Americans With Disabilities are Underserved by Online Technologies

The advancement in technology in the late 20th and early 21st century has dramatically influenced the way that many of us live, but some people are being left behind. People with hearing loss and other disabilities have not received all of the benefits of modern technology, according to San Jose Mercury News Columnist Troy Wolverton.

When preparing for a presentation at the Hearing Loss Association of the Peninsula, Wolverton found that technology companies are not catering to Americans with disabilities:

"Advocates say that the expense of broadband Internet access and other newer technologies can discourage those with disabilities — who tend to be less affluent than the population as a whole — from using them. Other factors, such as a lack of standards for disability-friendly technologies and tepid support for them from technology companies, can make new types of gadgets and Internet services frustrating to use or inaccessible for those with disabilities."

Wolverton pointed to the boom in online video as a prime example of those with disabilities being left behind. Whereas in television and DVD, most video can come with captions, very little content on YouTube or iTunes is. "In many cases, technology companies aren't doing a good job of serving these people," said Wolverton.

The Senate recently passed a piece of legislation that should remedy some of the captioning issues that plague online video content. However, there are plenty of other areas where technology can and should be extended to those with disabilities.

54 million Americans have some form of disability, according to a fact sheet Speed Matters co-produced with our partner, the American Association of People with Disabilities. Unfortunately, people with disabilities use the Internet about half as much as the rest of the population.

The fact sheet points out that, "less than 24 percent of homes of people with disabilities have adopted broadband Internet compared to 63 percent of all homes".

Wolverton: Those with disabilities are underserved by technology

High Speed Internet and People with Disabilities Fact Sheet

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