scholarly journals Information Accessibility for Visually Impaired Students

10.47657/1793 ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 16-36
Author(s):  
Maleeha Rafiq Ahmed ◽  
Muhammad Asif Naveed
Keyword(s):  
Interpersonal Relationships ◽  
Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis ◽  
Visually Impaired ◽  
Information Access ◽  
Primary Source ◽  
Academic Institutions ◽  
Financial Barriers ◽  
Information Accessibility ◽  
Visually Impaired Students ◽  
The University

This research aimed to explore the actual situation of information accessibility for university students with visual impairment at higher academic institutions of Lahore, Pakistan. This research adopted a qualitative research design using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) to investigate the proposed phenomenon. The participants were recruited with purposive sampling from higher academic institutions for data collection. Face to face interview of 15 visually impaired students was conducted using an interview guide. The participants were debriefed for data authentication and verification at the end. Each interview was transcribed and analyzed carefully using IPA. The results indicated that these students utilized interpersonal relationships as the primary source of their academic information. The other available facilities for information access included the internet, disability resources center (if available at the institution), and the university library. The major barriers in accessing needed information included: format barriers, navigational barriers, technical barriers, ICTs illiteracy, and financial barriers. The university administration, especially libraries, should consider students with various disabilities while designing information infrastructure for its community. This research can be used as a guide by library staff in designing need-based information services for students with visual imprisonment. This research would be a worthy contribution to the existing literature as only a few studies were conducted in Pakistan.

scholarly journals The Challenges of Adopting M-Learning Assistive Technologies for Visually Impaired Learners in Higher Learning Institution in Tanzania

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (01) ◽  
pp. 140
Author(s):  
Juliana Samuel Kamaghe ◽  
Edith Talina Luhanga ◽  
Michael Kisangiri
Keyword(s):  
Visually Impaired ◽  
Learning Technologies ◽  
Assistive Technologies ◽  
Higher Learning ◽  
Drop Out ◽  
Internet Users ◽  
E Learning ◽  
Visually Impaired Students ◽  
The University ◽  
Learning Institutions

In the past decades, the world has experienced major changes in the advancement of learning technologies which has enabled learners to engage in their learning activities anywhere. The penetration of mobile phone internet users in Tanzania has been increasing from 2 million in 2011 to 23mil in 2017 The adoption of mobile-based learning (M-learning) for students who are visually impaired in Tanzania has become a major bottleneck since most of the e-learning contents assume that learners have sight and thus include a lot of visualizations. This causes visually impaired students in higher learning Institutions (HLIs) to face challenges such as technical knowledge gaps. Lack of skills and inaccessibility of online contents, which then lead to drop out of the university. The aim of this study is to determine the awareness and usage levels of existing mobile assistive technologies for visual impairment, and the remaining challenges that visually impaired students face, when using such tools on smartphones to access m-learning content from HLIs. in Tanzania. The research was conducted an observational and contextual inquiry study at three major HLIs. We found that 67% of respondents did not have knowledge of m-learning assistive technologies, and their technology barriers for visually impaired students. Also, knowledge, accessibility of Assistive technology and affordability can hinder the adoption of m-learning in Higher Learning Institutions

Computer-Based Compensatory Augmentative Communications Technology for Physically Disabled, Visually Impaired, and Speech Impaired Students

1989 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-43 ◽  
Author(s):  
Duane F. Shell ◽  
Christy A. Horn ◽  
Mary K. Severs
Keyword(s):  
Communication Systems ◽  
Visually Impaired ◽  
Assessment System ◽  
Communications Technology ◽  
Writing Systems ◽  
Physically Disabled ◽  
Visually Impaired Students ◽  
University Of Nebraska Lincoln ◽  
The University ◽  
System Selection

Compensatory Augmentative Communications Technology is the use of computers and related technology to augment written or verbal communication. In this paper we describe augmentative writing systems for physically disabled and visually impaired students and augmentative communication systems for nonverbal speech impaired students. The components used in creating augmentative systems are detailed with specific examples of the systems used in the Educational Center for Disabled Students at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Issues in assessment, system selection, and training and system limitations are discussed.

scholarly journals Using law and licences to supply accessible books to visually impaired students at the University of Chester

