Spinal Cord Advocates

Access to broadband technology is a key to a successful life and career, so why are people with disabilities feeling left out?

• Many individuals with disabilities do not have access to broadband technology, which would help improve their quality of life.
• Broadband technology could improve the dramatically high unemployment rates among people with disabilities.
• United Spinal Board member Tom Cooke is living proof everyone can reach their goals through assistive technology.
• The Federal Communication Commission’s (FCC) National Broadband Plan should ensure that every American should have broadband capability.

Many of us have owned a personal computer with a 56k voiceband or “dial-up” modem. It’s difficult to forget that strange chirping, static sound it made as it connected to the Internet. Even worse were the download speeds, which by today’s standard, were tedious and time-consuming.

In this digital age, broadband or “high speed” Internet is now the clear choice for accessing the Web at home or work. It’s a no brainer that everyone should eventually be using broadband technology.

Thousands of individuals with spinal cord injuries and disorders, however, do not have access to broadband or the major advantages that come with it, such as increased employment and work-at-home opportunities; online health care information; keeping in touch with friends and family and other social networks; and education and skills training. Making broadband available to people with various disabilities is only half the battle––it also needs to be usable and affordable. This could potentially help improve the dramatically high unemployment rates among people with disabilities (36.9 percent, according to a 2007 report published by Cornell University).

One real life example of how broadband access can enable someone with a severe spinal cord injury to reach their goals and become an active participant in their community is the story of United Spinal Association Board MemberTom Cooke. Tom, a Queens, NY resident was injured at the age of 19 in 1990 while serving in the U.S. military. Despite losing the use of his hands, he went on to earn both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees.

High speed internet, which Tom accesses through speech/voice activated technology has enabled him to quickly send emails, read the news, and view online speeches and news feeds. Through the use of broadband, Tom recently ran his own campaign for New York City Council and has also discovered new and exciting job opportunities, such as managing another political campaign and tutoring high school students for standardized tests. It’s quite clear that Tom’s present success is due in large part to broadband technology and access to assistive software and equipment that meets his particular needs. Although it’s easy to get caught up in the stereotypical muck regarding what you can and cannot do as a person living with a disability, Tom is living proof that everyone is capable of reaching their goals when given the proper tools.

Many people with disabilities, however, aren’t so lucky. Since Tom is a veteran and has a service connected injury, VA benefits allow him to afford new broadband and computer technology as it becomes available, in addition to being trained in its usage––an advantage not available to many people with disabilities.

United Spinal Association and the National Spinal Cord Injury Association have made the following recommendations for inclusion in the Federal Communication Commission’s (FCC) National Broadband Plan, which is due in February 2010, to ensure that every American has access to broadband capability:

• Increasing the availability of broadband nationwide, especially in rural areas
• Subsidizing the cost of broadband equipment and connection expenses, as well as the necessary assistive technology for people who cannot use their hands, are blind, or have intellectual or other disabilities
• Developing programs to educate and train people with disabilities on broadband technology and Internet access
• Redesigning of the FCC website (www.fcc.gov) to make it more friendly to visitors with disabilities so that they can easily access broadband information
• Developing and funding broadband equipment that can be used by all people with disabilities (i.e., operable by touch, pressure, eye movements, brain wave activity, etc.)