Note: This electronic document contains inner references (links) to its other parts. In order to assist screen reader users, the in-text links are preceded with the symbol [L] (capital "L" in square brackets) throughout the thesis. The symbol is not added when the link is placed on a separate line.

Acknowledgements

List of abbreviations

1. General introduction

2. Historical, cultural and political background

2.1. Early days
2.2. The Soviet period

2.2.1. Public image
2.2.2. Disability concept in the USSR
2.2.3. Special Education in Soviet Estonia
2.2.4. Unreliability of statistics
2.2.5. The national movement and the short rise in disability issues

2.3. Present situation

2.3.1. General situation
2.3.2. Education
2.3.3. Employment

2.4. Factors influencing Estonian people with mobility impairments

2.4.1. Positive factors
2.4.2. Negative factors

2.5. Conclusions

3. Literature review

3.1. General issues
3.2. Legislation
3.3. Education
3.4. Employment
3.5. Accessible technology and Internet
3.6. Estonia - background, statistics, comparisons
3.7. Conclusions

4. Aims of the study

5. Case study - Estonia

5.1. Melvin
5.2. Ike
5.3. Henry
5.4. Tina
5.5. Jack
5.6. Mark
5.7. Gert
5.8. Ellie
5.9. Greta
5.10. Marge
5.11. For conclusion: Estonian reality and persons reviewed

6. IT and Internet survey among people with mobility impairments

6.1. Main questions of the survey
6.2. Realization
6.3. Representativeness of data
6.4. Results
6.5. Conclusions

7. The Internet as a compensatory measure

7.1. Overview of the Internet
7.1.1. Short history of the Internet
7.1.2. Special features of Internet communication
7.2. Barrier-free communication
7.2.1. Physical vs. virtual access
7.2.2. Overcoming prejudice - human relations in the Internet
7.2.3. Cyber-media vs. traditional media
7.3. Education
7.3.1. The oncoming changes
7.3.2. Distance education
7.3.3. Open learning and Open University
7.3.4. Academic cooperation
7.4. Employment
7.4.1. Work - now and in the future
7.4.2. Teleworking
7.4.3. People with disabilities in the changing work environment
7.5. Recreation
7.6. Conclusions

8. Discussion

8.1. Disabilities and IT solutions - an overview
8.2. Technical aspect in the case study
8.2.1. Melvin
8.2.2. Ike
8.2.3. Henry
8.2.4. Tina
8.2.5. Jack
8.2.6. Gert
8.2.7. Ellie
8.2.8. Greta
8.2.9. Mark
8.2.10. Marge
8.3. Conclusions

9. Recommendations for Estonia

9.1. Spreading the knowledge
9.2. "Does it pay?" - import and production of assistive IT solutions
9.3. Acquiring the technology
9.4. Technical counselling and support
9.5. The Internet
9.6. Conclusions

Final conclusions and results of the thesis

Summary

Eestikeelne kokkuvõte (Summary in Estonian)

References

Appendix A. Summary of Americans With Disabilities Act

Appendix B. Excerpts from Estonian current legislation concerning disabilities

Appendix C. People with mobility impairment, IT and the Internet survey in Estonia in April 1999 - questionnaire and results

Appendix D. Overview of projects carried out or participated in by the author of the thesis

© 1999 Kaido Kikkas.