7/27/2018 S/R A Common Open Space or Digital Divide? A Social Model Perspective on the Online Disability Community in China/ Adela Tamayo

7/27/2018 S/R A Common Open Space or Digital Divide? A Social Model Perspective on the Online Disability Community in China/ Adela Tamayo/ https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/0968759042000283638

MLA:
Baorong Guo, et al. “ A Common Open Space or Digital Divide? A Social Model Perspective on the Online Disability Community in China.” Disability & Society, vol. 20, no.1, Oct. 2010, p.p 49-66., doi:10.1080/096875904200

APA:
B.G., Baorang, J.C., & Huang, J. (2010). A Common Open Space or Digital Divide? A Social Model Perspective on the Online Disability Community in China.” Disability & Society, 20(1), 49-66. Doi: 10.1080/09685904200028

Summary:
The authors are studying the use of the internet by the disabled community in China. They found that before 1998, the internet was not known to or was used by the disabled community in China. They found that the disabled community may not have the same access to internet as the general population. Yet, recently the internet has helped the disabled community to to keep up with current news, obtain needed information, make more friends, form self-support group and shop.  The visually impaired in China have built their own websites even though physically it should be hard for them to access the internet or create a website. They used a self-reported survey to survey 122 disabled people to look at the specifically disabled people who use the internet in China and can the internet communications improve the perceived quality of disabled people social interactions.

Theories
They look at the compensation model is often used to study the internets impact on disabled people and other marginalized populations. This model states that people who are socially inactive or dissatisfied with the real world tend to use the internet more and benefit from it. This model also states that disabled people are isolated with a low level of social interaction so they create it online. The authors view this model as to narrow because it often used just as a technological medium. So it doesn’t fully explain why or how the internet can compensate.
For this study, they adopt the social model of disability because they see it as “capturing the full significance of the internet’s social dimension”. This model sees the “source of disability” as the environmental barriers they face and not the impairments. The internet can help with any environmental factors they may face such as physical, geographical and attitudes. Unlike the compensation model which is called the medical model, which only focused on medical interventions to help disease, illnesses and any impairments. Where as the social model looks at the barriers in the environment around them and how the disabled community can get past them.

Social Model in China
The medical model is what is used in China because the even the law defines disability as a “physical or mental deficit”. There is a clear division in China between the abnormal- disabled population and normal- non disabled population. They have a specific Chinese term, “canji” for disability. In English the term means deficit or disease. Yet the disabled community uses the social model to fight against the injustice they face. In 2000, they used the internet to start a movement to eliminate the word disease from the disability discourse in China. Another movement is among the deaf community. In China, when deaf students return to school they want them to speak and not use sign language. Yet online deaf community argues that not all students can speak or even get hearing implants.
The internet can improve a disabled person life but it can also have a negative impact. Other conditions then disability can affect rather the internet can have benefit. Social conditions and inequalities can create a digital divide. The authors look at the following propositions:
• Does educational or economic status or geography affect there ability to access the internet
• Can internet remove physical environmental barriers and reduce discrimination
• The internet serves to promote social interaction by increasing frequency and quality of exchange.
Education- They found that disabled people who use the internet have achieved a high level of education. 22% high school education and 59.5% above high school compared to the general population. They found that the disabled community has an education level of high school and above at 59.5% over 55.2% of the general population. They also found the disabled community has achieved a educational level of graduate degree or above at 9.9% over 2.2% of the general population. They found that disabled people attain higher educational level then the general population. So disabled internet users are better then the disabled population who may not use the internet.

Economic Barriers – The monthly price of internet is leading barrier to not being able to access the internet. The other 3 are the lack of internet knowledge, lack of computers and lack of  assistive equipment. The survey found that most of the people earn less than the national monthly earning. They found that they live with or get finical support from others they can still afford the internet.

