Increased Access and Use of Disability Related Information for Consumers

Abstract

Information is an indispensable resource to carry out day to day living by anybody including the people with a disability. As a matter of fact, information utilization enhances independence from a disability. Modern communications technology has provided us with the means to store, retrieve, and transfer large amounts of information. As this technology develops, the cost of acquiring and operating a telecommunications system steadily decreases. This decrease in cost also means that home systems that can access these telecommunication systems become more affordable. With a home computer system and a modem, a person who is concerned can access information on various aspects of most disabilities. People with disabilities who can access such information have the power to make more informed choices about the direction of their lives. Information/knowledge is power. The ability to obtain and use information about any subject gives a person the opportunity to choose a path from many alternatives instead of being limited to a few perhaps unwanted or unfeasible choices. Modern information/communication technology has given us a means of rapidly storing, transferring, and retrieving information of any type. This ability has long been used by government agencies, large corporations, and by educational institutions. Until recent years, the expense of equipment that was capable of storing, transferring, and retrieving a large amount of information was prohibitive to any but large organizations. The introduction of microcomputers with substantial storage capabilities, however, has made the acquisition of this technology easier. At the present time, there are many small systems consisting of a microcomputer connected to a hard-disk drive that can store and access a large amount of data. These low cost systems are capable of serving as a host for information transfer. A host is a computer that serves other computers. These host systems contain telecommunications equipment that allow others using microcomputers with modems to be connected to the host via a telephone line. These remote systems can store and/or retrieve information on the host system. A modem is a device that changes digital information (a discontinuous signal whose various states are identified with discrete levels or values; I signifying the signal is on and 0 signifying the signal is off) sent from a computer to analog information (a signal that varies in a continuous manner) that can be transmitted over a telephone line. The modem can also reverse the process. Once the analog information arrives at its destination, another modem changes the analog information back to digital information that can be processed at the receiving computer Friend, 1986). The expense of operating one of these host systems has plummeted in the last few years. It is this reduction in expense that has allowed many people to purchase the necessary equipment to operate a small computer based information system commonly referred to as a board. Information concerning any type of subject may be placed on an electronic bulletin board system (BBS). An electronic bulletin board system is a mechanism that allows people to post information, read information posted by others, and pose questions. To post a message or ask a question, the user types (keys-in) the information after logging-on to the BBS with his or her personal computer system and modem. To read messages and questions that have been posted by others, the user views the information on the computer monitor. Some BBSs are concerned with topics such as music, flying saucers, law, or shopping. There are also several special-interest groups on the major online computer services and many of BBSs dedicated to information concerning people with disabilities. This situation can be of tremendous benefit to people with disabilities. Michael Banks (author of the Modem Reference) seems to have summed these ideas very well. …

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