A Sense of Control: Virtual Communities for People with Mobility Impairments

Citation

Calvert, P. (2010), "A Sense of Control: Virtual Communities for People with Mobility Impairments", The Electronic Library, Vol. 28 No. 3, pp. 464-465. https://doi.org/10.1108/02640471011052043

The central theme of this book is the creation of “virtual” communities for people with physical and, more particularly, mobility impairments. A virtual community, the author says, is a meeting place for people on the Internet that facilitates interaction between its members and collaboration among those with shared interests and needs. Among the applications that create virtual communities are discussion lists, chat rooms, and newsgroups. The important element of the community that Tilley wishes to emphasise is the sense of belonging, something that people with mobility impairments can otherwise find hard to achieve.

In a key chapter Tilley describes a model of information needs for people with disabilities (chapter four). This is based upon six dimensions:

1. 1.

   function;

2. 2.

   form;

3. 3.

   clusters;

4. 4.

   agents;

5. 5.

   users; and

6. 6.

   mechanisms.

Yes, people with impairments need specific information such as how to apply for particular welfare entitlements, but they also need more emotional support in terms of self‐esteem and self‐actualisation, though these will normally only be achieved if earlier needs are met. The author then follows this with twelve case studies of people with impairments. She then uses grounded theory to build up the case that it is a “sense of control” which they really seek. Previously, people with impairments have “learned” their helplessness from society and the barriers, both physical and attitudinal, put in their way. The argument made here is that technology helps overcome many such barriers (not all, obviously) and gives the person a greater sense of purpose. In some cases it is IT itself that has become a means of self‐realisation through employment, though in others it is about enabling activities called “virtual‐reality”, in others it is information gathering, and in others again the virtual community helps people to follow an interest or hobby, or the forging of relationships, and with making online transactions. This comes with the warning that using IT can be a double‐edged sword; for example, it could disconnect them from the physical world and employment opportunities.

Reference is made in the book to British and Australian Government agencies that assist with the purchase of equipment for people with impairments, so readers of the book, wishing to convert ideas into practice, should check for local policies; chapter three offers some guidance. This book is essentially trying to create a theory for the use of virtual communities for people with impairments, rather then proposing many practical applications. I would have liked to read more about the various technologies that could be used to build community (I saw no mention of Facebook, for example) but it remains a good book for anyone interested in providing services to people with impairments.