Americans with disabilities less likely than those without to own some digital devices
Adults in the United States who have a disability are statistically less likely than those without a disability to own certain digital devices like laptops and smartphones, and are also more likely to never go online, despite similar rates of home broadband and tablet ownership.
Using nationally representative survey data from early 2021, this brief reports that adults with disabilities are significantly less likely to own a desktop or laptop computer (62% vs. 81%) or a smartphone (72% vs. 88%) than adults without disabilities.
It also notes that while home broadband adoption and tablet ownership are more similar between the two groups, adults with disabilities are more likely to never go online and less likely to use the internet daily. These findings highlight persistent gaps in technology access that may affect opportunities for communication, work, education, and participation in digital services.
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