The role of online technologies and digital skills in the political participation of citizens with disabilities

Abstract

Online technologies are viewed as a potential equalizer of opportunities for marginalized groups because they may help reduce inequality and oppression through their educational, social and professional capabilities. While many forms of political participation are increasingly mediatized by online technologies, very few studies have examined the extent to which citizens with disabilities use them to engage in democracy. This article addresses this challenge by examining how internet access for people with disabilities compares to others, whether people with disabilities are equally or more likely to use the internet to participate in politics, and the digital skills of users with disabilities. It draws on a phone survey conducted among a representative sample of the Canadian population. We find that Canadians with disabilities are less likely to access online technologies and that disabled users with low digital skills face additional barriers. However, disabled users whose knowledge allows them to make the most of the Internet are as likely – or even more likely – as non-disabled users to participate online in politics.