Those with disabilities are underserved by technology

[Commentary] Living in Silicon Valley, it's easy to get caught up in the excitement of technological change. Unfortunately, it's also easy to overlook those who may be left behind.

I got a lesson in the issue this past week, when I gave a presentation to the Hearing Loss Association of the Peninsula. The group, part of a national organization that advocates on behalf of those with hearing problems, asked me to speak about computers and technology at its monthly meeting. In preparing, I realized just how little I knew about the technology-related issues faced by those with hearing loss and other disabilities. Technology in many ways has been -- or could be -- a boon for such people. The Internet, for example, has big benefits for those with certain disabilities. It's largely text based, which is ideal for those with hearing loss. The computers used to connect to the Internet can translate that text-based data into speech or enlarge it for vision-impaired people. Despite these benefits, the Internet is underutilized by those with disabilities. While 81 percent of American adults use the Internet, just 54 percent of adults with disabilities do. Advocates say that the expense of broadband Internet access and other newer technologies can discourage those with disabilities -- who tend to be less affluent than the population as a whole -- from using them. Other factors, such as a lack of standards for disability-friendly technologies and tepid support for them from technology companies, can make new types of gadgets and Internet services frustrating to use or inaccessible for those with disabilities. Technology, inclusive public policies and empathetic business leaders can solve these problems. But people have to be aware of them first.