PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES: Internet Improves Quality of Life

      The Internet is helping to improve the quality of life for adults with disabilities, according to the latest online Harris Poll. The survey of 535 adults with disabilities and 614 adults without disabilities who access the Internet found that 48% of adults with disabilities believe that the Web has improved their quality of life, compared to 27% of adults without disabilities. Further, adults with disabilities spend, on average, twice as much time each week online as adults without disabilities. Adults with disabilities were more likely than adults without disabilities to report that the Internet has better informed them about the world (52% vs. 39%). Forty-four percent of adults with disabilities reported that the Internet has better connected them to the world, compared to 38% of adults without disabilities. In addition, people with disabilities (42%) were more likely to report that going online has helped them reach out to people with similar interests than people without disabilities (30%). However, people with disabilities were less likely than people without disabilities to use the Internet to stay in touch with friends and relatives, 42% vs. 49%, respectively. The online poll was conducted between March 22 and April 5 and has a 2 percentage point margin of error (Harris Interactive release, 6/7).