Communication services and people with learning difficulties

Ipsos was commissioned by Ofcom to look at how people with learning disabilities use communications services (television, landline telephone, mobile phone, and the internet). The project looked at ownership, and choice of suppliers. It identified the barriers that people with learning disabilities experience in their use of, and access to, communications services and content. Finally, it identified areas where these consumers may be more ‘vulnerable' than others - for example dealing with suppliers, billing issues, and making complaints.

Key findings 

• People with learning disabilities face a variety of barriers when accessing communication services. Some relate to their learning disabilities, others to physical impairments, while some relate to other aspects such as their age.
• However, they often come to accept these difficulties and do not perceive themselves to be inconvenienced by the limitations that they face. In many cases they have grown accustomed to receiving support from others and ‘know no different'.  
• People with learning disabilities are largely unaware of the help available to them through modern communication services. They see them as an end in themselves (entertainment), rather than a means to a better quality of life. This could explain why they sometimes do not feel inconvenienced by the barriers that they face.
• People with learning disabilities develop ways or mechanisms to overcome the difficulties they face. The solutions they come up with are similar to those that other members of the public would use (e.g. asking someone else).
• They often rely on other people's help when using communication services. Carers, relatives, support workers and even the general public can all play an important role in facilitating access.
• However, this can result in these helpers directly or indirectly controlling and limiting  the person's use of communication services. Carers and parents, for example, can make judgements about what the person they are responsible for can and cannot do, or tell them what they should or should not do.
• Those responsible are not always aware of the existing features and tools that people with learning disabilities could benefit from. Levels of awareness about technology vary between households. This means that inequalities exist between people with learning disabilities with regards to their ability to access communication services.
• The severity of the learning disability is not always the most discriminating factor when it comes to people with learning disabilities accessing, using, and paying for communication services. This can depend on other factors such as their age, the control they have over their own money, and the support they receive
• The payment methods generally used by people with learning disabilities mean they may be paying more for services. Pay as you go (PAYG) phones, for example, are generally more expensive per minute than contract phones, but may offer them an easier way of managing their budget.
• Many have difficulties managing their money, and/or do not have a bank account. Therefore it is crucial that the methods of payments and the types of contracts that they find convenient and suitable for their needs remain available.
• Making communication services more user friendly for people with learning disabilities requires less emphasis on text. Greater use of basic symbols, colours and images, as well as larger apparatus (e.g. handsets) will help more people to use services.
• Finally, there also needs to be greater awareness generally of how modern communication technology can help people with learning disabilities. This includes not only existing features (e.g. voice recognition, TPS) but those in development, and even those not designed for this purpose.

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Technical details

The research included 27 face-to-face depth interviews and 8 ethnographic studies with people with learning disabilities across the UK between June and August 2008.

Quotas were set on the following variables: age, gender, severity of learning disability, geographical location (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland), literacy, control over money, and household situation.

To be eligible for the research, participants needed to be aged 18 or over, to have had a learning disability since their childhood, and fulfil at least one of the following criteria:

• use a mobile phone;
• watch TV at home; and/or
• use a computer with an internet connection.