What effect has the internet had on disability?

**dlfteam** · 03-07-2011 12:05 PM

We thought you might be interested in this article in the Guardian:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology...ski-disability

DLF

**treborc** · 03-07-2011 12:08 PM

Well the Internet has allowed me to ask questions get answers it's kept me in contact and I can contact MP's and even ministers to ask questions, mind you getting answers is a different thing.

It's allowed me to contact my GP, get my prescriptions, and I of course can talk to people all over the world.

For example I have a contact in Germany who is disabled, one in France who is disabled, one or two in Italy who have disabilities so I can find out what is going on in other countries.

The world is getting smaller.

**belvederebabe** · 03-07-2011 01:36 PM

The internet for me is a life saver, I have learned stuff about things, when i forget them again I can look again... I can write on forums i would would never be able to do this in the real world, I can edit things as many times as I want which you can't do when you speak.. I can chat to friends on chat on line without feeling stupid or anxious and worrying I might put my foot in it. I can look up stuff when I need reassurance. I have spell check when I get brain fog and can't spell. I can download a program on tv that I have missed halfway through due to a seizure I can send a message or e-mail at a touch of a button.. and there oh so much more.

My internet is my life...

**Lighttouch** · 03-15-2011 06:44 AM

This post has been removed by a moderator as it has broken forum policy.

**SpokzPeople** · 03-17-2011 09:46 AM

Very interesting read Lighttouch. I think that the social model has helped empower the disability community to some extent and helped to understand the 'invisible' ways that our whole society is structured around ablebodied people. I have read some articles indicating there is a move towards a post-social model approach which is more holistic and looks both at the impairment which is real, and the barriers put up by society but it's gonna take time for that to filter through. The internet has opened up lots of opportunities for many people with disabilities, but ultimately we all need 'real' relationships, touch, smell and all senses, and this is not yet possible in cyberspace and so indeed the changes need to occur in our real society. Personally I think it needs to start with children as apparently by age 6 children already have negative thoughts around disability.

**Lighttouch** · 03-17-2011 04:36 PM

Apologies. The article was taken from the Guardian. Apparently I'd broken some copyright infringement by copying and pasting the info instead of supplying a link. We live and learn.

I've checked out SpokzPeople - it seems to be on the ball following the 'social model' of disability. This movement isn't new. The disabled movement created the social model of disability in the 80s. Charities and such have since adopted the methodology over the former 'medical model'. I think I need to create a new post regarding this subject.