Back to the future, disability and the digital divide

Abstract

The aim of this article is to explore disability and the digital divide using a quantitative methodology. The research investigates what impact digital technologies have had in improving the life-chances for disabled people from deprived neighbourhoods in the northeast of England. The study explores how disabled people engage with digital and assistive technologies in order to overcome disabling barriers and social exclusion. Unfortunately, the analysis found no evidence that digital and assistive technologies had any impact on reducing social exclusion for disabled people. In fact, the research discovered that these technologies seemed to construct new forms of disabling barriers as a consequence of the digital divide.

Keywords:

• digital divide
• technology
• quantitative methods
• social model
• social exclusion
• disabling barriers

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Corrigendum

Notes

1. The smallest area measurement of deprivation in England.

2. When examining the relationship between social networking and disability (p < 0.07) and independent living and disability (p < 0.28) it should be noted that the data analysis was not significant in our study. Hence, this study is unable to comment on improvement or failure by Sunderland to improve access to social networking and independent living with the use of digital technologies.