1.1 Disabilities and current internet use
A disabled user is legally defined as
“a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on his ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities" (Office of Public Sector Information [OPSI], 1995, p. 1).
In 1982 the UN estimated that worldwide “no less than five hundred million persons are estimated to suffer from disability of one form or another” (United Nations [UN], 1982, para. 2).
In 2000 it was thought
“Ten per cent of the world's population -- some 600 million persons” (United Nations [UN], 2000, para. 8)
have some sort of disability. The statistics for more developed countries such as the United Kingdom also show a large amount of people who have a limiting long-term illness.
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”In the 2001 Census, one in six people in the UK (10.3 million) living in a private household reported having a limiting long-term illness” (National Statistics [NS], 2006, para. 1)
Although the majority of disabled people in the UK are over 60 the issue cannot be dismissed as the older generations in the UK are becoming increasingly active on the internet. The launch of SAGA Zone, a social network site aimed at over 50’s, in 2007 shows the growing demand.
Gignac states an estimated 95 percent of Web sites are inaccessible to disabled users (2000). It is not just small personal websites, or small businesses but
“Gartner analyst Ray Valders has found that Fortune 500 companies have a very low level of awareness about making their public websites accessible.” (Sliwa, 2006, p. 14).