Internet should be affordable and accessible for everyone if persons with disabilities have to become more independent in the society

In the face of rapid globalization, internet has certainly become an integral part of everyday life today. It has reduced the world into one small global village where people can interact with each other just at the click of a mouse. With appropriate internet tools in place, even persons with disabilities have been able to come out of their closets to meaningfully participate in the public life. The internet technologies have enabled persons with disabilities to become more independent by breaking barriers that hindered their participation in the mainstream society. Today, persons with hearing impairment across the globe can comfortably send and receive real-time text messages on social media and communicate with their friends/families through video conferencing and video-chats. Likewise, persons with visual impairment are able to effectively communicate online using different types of access technology such as the screen-readers and other assistive technologies. It is true that internet has now really become indispensable for everyone in the world including the persons with disabilities. This is the main reason why the disability movements around the world are fighting for affordable and accessible high-speed internet services for all so that persons with disabilities can easily interact with their peers and loved ones, and lead an independent life.