Common Open Space – The internet can reduce physical barriers because many public places in China do not have an accessible way for disabled people to get there or use them. With the internet they can talk friends that live far away and make new friends. They found that 23.5% are able to receive education through long distance programs. These programs are also starting to grow.

Social attitude- They found that 54% face less discrimination online and yet 35.3% neither agree or disagree that they face less discrimination online. While 10.6% disagree all together. The authors state that the disabled community may face less discrimination on the internet because they can interact without having to disclose that they are disabled or they can choose when to disclose it. So they found that the less discrimination may be because the disabled person may choose to not disclose that they are disabled online. It doesn’t change the social attitude but suppresses it. If they choose not to disclose it the discrimination may never happens but one of the surveys responses suggested that disclosing it later just meant they faced discrimination later. The internet can also increase the chances for social opportunities because 76.2% agree that the internet provides “more chances to make friends, participate in public affairs and create self-support groups.” Online I have joined Facebook groups, I wonder if they have these kind of groups in the China’s version of Facebook. When I started teaching the kids in China English, during training they informed us that facebook is banned in China. So the have their own version.

The authors conclude that in China the internet is both a common ground and a digital divide. The common ground is that communication and information is free and unregulated for people with disabilities that can access the internet. The communication is instant and global so it provides a place to keep friendships and make new ones. The divide lies in what Stephen Graham says that internet has not produced the “death of distance” nor the “end of geography” (2001). They found that studying disabled internet users does not show the whole picture. They did find that disabled internet users who do not have high level of education, a high level of socio-economic support, access to computer equipment or the internet there is no benefit to using the internet. To close this divide they suggest the whole community needs access to computers, internet, literacy programs and heath and other sources.

Response:

I agree with the article that the internet provides a common ground but there is a digital divide. The economic barriers that exist with the price of internet can prevent low income disabled people from accessing information. There is a lot of help and resources on the internet such companies that provide discounted and free medicine. There are even medical companies that provide free blood sugar machines. But what if people can access the internet due to cost but also what if they don’t know how to search for this information. As someone with no health insurance I get help from the insulin company to get free insulin. The dr sent me to the hospital to the medical accessibility office. They help you fill out the paper work and find the right companies. Well the office closed with no notice. When I went to the doctors they told me just print it out online and we will help you. But all I could think about was the elderly who may not know how to use the computer or may not have someone who can help them at home to find this information.

The common ground is disabled people can choose when or where to disclose their disability on the internet. This can also lead to less discrimination. Also with facebook support groups can be the one place where disabled people can talk about their disability with out being judged and also share information that can help each other. What I found interesting was how one of the survey respondents stated that making friends online was like making friends in real life.

Quotations
- About making more friends
“I have many more online friends to talk to. I feel like the Internet suddenly opens a door in front of me, through which I can see the outside world and get to know many things.”

- Getting to choose if to reveal disability
“If there is any difference between the Web and the real world, it should be this: I can freely decide what information to be exchanged in online communication and how to tell the information (related to my impairment).

“On the web, I can be whatever person I want to be without caring to much about what others think of me.”

- Delayed discrimination
“ Many of my online friends were very glad to talk with me before they know the truth (I am a disabled person). Things completely changed after I told them I was blind.”
 
- making friends is the same
“ Of course, the Internet can bring me out of the isolated world and let me know more people. But it is just a tool, a way of communicating, and a complementary of real life. The online world seem no so much different from the real world. Online friends can be real or not real, can be intimate or superficial. I was very excited at the very beginning but the excitement disappeared soon. Nothing has been changed. Everything remains the same.

Keyterms:

Compensation model – also known as the medical model- the authors see it as to narrow to research disabled people use of internet in China. This model states that if people are dissatisfied with their real world social life and the internet can benefit them. This model tends to focus on the disability or the illness that person has.

Social model of Disability – the author chose this model  - this model views disability happening because of social factors more then the person impairment

Canji – term used in China to describe disabled but when transcribed to English is derogatory because it latterly means deficit or disease.