An Inclusive Digital Economy Supporting Older and Disabled People and Other Digitally Disenfranchised Groups

Principal researcher

Project details

Start date: 01/04/2008
End date: 31/03/2009

Description: Designers, policymakers and other stakeholders in the digital economy often do not have a good understanding of the needs of older and/or disabled people who want to use IT systems. As a result, many commonly used digital systems are inaccessible to large numbers of people.

The project aims to bring together a multi-disciplinary team whose participants have a track record in developing computer systems for older and disabled people. The researchers will survey both the literature and current commercial practice in this area, and institute a number of specific pilot research projects. These will include focus groups with users discussing the challenges which a digital economy presents to them, and mixed focus groups of users and designers.

Other organisations involved in this project

City University, Department of Sociology.

Funded by EPSRC - Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council.

Last updated: 10/06/2008