Disability audience agenda melding on Twitter: How visually impaired advocates, their parents, and their organizations build powerful online communities

Abstract

Research on Twitter—now known as X—use by blind or visually impaired individuals for self-advocacy is limited. This study examines (1) the key topics and issues discussed by visually impaired advocates, their parents, and organizations; (2) the individuals and organizations most frequently mentioned; (3) the use of visual media in posts by these groups; (4) disability identity disclosure; and (5) the structure of their online networks. Analyzing 163,476 tweets from visually impaired advocates, their parents, and organizations, the study finds that tweets with high engagement often feature personal narratives, accessibility advocacy, humor, and emotion. Retweets were most frequent for posts about politicians, parental advocacy, and empowerment. Mentions of individuals and organizations were common, while emojis and URLs conveyed positivity and promoted initiatives. Hashtags reflected themes of blindness, resilience, and education. Disability disclosure and regular tweeting were associated with higher engagement and larger follower bases.