Blueverse

BlueVerse.net is a free social network service and website whose users include people experiencing prolonged stays in hospitals and those with disabilities. It is intended as an alternative social network for individuals who may be unwilling to use popular social network websites such as Facebook, or whose disabilities make them unable to use sites which rely heavily on technology such as Ajax.
People who self-reported a disability number about 51 million, according to the U.S. Bureau of the Census. 32.5 million of these people reported their disability as severe.
History
BlueVerse.net is owned and operated by Blue Redefined, Inc., a 501(c)(3) charity organization based in Pennsylvania. Blue Redefined was incorporated in 2008. In May 2009 it was approved for 501(c)(3) status as a public charity. All BlueVerse revenue is used to support other Blue Redefined charitable projects for the disabled, such as The Game Plan, a program which facilitates donations of video games to individuals with disabilities and the hospitals in which they reside. In October 2009, Blue Redefined donated more than $2,200 worth of video games to Magee Rehabilitation Hospital in Philadelphia.
Social Networking for people with Disabilities.
Benefits for people with disabilities derived from Social Technology and Entertainment
Entertainment opportunities are an important resource for individuals with disabilities.
Kath Moonan, AbilityNet's senior accessibility and usability consultant, says that people with disabilities are "arguably, the most socially excluded members of the community." In 1998, a Social Science and Medicine article described social disadvantage as a "major dimension" to a handicap, and explained that the negative social approach of disability is itself limiting. Meanwhile, people with disabilities are much less likely to socialize, and socialize less frequently, than people without disabilities. For example, 20% of people with disabilities socialize twice or less a month with friends, family or neighbors, as compared to only 9% for people without disabilities, and in 2004, a survey concluded that 4% of people with disabilities never socialize, compared to only 1% of people without.
Socializing has myriad benefits. Besides general satisfaction with life, studies indicate the human is a social creature, and health benefits ensue from a healthy social life. For instance, in a 1999 British Medical Journal study, researchers found that "Social engagement was as strong as anything we found in determining longevity,". "It was stronger than things like blood pressure, cholesterol, or other measures of health."
The article continues: "People with the support of friends or spouses typically feel a greater sense of self-esteem and so take better care of themselves by adopting a healthy lifestyle. A strong social network may also help reduce stress, and there's good evidence that psychological well-being can promote physical health."
A more specific study focusing on adults 50-and-over by the Harvard School of Public Health found that social adults had half the rate of memory loss of unsocial people.
A 2008 study revealed that "More Than 10% Have Had Casual Games Prescribed or Recommended By A Doctor; Players With Disabilities Play Longer, More Often, And For Different Reasons." The benefits these users said they received included social benefits when playing with other individuals, disabled or non-disabled, and learning.
The study goes on to say that "77% of disabled players said playing casual games provides them with "additional benefits over and above what a typical non-disabled player might experience."
Challenges posed to people with disabilities by existing social networks.
AbilityNet, a UK charity dedicated to improving accessibility, describes a series of growing trends that are locking out disabled users:
"Pioneering research by national computing and disability charity, AbilityNet, of five of the most popular sites, shows that, in contrast to their apparent universal appeal, they are effectively ‘locking out’ disabled visitors, the majority of whom can’t even register, let alone participate in the on-line communities they wish to join. This gross oversight is not only unethical, it is also clearly in contravention of the Disability Discrimination Act (1999)."
One of the most widely-criticized challenges posed to disabled users is CAPTCHA tests, which challenge a user to identify characters that are extremely difficult for a computer to read. This standard is even used by . While the goal is to prevent unwanted members from using computers to manipulate the system, a person with a disability such as a vision impairment often relies on screen reading technology. AbilityNet points out that alternatives provided by sites utilizing this technology are often unusable in practice.
Other widespread problems include:
* No accessibility page.
* A lack of skip links and poor support for keyboard navigators generally.
* Navigational graphics that lacked alternative text attributes.
* Poor link text.
* Poor typography.
* No alternatives for site facilities that relied upon JavaScript.
Prejudice about people with disabilities
In the United States, a large minority of people with disabilities see significant negative social impacts because of it.
In July 2010, the Kessler Foundation and National Organization on Disability, through Harris Interactive, released a survey that analyzed quality of life issues for people with disabilities, title "The ADA, 20 Years Later." In its Chapter 11, "Perceptions of People with Disabilities," it concludes:
"Around three-quarters (72%) say they are treated the same as others when people learn
they have a disability and half (50%) report that people are surprised to find out about
their disability. On the other hand, 28% report that people generally act as if they are sorry
for the person with a disability, 27% say they are treated differently and 14% say people
tend to avoid further contact with them.
People with more severe disabilities are much more likely to describe negative experiences
when asked how people generally react toward them: half (49%) of people with somewhat
or very severe disabilities describe negative experiences, compared to 29% of those with
slight or moderate disabilities."

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