Digital Rights Access and Social Exclusion Dynamics of Children with Disabilities: A Mixed-Methods Study

Objective: This study aims to examine how structural, social, and economic inequalities influence the rights of children with disabilities to access, participate, and be protected in digital environments in Türkiye.Method: A cross-sectional mixed-methods study design was adopted.The sample consisted of 82 children with disabilities aged 12-15 years living in Izmir, Türkiye.Quantitative data were collected using a Socio-Demographic Information Form, the Cyber Victimization Scale, and the Social Exclusion Scale for Children (SESC).Qualitative data were obtained through semi-structured interviews with 20 children and 15 parents.Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, while qualitative data were analyzed through thematic content analysis.Results: Most children owned a smartphone (88.6%), whereas 38.6% had a computer and 37.1% had a tablet; while 38.0% of households lacked fixed internet access.Among visually impaired children, 40.0% reported that screen readers were outdated, non-functional, or insufficient, whereas children with hearing impairments frequently reported a lack of subtitles.According to the SESC, 35.4% lacked financial access to healthcare services, 23.2% could not access safe housing, and 25.6% were unable to regularly participate in social activities.Online risks included receiving insulting (30.5%) or sexually explicit (8.5%) messages, offensive nicknames (24.4%), being mocked or excluded from games or chats (20.7%), unauthorized sharing of private content (17.1%).More than half (57.3%) of the children were unable to assess online information reliability, 21.4% were unaware of digital opportunities, and 32.1% had never produced digital content.Additionally, 52.4% of parents did not approve of their children sharing content on social media.Themes emerging from the qualitative analysis included access to digital technologies, digital development and literacy, disability-specific content, participation rights, experiences of digital rights violations, responsibilities, complaint mechanisms, and privacy and safety.Conclusion: Digital access among children with disabilities is restricted by device, connectivity, and accessibility gaps; participation is constrained by material deprivation; and cyber risks remain prevalent.These findings highlight that digital participation is a multidimensional rights issue requiring strengthened digital literacy, standardized accessibility, and effective protection and reporting mechanisms.