PROJECT SUMMARY
Australian Digital Inclusion Index Project
Focus Areas: News & Media, Social Services, Mobilities, Health
Research Program: People
Status: Active
Digital inclusion is about ensuring that all Australians can access and use digital technologies effectively. We are experiencing an accelerating digital transformation in many aspects of economic and social life. Our premise is that everyone should have the opportunity to benefit from digital technologies: to manage their health, access education and services, participate in cultural activities, organise their finances, follow news and media, and connect with family, friends, and the wider world.
The Australian Digital Inclusion Index (ADII or “Index”) uses survey data to measure digital inclusion across three dimensions of Access, Affordability and Digital Ability. We explore how these dimensions vary across the country and across different social groups.
In partnership with Telstra and through biennial data collections presented through reports and data visualisation dashboards, the ADII is capturing and communicating the evolving state of digital inclusion in Australia. This is complemented by aligned sub-projects with local, state and federal government departments and community partners to drill down into specific digital inclusion challenges for social groups or geographical regions of interest.
A detailed measure of digital inclusion for Australia allows us to identify the critical barriers to inclusion. These may be related to accessing networks, the costs of devices or data, or skills and literacies. Through these measures, the Index shapes digital equity policy and initiatives, research, and practice to increase digital inclusion in Australia.
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