Online Communities
A community is a group of nations having certain interests in common relevant to the public societies functioning and common causes. An online (virtual) community “is groups of people that may or may not primarily or initially communicate or interact via the internet” (Wikipedia, 2010). Manly online communities start off slow due to the lack of knowledge of the page and what it has to offer. However over a period of time people begin to become familiar due to word or mouth, the events and links to other social networking sites.
Online community supports for parents with disabled children
Kids wish network is a national charitable organisation designed to creating hope, and improving the quality of life for those children with life threatening conditions. It assists children and parents through programs, based upon granting the wishes of children aged between 13-18 years old
My child without limits purpose is to provides parents of children whom suffer from disabilities, and chronic illness knowledge, resources, and support to ensure their love ones have a life without restrictions, encouraging participation through-out their lives. Their mission statement states “to advance the independence productivity and fill citizenship of people with disabilities though an affiliate network”
Live wire parents is an online community created to support parents and caregivers of children with disabilities the access to treatment plans, resources, projects and online shopping for equipment to benefit the life of their loved ones. Its purpose is to draw people together whom have a common interest in benefiting the life of children with disabilities, sharing advice and life stories to ensure they feel a sense of support.
Services provided online communities relevant to children health care support networks
Kids wish network members interact with each other via posting blogs uploading photos, videos, and stories of the children who have been through the programs offered. People contribute to this site by discussing their life situations the troubles that they have encountered. Members also participate by commenting and discussing the proposed news articles that are posted by other followers.
My Child without limits authorizes its supporters to in act together by sharing experiences, celebrating accomplishments and talking about concerns via the use of creating a personal journal, posting blogs and messaging other members, by selecting the setting in which they wish to disclose information. They have the ability to make their information public, for members only to read, friends that they have invited to retain the available information and no one which only allows information to be revealed to the team members.
Live wire parents offers online chatting, the chance to post forums. The forums allow members to leave messages, ask questions, discuss topics and share advice. They can also contribute to the sire by creating a journal which acts like an online diary about what is going on in their life. Followers on the site are able to post articles based on current health issues a raised in the news, coverage on legislations, and products and services that are available to them. Participants in the site can also interact with fellow members through connect a search engine designed to search for people you want to connect with. As well as connecting through online games, completions, and fundraises in your local area.
What communities provide, in relation to what members seek
People who have join online communities contribute to the groups forums, disclose information and share ideas due to having genuine concern for people who are currently in the same or similar situations as themselves. They might have the desire to be recognised, and gain creditability for what they are doing. Watson &Johnson (1972), state “humans have a need to belong and be affiliated with others”. Online communities can provide this sense for people and their need to address self-identity through emotional concern, instrumental aid and appraisal. “Many studies state virtual (online) communities are places where people go to find emotional support, sense of belonging and encouragement (furlong, 1989; Hilts, 1984; Hiltz&Wellman1997).Often the information is reciprocal as information is often shared, and there is a common sense of sharing with each other their interests, issues and support each member can give.
Example of information shared in community for My Child without limits
My child without limits has an array of information, and topics in which members comment and share. The topic being discussed is assistive technology outlining what it’s purpose is and how it can improve the abilities of those with impairments.
"Assistive Technology, also known as AT, plays a vital role in the lives of children and adults with disabilities. But often when someone thinks of AT, they envision a large piece of equipment with an even larger price tag attached to it. That is not always the case. Technologies can be simple devices that are inexpensive. Each year new devices are introduced to make lives of people with disabilities easier and more enjoyable. Assistive Technology can be divided into two main categories, assistive devices, and assistive services.
Assistive Technology Devices
An assistive technology device is an object that is used to improve the functional abilities of an individual with a disability. Assistive devices can be purchased from a specialty store or could be an everyday object modified to meet the specific need of the person.
Assistive Technology Services
Assistive technology service providers can provide many services to help determine what devices are best for your child. Services include evaluations, product demonstrations and training."
Potential Ethical issues around online communities
There is often a lack of accountability given to those who are volunteers who on, online communities. Much of the credit is given to the founders, and partnered sites who try may acknowledge the work of what isn’t actually theirs, resulting in members who post the comments, ideas or programs lose all identity and accountability for the work that they published. “When we interact with others online, we have no real way of knowing whether they are white or black, male or female, fat or thin, young or old. This could disembodied quality of the online world and lead to greater fairness” (2010 Markkula Center for Applied Ethics).
Some of the ethical issues that people face when observing particular communities that are based around health may come to this stand still of “What if some folks are disabled, to what extent are we obligated–or would we choose to be obligated if we were fully enlightened–to help these people. The "how much" issue is tricky, because new technologies make increasing levels of aid exponentially more expensive” (Blatner, 2006). There is the possibility that online communities’ in fact aren’t charitable organisations and use the title ‘charitable’ alongside clips, videos and stories in which make the viewer feel obligated to donate. Each of the chosen community groups had a link for viewers to make a donation. As technology advances these are the particular issues that people need to be aware off. Members of all of attached groups were made suggestion from the servers guidelines to use names and profile photos untraceable therefore resulting in people acting as someone they aren’t, and the lack of credibility given to those who require appraisal.
Traditional Geographical communities vs Online (virtual) Communities
Online communities can compliment real life as people are disclosing information about their situation and what they face in everyday society. Online communities also provide considerable amounts of significant information on particular specialised topics. It also allows communication between members to occur over a wide spread geographical area allowing people to connect with similar interests, views, and concerns. The use of online communities can provides people to observe the movements of the groups activity before deciding whether to commit to the group or not. The speed in which information is exchanged is rapid, and it ensures each follow of the group is an equal and their information expressed can foster understanding among the wider group.
However in relation to traditional geographical communities are “are defined by the local governments (e.g. towns, suburbs, or cities) or by the data (e.g. census Boundaries” (Diez-Rouz, 1999; Poland, 2005). What they can offer is considered to be a lot more reliable. “Online communities lack permanence, commitment, even the reliability of face to face social interaction” (Berg, 2008). Robert Putnam, (1999) states “In particular it is face to face connections which have been shown to have greater impacts than non-face to face relationships”. Traditional geographical communities provide strength in the local economy, encourages local prosperity, provides better advice and promotes employment and can help to counteract the negative impacts in society such as poverty, crime, and poor education. This is due to people interacting on a face to face basis increasing communicational skills, and outlook on general issues.
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