[Air-L] Internet access and accessibility for people with disabilities

[Philippa Smith]

Dear AOIR members,

I am currently searching the academic literature to  help me in my preparation of a research proposal about internet access and accessibility for people with disabilities here in New Zealand. This will consider not only difficulties in being 'connected' but also what the needs are of people in using computers/the Internet whether they have impairments relating to vision or hearing, or who suffer from physical conditions as a result of diseases such as Parkinson's Disease or arthritis. Really anything in the health area that is relevant to this topic and it should extend to include anything about the benefits of the Internet for people with disabilities such as empowerment.

I am aware that the Pew Report does cover this to some extent, and have also found Dobransky and Harigattai's 2006 paper titled 'The disability divide in Internet access and use' in Information Communication and Society to be useful. But if anyone can offer or direct me to further material I would be very grateful.

Kind regards

Philippa

Philippa K Smith, PhD
Research Manager
Institute of Culture, Discourse & Communication
AUT University
Auckland
NEW ZEALAND