Almost half of persons with disabilities or long-term conditions face barriers in their online activities - Video transcript
Almost half of persons with disabilities or long-term conditions face barriers in their online activities
Almost all Canadians with disabilities or long-term conditions use some form of information and communication technology (ICT), including smart phones, tablets, laptops and desktops, traditional television or other devices, but barriers to accessibility persist. Notably, in 2024, almost half (45%) of persons with disabilities or long-term conditions reported having faced barriers in their online activities because of their condition.
In addition, over half (57%) of persons with disabilities or long-term conditions faced barriers when using at least one ICT. This percentage increased to 74% among those who experienced greater difficulty with their daily activities due to their condition.
Persons with disabilities or long-term conditions who experience barriers to accessibility are defined as those who have difficulties with the components of ICT, including websites, software, electronic devices and mobile applications. Barriers to using ICT include, among others, lack of text alternatives or closed captioning on an online content platform; lack of options to adjust colour, text size or font on websites; difficulty holding or using remote controls; machines lacking speech input features, and access to adaptive features being prevented by poor Internet connectivity.
The findings presented in this release are based on results from the Survey Series on Accessibility – Experiences with Accessibility and Information and Communication Technology, which provides a snapshot of the experiences of persons with disabilities or long-term conditions while navigating ICT-related barriers. The Accessible Canada Act supports the development of a barrier-free Canada across seven different priority areas, including ICT, which encompasses everything we use to interact online, as well as more traditional technologies. ICT plays a key role in modern life, as it enables social interaction and facilitates access to health care, education and employment.
Use of information and communication technologies among persons with disabilities or long-term conditions vary by age
Mobile phones (82%) were the most commonly used technology among persons with disabilities or long-term conditions in 2024, followed by the Internet (80%) and tablets, laptops and other devices (77%). The use of specific technologies varied by age group in this population; persons aged 55 years and older with disabilities or long-term conditions were more likely to use traditional television and less likely to use newer technologies (e.g., mobile phones, Internet, tablets and laptops) than those aged 18 to 54 years.
People who have greater difficulty with their daily activities are more likely to face barriers when using information and communication technology
Though persons with disabilities or long-term conditions had high rates of ICT use in 2024, they also reported having a number of barriers to accessibility. Across all technologies examined in the survey, people who had greater difficulty with daily activities faced more technological barriers.
For example, among people who reported having greater difficulty with their daily activities, almost two-thirds (63%) reported facing barriers in their online activities, compared with 36% of those who had less difficulty with daily activities. Similarly, 44% of people who reported having greater difficulty with their daily activities reported facing barriers when using tablets, laptops and other devices, which was about double the percentage of people who reported having less difficulty with their daily activities (21%).
The gap was similar for self-serve technologies: 48% of people with greater difficulty in their daily activities reported facing barriers when using self-serve technologies (e.g., ATMs or self-checkout kiosks), compared with 24% for those who had less difficulty in their daily activities.
Age is an important factor, even among people who have greater difficulty in their daily activities. For instance, people aged 18 to 54 years who had greater difficulty with their daily activities were less likely to face barriers with self-serve technology (15%) than those aged 55 years and older with disabilities or long-term conditions overall (38%).
Similarly, people aged 55 years and older who had greater difficulty with their daily activities were the group most likely to face barriers in using traditional television (54%), compared with those aged 55 years and older who had less difficulty with their daily activities (29%).
Statistics Canada will continue to study the lived experiences of all Canadians, including the barriers people face in their daily lives, to support efforts that make communities, workplaces and services more accessible.
Note to readers
This release is based on data from the Survey Series on Accessibility – Experiences with Accessibility and Information and Communication Technology (SSA – EAICT), collected from October 15 to November 17, 2024. The SSA is a series of three social surveys that highlight the lived experiences of diverse groups of people. The survey was developed in collaboration with Employment and Social Development Canada to fill data gaps related to the experiences of Canadians whose everyday activities are limited due to a long-term condition of disability. This panel focuses on barriers to use of information and communication technology.
The target population for the SSA includes people who were aged 15 years and older as of May 11, 2021 (Census Day), living in the provinces and three territories of Canada, who reported having a difficulty or long-term condition on the 2021 Census long-form questionnaire.
Participants in the SSA – EAICT were identified as having a disability through their participation in the 2022 Canadian Survey on Disability (CSD), and some participants continued to be considered to have a disability in a similar manner in 2024 as they did in 2022. For the SSA – EAICT, respondents were asked about any long-term health conditions or difficulties they had with seeing; hearing; walking, using stairs, using their hands or fingers, or doing other physical activities; learning, remembering or concentrating; any emotional, psychological or mental health condition; or any other health problem or long-term condition. Only conditions that have lasted or are expected to last six months or more were included.
The SSA is a sample survey with a cross-sectional design. It is based on a probability panel consisting of individuals who agreed to participate in further studies when they responded to the 2022 CSD. As a result of this methodology, it has a low cumulative response rate, which increases the risk of bias. All estimates in this release should therefore be used with caution. For methodological details see Survey and statistical programs – Survey Series on Accessibility.
All differences mentioned in this release are statistically significant (p < 0.05).
In this release, the term "Canadians" refers to residents of Canada, regardless of citizenship status.
Definitions
Respondents were broken down into two categories based on their difficulties with daily activities:
Persons who have greater difficulty with daily activities describes persons who answered that they had "a lot of difficulty" or they "cannot do most activities" when asked how much difficulty they have with daily activities because of their conditions.
Persons who have less difficulty with daily activities describes persons who answered that they had "some difficulty" or "no difficulty" when asked how much difficulty they have with daily activities because of their conditions.
Difficulties with technologies during the three months preceding the survey were assessed using separate questions for each technology, providing multiple choices for types of difficulties and a write-in option. Persons who answered having at least one difficulty type were considered as having experienced a technology-related barrier.
Difficulties with files and documents included, for example, lack of or inaccurate text alternatives or closed captioning.
Difficulties related to the Internet included, for example, access to accessibility or adaptive features having been prevented because of poor Internet connectivity.
Difficulties with online activities included any difficulties experienced while performing communication-related online activities (e.g., poor communication-related tool design); watching or listening to content while using devices (e.g., lack of or inaccurate text alternatives or closed captioning on an online content platform ); searching the web for information or doing common online activities while using devices (e.g., lack of options to adjust colour, text size or font on web search engines or websites).
Difficulties with mobile phones included any difficulties related to the physical parts of a mobile phone or smartphone (e.g., issues operating touch screen) or related to programs or applications while using a mobile phone or smartphone (e.g., unable to use with required aid or assistive device; accessibility or adaptive features resulting in high costs).
Difficulties with laptops, tablets and other devices included any difficulties related to the physical parts of a device (e.g., unable to use the technology with required aid or assistive device) or related to programs or applications while using a device (e.g., accessibility or adaptive features in need of repair or upgrade).
Difficulties with television included any difficulties related to watching traditional television (e.g., difficulty holding or using remote control) or using support services for traditional television (e.g., accessibility or adaptive feature services result in high costs).
Difficulties with radio included, for example, difficulty adjusting stations or manipulating controls manually, or no transcripts of audio programs available.
Difficulties with self-serve technology included, for example, touchscreens lacking tactile features, or machines lacking speech input features.
Difficulties with ICT (information and communication technology) included any difficulty mentioned among technologies listed (digital or otherwise) in the survey.
Contact information
For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact us (toll-free 1-800-263-1136; 514-283-8300; infostats@statcan.gc.ca) or Media Relations (statcan.mediahotline-ligneinfomedias.statcan@statcan.gc.ca).