2013 SUNspot (Number 04) - Adults with Disabilities, Age and Use of Wireless Devices

We created “SUNspot” to share some of the latest findings from ongoing data collection for our Survey of User Needs (SUN), our cornerstone survey on use and usability of wireless technology by people with disabilities.  We launched the first version of the SUN in 2001. The current version (Version 4) was launched in September 2012. The data reported here are preliminary results. Data collection is ongoing.

This SUNspot addresses the question of whether age is a factor in the use of mobile wireless technology by people with disabilities. Two questions will be addressed:

• Does age affect the TYPE of wireless devices (basic cell phone, smartphone, or tablet) that people with disabilities own?
• How do ownership rates of basic cell phones, smartphones and tablets by age compare between SUN respondents with disabilities and the general population as measured by the Pew Research Center’s Internet and American Life Project Tracking Survey?