People with disabilities are being left out of the digital communications revolution, according to a book being launched at The University of Queensland today (Friday, April 4).
Digital Disability: The Social Construction of Disability in New Media (Rowman & Littlefield) is the first book-length study of disability and new media.
It will be launched by Queensland Advocacy Inc Director Kevin Cocks at 5pm following a free public seminar at 3.30pm in the Innes Room, Student Union Complex, St Lucia campus.
“The Internet, mobile phones and other digital communications technologies are not providing the opportunities and benefits they should for people with disabilities,” said co-author Dr Gerard Goggin from UQ’s Centre for Critical and Cultural Studies.
“It is scandalous and perplexing that companies and policymakers in multi-billion-dollar communications industries still drag their heels when it comes to serving the twenty per cent of Australians with disabilities.”
The book, which is co-authored by Dr Christopher Newell from the University of Tasmania, is strongly critical of new media companies, designers, and policymakers for not adequately meeting the needs and desires of people with disabilities.
“Digital technologies have been enthusiastically adopted by people with disabilities, who are experimenting with these in creative and innovative ways,” Dr Newell said.
“However technology designers and companies still do not really acknowledge or become familiar with how people with disabilities use technology and what they want.
“For example, deaf people are heavy users of Short Message Service (SMS) text messaging, but this was never really anticipated by mobile phone manufacturers.
“Likewise, blind people who use the Internet because they can find information and communicate directly with people without having to ask someone for help, often find many Internet sites and applications inaccessible, even after buying specially-designed, expensive software.
“People with disabilities have as much right to digital technologies as everyone else and designing digital technology to incorporate people with disabilities is a great way to make sure the technology is user-friendly for most people.”
Various guest speakers will discuss the field of disability and new media at the public seminar. In addition to Dr Goggin and Dr Newell, they include: Professor Graeme Turner (Centre for Critical and Cultural Studies), internet and disability expert Gunela Astbrink (GSA Consulting); deaf telecommunications service provider and expert Len Bytheway (Australian Communications Exchange) and Dr Liz Ferrier (UQ School of English, Media Studies and Art History).
Media: For further information, contact Dr Goggin (mobile 0428 668 824, email g.goggin@uq.edu.au) Dr Newell (mobile 0418 545 611, email christopher.newell@utas.edu.au) or Joanne van Zeeland at UQ Communications (telephone 07 3365 2619).
