The word accessibility can conjure up images of ramps and automatic doors, physical examples that are commonly understood and seen in the world around us. Yet it is rare to see the same kind of features in the digital world. Digital accessibility refers to “the way people with a lived…

Residents in the Gulf of Carpentaria continue to suffer the consequences of poor internet services. The region relies on Telehealth, which is often unreliable, resulting in residents’ connections continually dropping during appointments. Telehealth isn’t the only area where residents suffer, however: businesses can’t use EFTPOS, remote learning isn’t possible, and…

As part of The Conversation’s Breaking the Cycle series, which is funded by The Footpath Library, 23 people who either were currently homeless, or who had previously experienced homelessness, were interviewed to discover how they view literacy. Adolescent homelessness and housing instability were common factors contributing to their poor literacy.…

What’s the first thing you think of when you hear the word TikTok? For me, it used to be young people doing dances that my thirty-something body can’t keep up with. Grandma Droniak, the self-proclaimed 92-year-old celebrity, has completely altered my perspective. She has amassed 4.1 million followers and garnered…

Without regular access to the Internet, many of our fellow Australians are being left behind. So, what can you do to help? We recently discovered a fabulous initiative whereby you can donate some of your data to people in need! Optus has partnered with The Smith Family and The Salvos…

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for digital literacy throughout Australia. However, many services are not set up with disabled/chronically ill people in mind. Corinne Laurent (née Bedford) is a social media advocate for disabled and chronically ill people. We spoke with her to hear what works for –…

Research from National Seniors Australia shows that, over the past 4 years, older Australians have made great strides in improving their digital skills. Those aged 50 years and above have improved their abilities to text and use streaming services like ABC iView and Netflix, online banking, and video calling. National…

While 87 per cent of Australian seniors believe digital services have made their lives easier, 46 per cent still experience feelings of frustration when it comes to technology. Not only do they feel that the lack of clear instructions for  using new devices makes their lives harder, but they also…

We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: the pandemic has highlighted just how vital digital technology is in our lives. The Australia Computer Society (ACS), the peak body for Australia’s IT professionals, has proposed a billion-dollar plan to boost our IT future and keep Australia in line with…