Communication habits, opinions and needs of people with physical disabilities
The households in which people with physical disabilities from the Eastern and Southeastern regions of RSM live have good access to modern communication technologies and devices: as many as 83.8% of these households have smartphones, 66.7% have personal computers, and in 52% of surveyed households have smart TVs. Some of the people with physical disabilities, especially the elderly, have several problems when using technologies: almost half of the respondents (47%) do not have enough computer skills, 44% are not skilled at searching content on the Internet, and 35.9% of respondents are not skilled enough in using a smartphone. For a significant percentage of respondents, the lack of financial means to purchase a smartphone (41%) or a computer (41.1%) is a problem.
This is a short summary of the research on the communication attitudes, habits and needs of different vulnerable groups from the East and South-East region. The research provides insight into the daily habits of using the media and communication technologies of people with physical disabilities, but also insights into the obstacles and problems they face in accessing the media and the public sphere. The results of this research will serve as an incentive for various activities of civil society organizations that work to promote the rights of vulnerable groups of citizens at the local level. The research was conducted within the framework of the project Encouraging civic engagement in local governance – LocalActiveMedia supported by the National Endowment for Democracy from the USA.
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