IncluTic: Challenges and Socioeconomic Barriers to Digital Inclusion in People with Intellectual and Multiple Disabilities at the Instituto La Esperanza, Boarding School. IncluTic: Retos y Barreras Socioeconómicas de la Inclusión Digital en Personas con Discapacidad Intelectual y Múltiple en el Instituto La Esperanza, Modalidad Internado.

Abstract

This study examines the challenges faced by people with disabilities in the ICT world. The main objective of this article is to identify the challenges and barriers to digital inclusion for people with intellectual and multiple disabilities at the La Esperanza Institute, boarding school modality. Qualitative research was employed through the use of participant observation to 10 beneficiaries with functional diversity and unstructured interviews to 5 officials of the Institute.  An analysis is presented through a categorization matrix, based on the Social Model of Disability by Oliver, (1998) and the Triple Helix model by Etzkowitz and Leydesdorff, (1997). The categories analyzed were: Information Age: digital exclusion in a diverse world, Digital divide: causes and solutions for an inclusive future, Digital literacy: socioeconomic exclusion. The conclusions highlight the relational process that society, the State and social organizations have to promote inclusive digital environments that adapt to the needs of people with functional diversity. On the other hand, the significant value that the academy has in making these spaces that converge in the creation of knowledge towards an inclusive information society.