5. Disability and digital technology: user needs

As detailed above, disability occurs when the service or good used is unsuited to the needs arising from a wide spectrum of physical, sensory, mental or cognitive impairments; these impairments may be temporary, intermittent or permanent.

This section presents the different types of disability, their consequences on the use of digital tools, the solutions available, and the conditions for their effectiveness.

While categorization is necessary for clarity, it should be borne in mind that these categories are neither watertight nor mutually exclusive. A person often has several impairments, the impact of which will vary according to the situation, and which will prove to be more or less disabling. Several impairments considered to be "slight" taken in isolation, can combine to create a situation of disability in a given context.