Session Information
Contribution
Human disability shall not be a barrier for fully-fledged integration into information society, adaptation to social environment. This barrier may be eliminated by the society, a proper attention shall be paid to disabled people. In this regard, information and communication technologies appliance opportunities as well as special software play significant role. Analysis of scientific literature (foreign and local) indicated that bigger attention should be paid to information technologies development research, results of which would reveal and analyse disabled people's performance:o Social communication - social capital, which is obtained through information technologios access and social participation; attitude towards disabled people;o Economical partcipation - employment opportunities, education, economic welfare;o Physical environment - ICT environment development, hardware and software, ecological health. Aim of the research - investigate information and comunication technologies appliance while developing disabled people's social participation in the information society.The problem of the research may be revealed answering to the specific questions:o What is the role of information and communication technologies in disabled people's social life?o What are opportunities of disabled people in the field of information and communication technologies?o Do disabled people use proposed information opportunities of the market?o What kind of obstructions do disabled people meet using technologies?o Are any support structures, which would provide personal assistance to disabled people when integrating into information society, developed?The survey participants wereo 25 respondents having physical disability; o 21 members from computer trading company in Lithuania.Individual half standardised interview method was chosen for the study. The method is the best for accumulation of initial information from people having physical disability. The study variables and variables related questions were foreseen in advance, but the investigator had possibilty to to ask additional, qualifying questions, debate. Average duration of interview was 45 min. Questionaire comprised of 16 questions, including sociodemographic questions, respondent's computer anamnesis and questions, which are designed to find out disabled people's attitude towards information and communications technologies role in disabled people's life.In order to find out disabled people's possibilities to procure information and communication technologies in todays society, if disabled people use information and communication technologies proposed in the market, standardised inquiry using Internet was applied to interview representatives of computer trading companies.1. Information and communication technologies become one the most important means for disabled people, in other case, people are isolated from the society, less opportunities to participate in social, economical, political and cultural activity.2. Restricted opportunities to apply information and communication technologies are governed by: information and communication technologies cost (especially specialized IT), expensive internet; lack of information and communication technologies knowledge and skills; rapid technologies update.3. Seek that disabled people would be able to compete in work market solving environment adjusting problems: transportation to work problems, special equipment installation in working place (special keyboard, fingering board, i.e. Braille, sensory monitors, hand-free equipment, subtitles, voice control and similar).4. The government decisions shall refer provision for disabled people of information and communication technologies and services, which are required to ensure self-supporting living, participation in economic and social activity of the society.1. Florian, L., Hegarty, J. (Eds.). (2004). ICT and Special Educational Needs. Open University Press.McGraw-Hill Education. 2. Altman, B.M., Barnartt, S.N. (Eds.). (2000). Expanding the Scope of Social Science Research on Disability (Research in Social Science and Disability). Jai Press Inc.3. Barnes, C., Mercer , G. (2003). Disability (Key Concepts). Blackwell Publishers Inc.
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