ABSTRACT
Disability has had a chequered career, when it comes to discussions, policies, and practices addressing digital divides and digital inequalities. This is evident when we look at the digital divide, a thoroughly inadequate concept yet still often used to draw attention to issues of inequality in information and communication technologies (ICTs). Digital divide discussions often overlook disability. This chapter analyses the ways that disability has been discussed in digital divide and associated digital inequality and inclusion literature. It offers a brief account of the main social theories of disability relevant to theorize technology. The chapter proposes key elements of an ideal approach to digital inequality that are evident when we do rethink the digital divide via disability theory. There are major challenges in the participation of people with disabilities in the debates, policy processes, initiatives, and design when it comes to tackling digital inequality. The chapter focuses on the place of disability in digital divide, digital inequality, and associated theories.
