Being there

This paper examines the use of the Internet as experienced by people with significant mobility/physicalimpairments who are accustomed to using computers. The study is based on interviews andfocuses on computer usage in everyday action and interaction. In many cases, the possibilities thatthe computer and Internet offer have meant not only important improvements in quality of life, butfirst-time occurrences of great personal significance. The analysis is phenomenographic, resultingin main categories and subcategories, illustrated primarily through direct quotations. The threemain categories are independence, communication, and learning.