CNet News reported on a survey today that showed that about 20 percent of U.S. heads-of-household have never sent an email. Likewise, about 18 percent of households do not have internet access. Similar percentages of respondents also reported that they have never looked for information on the Internet or looked for a specific website, according to the survey.

The study, which was commissioned by market research firm Parks Associates, indicated that age and education were important factors in inhibiting use of email and the internet. Half of the respondents who had never used email were older than 65. and slightly more than half had no formal education beyond high school.

See the CNet story at: http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9946706-7.html?tag=nefd.top

Our own data from the Wireless RERC's Survey of User Needs on wireless technology use by disabled persons shows generally similar patterns, but with much smaller differences across age groups and education levels. In our Survey of User Needs, almost 29 percent of respondents age 65 or older did not have access to a wireless device (including a cell phone). This compared to about 10 percent of those between 18 and 44 who did not have wireless devices, and 13 percent of those in the 45-64 age group. The differences among education levels were even smaller, but generally those with less education had a lower tendency to use wireless devices.

Comparing our data on use of cell phones and other mobile devices with the Parks Associates survey on internet use, suggests that mobile devices likely present lower barriers (psychological, technological, etc.) than computers and general internet use.

Perhaps the disabled that you reach, who actually participate in these studies, are already "techno-amenable" by virtue of having embraced non wireless adaptive technologies in other areas of life. They may be used to using some pretty slick technology in adapted vehicles (driving controls, electric ramps etc.) and they may have other such advancements at home in tv controls, kitchen, lifts etc. If they are using electric wheelchairs they understand well battery life and probably understand that there's actual changable programming inside that can affect how braking, turning and other nuances can be tweaked.

This makes them,I think, an ideal/hungry test market for new technology in wireless. Advances in displays/input devices that make say... small device web browsing practical for all might be vetted nicely by a disabled user who might actually NEED to use that nifty google map or other web based utility.

Doug J

That's a good point. Our survey have some sampling bias in favor of those who already are techno-amenable. Compounding that tendency is the dynamic you point out that many who have a disability are exposed to technology because of their use of other non-wireless assistive technology.