Background The internet is a valuable resource for parents of typical children, who are looking for information about their children’s growth and development and how to boost them. However, for parents of children with special needs, especially for non–English-speaking parents, there are anecdotal reports stating that specific and accurate information is not available on the internet. Objective This study aims to describe the type of information available on the internet for French-speaking parents of children with disability as well as assess the quality of the information collected. Methods We carried out a search of the existing relevant websites targeted at parents of children with disability. We used a validated instrument to extract structural, textual, and visual characteristics of these websites and evaluate their usability. Results In all, 42 websites were analyzed; of these, the information had been validated by a trustworthy source in only 18 (43%) websites. Networking opportunities for parents were available in only 7 (17%) websites. Most websites provided information related to autism spectrum disorder (20/42, 42%) and learning disabilities (19/42, 45%), and only a few websites discussed other disability types such as behavorial disorders and developmental language disorders (4/42, 10% each). Community, social, and civic life (9/42, 22%); domestic life (12/42, 29%); and mobility (15/42, 36%) were the less frequently covered topics. With regard to the usability evaluation, 22 of the 42 (52%) websites received a global score <70%, whereas 20 (48%) scored ≥70% Conclusions Although the internet is an infinite source of information, it is not necessarily actionable for parents of children with disability. Some information remains difficult to find online, and networking opportunities with other parents dealing with similar challenges are scarce.
BACKGROUND There is a wealth of information on the web for caregivers of typical children who are looking for additional information or activities for them. However, the challenge begins when caregivers need information about children with special care, especially for non-English speaking caregivers. OBJECTIVE This study aims to describe the type of information, the actionability, and the opportunity for networking available on the internet for caregivers of a child living with a disability. METHODS We carried out a search and evaluation of the current websites destined to caregivers of children living with a disability that contain information, tips, and tools for everyday life. We extracted structural, textual, and visual characteristics of relevant websites to evaluate them using the PEMAT tool. RESULTS Of the 42 websites that we analysed, less than half relied on a professional of scientific review committee. Advice, information, and references were presented in 76% of the sites but only 17% offered opportunities for users to network. Most websites obtained high scores on the PEMAT (over 90%) because they organised their information well and proposed actions that were easy to understand and to apply. CONCLUSIONS Of note, it is quite easy to find information about some disabilities (e.g. autism spectrum disorder and learning disabilities), while it remains difficult to find information about others (e.g. developmental language disorder, behavioral disorder). Finally, while the Internet could potentially provide a place for caregivers of a child with a disability to network, we did not find such examples in the current study. CLINICALTRIAL NA
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