Let me propose a hypothesis. The date is some 1990 year, pre-technology advancement and you have a disability. For whatever reason you have been restricted to your home because of your disability. With only basic aids to help you live your life, you may feel restricted and bound by it.
Now the year is 2010. Having access to the internet and living somewhat through cyber-culture could at least help you to interact and communicate in a different type of way given the array of new social networking tools, ability to perform an incoming earning job role and which allows access to an abundance of online information.
Now take this hypothesis and watch the video below. A disability no longer has to result in a life where access to the internet is impossible and therefore allowing for a better quality of life should you want it.
Aspects which could help people with disabilities are ones that some take for granted but by looking at three basic areas one can see how someone could use the internet and specialised tools to access and navigate around it to try and better their life.
By using tools such as E-learning a person with disabilities may access online courses and diplomas that will enable them to get qualified enough to perform job roles from things as simple as data-capturing to online writing and editing.
Where people with disabilities may have been prevented from attending schools, high schools and universities due to handicaps which meant costly fees or inability to participate, the internet now provides a space where one is not discriminated againist or inhibited by their disability.
Thanks to software like AcessDOS the user is provided an easier functionality of the computer mouse and keyboard by allowing for customised navigation which can help the user learn more effectively. Other software may include auditory aids -for users with impaired vision- or visual aniamtion -for users with deafness or limited mobility- to help explain concepts for users.
Communication applications available via simple, free-download -known as 'free-ware'- such as skype, MSN messenger -available also as a 'web-only' application accessible by signing in online- G-talk and telecommunication web services like Free Vodacom SMSs may seem like convienient ways to communicate and mostly for free.
However for people with disabilities these applications can provide for a regular channel of communication to friends, families, employers and employees to communicate via text, audio and visual forms thanks to pairing such communication applications with user friendly hardware such as blue-tooth, web-cams and micro-phones.
By using social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and You-tube and spaces to allow for social chat and interaction, people with disabilities can communicate by choice under an alias or avatar which allows for their disability not to pre-determine their image if they choose.
By being able to access social spaces virtually, users with disabilities can live online just as everybody else does. They can foster interests with like-minded people with disabilities or without and can get to know people to increase friend circles, employement potential and even through online dating to find that one true love.
Whatever the use of the internet it has definitely promoted an equality for all users. For users with disabilities, living virtually may be a good alternative if other options are not available or viable.
