Connectedness and ICT: Opening the door to possibilities for people with intellectual disabilities

This study aimed to investigate the experiences of people with intellectual disability (ID) using information and communication technologies (ICTs) and the ways these technologies foster social connectedness. In partnership with a community mental health organization, this qualitative descriptive st...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of intellectual disabilities Vol. 24; no. 4; p. 1744629519831566
Main Authors: Barlott, Tim, Aplin, Tammy, Catchpole, Emma, Kranz, Rebecca, Le Goullon, Damian, Toivanen, Amanda, Hutchens, Sarah
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: England 01.12.2020
Subjects:
digital inclusion
social connectedness
information and communication technology
community-based participatory research
intellectual disability
ISSN:1744-6309, 1744-6309
Online Access:Get more information
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Summary:This study aimed to investigate the experiences of people with intellectual disability (ID) using information and communication technologies (ICTs) and the ways these technologies foster social connectedness. In partnership with a community mental health organization, this qualitative descriptive study explored the experiences of 10 people with ID using ICTs. Participants described how ICTs Opened the Door to Possibilities in their life - ICTs provided an avenue for connecting with other people, a means to pursue personal interests and a tool for organizing everyday life. Opening the door to possibilities was further understood as movement towards digital inclusion for people with ID, conceptualized as the fit between social opportunity and personal skills. We have identified the prominent role social supports play in creating (and constraining) opportunities for digital inclusion, and that digital inclusion has the potential to enable social connectedness and the development of agency. Consideration of the complex interaction between social opportunity and personal skills, and the mediating influence of supports, will enhance the inclusion of people with ID.
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ISSN:1744-6309
1744-6309
DOI:10.1177/1744629519831566