2012/07/01 by Maria Sourbati · 1 citation
Social Sciences · #Healthcare innovation and challenges #Social Policy and Reform Studies #Cultural Industries and Urban Development #Universal design #Inclusion (mineral) #Social media #Internet privacy #Public relations #The Internet #Digital divide #Public policy #Universal service #Business #Telecommunications #Political science #Computer science #Sociology #World Wide Web
paper · doi:10.1177/0163443712442702
openalex publication_date 2012/07/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/05/21
Digital information and communication technologies feature prominently in programmes to promote social inclusion and to implement extensive reform in public service provision across Europe. The transition to an all-digital communications environment and the digital ‘switchover’ of public services bring to the fore a need to rethink access as a goal of public policy. This article probes patterns of internet diffusion among disabled people using capabilities framework and resource-based models of access. The analysis highlights the multi-dimensional character of media access capability as the space to evaluate policies for social inclusion; the relational character of disability as a phenomenon of the interface between personal circumstances and structural disadvantage; a capability failure resulting from a gap in policy commitment to promote universal access for disabled people and other excluded groups; and a requirement for policies sensitive to the need for additional resources to equalize the media access capabilities of these individuals.