Digital inclusion index (DII) - Measuring ICT supply and usage to support DI implementation planning policies

Abstract

In a context where efforts are being made to increase access to computers and the internet, other barriers have become more visible: besides the physical and economic barriers, psychological, cognitive and linguistic barriers have gained relevance in the debate on digital inclusion, since they can also interfere in the intensity and quality of an individual's use of these technologies. The relevance of these aspects is quite evident in our Brazilian society, due to our social-economic structure, in great part formed by people of low income, with little or no literacy, and by people with disabilities. In spite of this, a large proportion of existing indicators represent primarily physical access to ICTs and the technological aspects of producing and spreading these technologies. An assessment of the scope of the data currently collected reveals that few indicators reflect psychological, cognitive and usability/accessibility barriers. With the objective of filling the existing gaps, we have proposed a new metric for gauging digital inclusion that will delineate its most diverse aspects and thus contribute to the elaboration of government policies that will effectively stimulate the development of an information society. © 2011 Springer-Verlag.