Internet as a place of social activity for people with disabilities and their families

Abstract

For families of people with disabilities Internet is a place of communication, information about treatment and therapy. The Internet is also a space for social support. In this article I present online groups bringing together parents of children with disabilities. I believe the activities of such groups are a form of support and kind of education for people with disabilities and their families. An important aspect of teaching is both a learning process associated with a disabled child and their surrounding environment and educating tolerance to people with disabilities among the general public. The aspect is especially important regarding children with Down syndrome (such children are often determined on the basis of external features, typical of people with the syndrome). There have been more than 21 successful attempts to promote the idea of a so-called open th society for people with Down syndrome through publications, leaflets, lectures etc. so far today. Blogs created by people with disabilities or their families are becoming a more common form of social activity in the community. Analyzing the motivation of such form of communication reveals two main reasons that should be noted. The first one is connected with the need to raise funds for treatment. Whilesharingan online diary on the Internet, there is a chance to reach a larger number of people reading the blog who are concerned withfinding asolution to the problems of people with disabilities and, therefore, who can help them with financial support. Almost every blog has a request for such support (bank account entry, list of procedures to be funded, etc.). The second most common reason is the need to share personal experiences with the others, the request for externalization of, as a rule, very painful experience in front of the individual who is met face-to-face. The media, allowing transcendence of culture, certainly play an important function in the process.

Keywords

• disability; family; group; Internet