PEW report has me concerned! Internet Challenges for the disabled

Internet Challenges for the Disabled

Pew Research follows trends in the US and today they reported on an are of concern, 54% of Americans with disabilities use the Internet, compared with 84 % of the able-bodied population.

Americans living with a disability are less likely than other adults to use the internet. According to a national survey conducted by the Pew Internet & American Life Project in September 2010, 54% of adults living with a disability use the internet, compared with 81% of adults who report none of the disabilities listed in the survey. Two percent of American adults say they have a disability or illness that makes it harder or impossible for them to use the internet. The survey found that about one-in-four (27%) American adults live with a disability that interferes with activities of daily living. Statistically speaking, disability is associated with being older, less educated, and living in a lower-income household. By contrast, internet use is statistically associated with being younger, college-educated, and living in a higher-income household. People living with disability, once they are online, are also less likely than other internet users to have high-speed access or wireless access. The Pew Internet Project report provides context for the continuing conversation about who does -- and does not -- use the internet in the U.S., including a proposal to extend the enforcement of the Americans with Disabilities Act to include websites operated by certain entities.
Click here to read the full report.

Disability is Natural Website

While preparing for a course with first year OT students I "Googled" the term "people first language". I stumbled across Kathy Snow's website called Disability is Natural and read her downloadable document about people first language.

I asked for Kathy's permission to use this in teaching and she was happy to help me spread this information to help inform future health care practitioners that person first language is NOT about political correctness, but about respect and dignity.

Another downloadable document puts forward Kathy's case against the term "Special Needs". This is also very clearly written.

This is yet another example of the power of the internet as a tool for education.