with paraplegia generally have no difficulty using the Internet. Individuals with quadriplegia may have some difficulties depending on the type and severity of their injury. But almost all quadriplegics are able to make use of assistive technologies that allow them to access their computers.
Blind people who used to wait months or years for the information they needed to be available on audiotape can now access the very same news stories, magazine articles, government reports, and information on consumer products at the very same time it becomes available to the sighted population. People who have difficulty holding a pen or using a keyboard can use the latest speech recognition software to write letters, pay their bills or perform work-related tasks. People with disabilities are offered unprecedented opportunities to access information and services over the internet.
Today, there are over 54 million Americans with disabilities, a full 20 percent of the U.S. population. Almost half of these individuals have a severe disability, affecting their ability to see, hear, walk, or perform other basic functions of life. In addition, there are over 25 million family caregivers and millions more who provide aid and assistance to people with disabilities. Disabled Americans maintain an aggregate income of $1 trillion and represent $220 billion in discretionary spending power.
Disabled Population Destined To Grow
With the aging of the boomers, the number of people with disabilities is destined to grow. Smart marketers will make sure that their sites are user friendly for disabled people, especially if they are marketing products or services which can be useful to this group. Whether you're trying to buy, sell, or share something you want to reach as many people as clearly as you can, and avoid confusion as much as possible. If you are unsure about how to create or modify a website to make it useful for disabled people, there are many excellent web design services that can do it for you.
As more and more goods and services for disabled people become available on the internet, they will be able to shop for specific items, compare prices, and purchase goods and services from their homes. This will offer a wider range of choices to the consumers of these services and should save enormous amounts of time and effort for caregivers.
One of the greatest advantages of the internet in general and the World Wide Web in particular is the availability of massive amounts of information. For people who are disabled in a manner that makes it difficult to move around this can be an extremely helpful technology.
The level of accessibility of the Internet changes frequently. As new technologies are rightfully integrated into the internet, it is important to take the steps necessary to keep these features user friendly for people with disabilities, especially since the web is a lifeline for so many.
As Murks’ disabled physician friend so eloquently put it:
“I am so lucky to live in a digital age. I earnestly hope that every disabled person in the world will someday have a computer of their own. This would enable them to make full use of their talents and then they could feel the love and equality between human beings that I now experience every day of my life.”
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