ISPs for People with Disabilities - How to Capture This Market?

When it comes to people with disabilities, the internet has proven to be life-changing, bringing them access to a whole world of possibilities that simply wasn’t there before, which is why this is an important market for internet service providers.

Outside of specific technology like voice-activated devices, touch screens and screen readers, which all make it easier for people with disabilities to use the internet, there are some clear ways in which the internet has helped with daily life.

1- Online communities

People with disabilities are able to connect online with others around the world to share their frustrations, challenges, problems and to encourage each other as well. It has opened up the world to people who might be housebound otherwise, in a way that was never possible before the internet.

This online world not only connects people socially and helps them to feel less alone, but it can also provide support, comfort and knowledge-sharing. Many online communities come together to raise funds and raise awareness about particular conditions, giving people with disabilities a voice and a way to make themselves heard.

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2- Increased communication 

While we all benefit from the increased opportunities to communicate through the internet, it has particularly opened doors for people with disabilities to communicate due to the multimedia formats available. There are written platforms such as email, instant messaging, blogs and other formats which can be used easily by those with hearing issues.

Users with vision loss can use audio, screen readers and other read aloud services to communicate using internet services, and people with physical disabilities can take part in meetings and events from the comfort of their own home thanks to video calls and other connective technology.

By providing services which incorporate all of these different technologies, ISPs can really corner the market and make sure they are the supplier of choice for people with disabilities.

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3- Opening up a whole world of work

The internet has opened up a whole new world of work for people with disabilities who no longer have to worry about being turned down for a role because there is limited access to the building, or the employer can’t make all the necessary adaptations. The internet means anyone who can use a computer and phone can now work from home easily and the pandemic has shown us that working from home can be incredibly productive for employees.

The internet has also made it possible for more people with disabilities to set up their own businesses working from home as well, creating more opportunities for work, without fear of discrimination and stigmatisation than ever before. It has also opened up the professional networking channels enabling people with disabilities to connect with peers and mentors without ever leaving home.

4- Access to education 

The internet has served as a great leveller for improving access to education for far more people than ever before, with options to access online learning from the comfort of your own home and from around the world.

For people with disabilities, the invention of key internet technologies has proved invaluable, for example, text-to-speech facilities and voice recognition software have been life-changing for many, opening up access and allowing those who are visually impaired to continue to study. There are even braille translators and printers for people who require them.

The internet has enabled people with disabilities to access education which would have been denied to many of them in the years before. Technology opens doors for many people, as long as they can afford the hardware and software required to make it all work.

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5- Online services

We just take for granted nowadays that we can order anything online, from food to clothes, not to mention being able to do our banking, shopping and many other daily chores online using the internet.

But for people with disabilities this has opened so many doors, allowing them to access services independently from their own home. Things like prescription deliveries and remote doctor consultations remove the need for people with disabilities to have to queue in the chemist or spend time in waiting rooms.

They can use their smartphone to order groceries, check their bank and contact health and care services immediately, all without having to leave the house at all. On the other hand, the pandemic has also shown up the inequalities where people with disabilities don’t have internet access and the disadvantages this has caused them at a time when everything went online to keep us safer. 

For this post we turned Tim of www.calix.com asked him his five reasons why people with disabilities are an important market for ISPs.

Conclusion

Internet service providers looking to capture the market for people with disabilities need to make sure their services include options for voice-to-text technology, easy read and audio options and that they incorporate as many different accessibility choices as possible, and they will be supporting people to experience the world in the way they deserve to.

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