2015 ◽  
Vol 39 (121) ◽  
pp. 12-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Peters ◽  
Craig Smith
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
Visually Impaired ◽  
Visually Impaired Students ◽  
The University

Provision of accessible copies of textbooks to visually impaired students has an important role to play in supporting them in their studies, including at university. Recent legislative and copyright licence developments have allowed libraries to supply textbooks to their students in a form best suited to their needs. Whilst these developments are welcome, actually obtaining accessible textbook for visually impaired university students is neither simple nor straightforward and is often a laborious and time consuming process. The University of Chester has provided accessible books to visually impaired students since 2011 and established an Alternative Formats Team in 2012 to manage this service. This article describes the processes, usage and challenges of this service, as well as providing a brief description of the RNIB resource Load2Learn.

Digital inclusion for visually impaired students through assistive technologies in academic libraries

2020 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 14-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adefunke O. Alabi ◽  
Stephen M. Mutula
Keyword(s):  
Academic Libraries ◽  
Visually Impaired ◽  
Mission Statement ◽  
Information Access ◽  
Assistive Technologies ◽  
Visual Disability ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The World ◽  
Visually Impaired Students ◽  
World Ranking

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to determine the state-of-the-art assistive technologies (ATs) developed for people living with visual disability and those that are used in academic libraries around the world as a way of proffering solution to the challenges faced by visually impaired students in accessing information. Design/methodology/approach The data used for this paper were derived from website of companies that specialize in ATs for people living with disability and the library website of the top 14 universities in the world based on the 2020 QS world ranking of universities. Findings This study found that foremost academic libraries in the UK and the USA have integrated various ATs into library services as information access mechanism for students living with visual impairment. The study found that the most commonly used screen reader software is the Job Access With Speech (JAWS). The study also found that one of the institutions has a mission statement on their website, clearly stating support for people living with disability. Research limitations/implications This study was conducted using only the 2020 QS world ranking of universities. It would be interesting to see results of academic libraries from Africa based on their ranking. Practical implications The paper provides highlights on trends that may inform academic libraries in the quest to providing ATs for students living with visual impairments. This paper may assist academics libraries who are at the brink of decision-making on use of ATs as information access mechanism to the visually impaired students. Originality/value This paper is the first to provide librarians with ideas and innovations on specific ATs used by leading academic libraries in the world.

scholarly journals Features of Interpersonal Interaction of Blind and Visually Impaired Youth with Student Group

Pedagogika ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 125 (1) ◽  
pp. 132-142 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vytautas Gudonis ◽  
Yevhenii Klopota
Keyword(s):  
Interpersonal Relationships ◽  
Visually Impaired ◽  
Educational Institution ◽  
Interpersonal Interaction ◽  
Student Group ◽  
Student Body ◽  
Blind And Visually Impaired ◽  
Psychological Training ◽  
The Social ◽  
Visually Impaired Students

The paper presents outcomes research of features of interpersonal relationships, the level of perception and motivational orientations interaction of those who can see with blind and visually impaired students of higher educational institution. The attention is focused on the specifics of the social and psychological training as a means of improving communicative competence of blind and visually impaired students and optimization of their social status in the student body.

scholarly journals INFORMATION SEEKING BEHAVIOUR OF BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED STUDENTS: A CASE STUDY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KWAZULU-NATAL, PIETERMARITZBURG CAMPUS

Mousaion ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lungile Seyama ◽  
Craig D. Morris ◽  
Christine Stilwell
Keyword(s):  
Information Seeking ◽  
Visually Impaired ◽  
Visual Impairments ◽  
Social Model ◽  
Blind And Visually Impaired ◽  
Information Seeking Behaviour ◽  
Kwazulu Natal ◽  
Visually Impaired Students ◽  
The University ◽  
Blind Students

Based on a study for a master’s dissertation, this article reports on an investigation of the information seeking behaviour of blind and visually impaired students. It investigated whether the services provided by the University of KwaZulu-Natal on its Pietermaritzburg campus (hereafter UKZN-PMB) accommodated the information seeking behaviour of blind students and those with visual impairments. The theoretical framework for the study was Wilson’s (1996) Model of Information Behaviour, Belkin’s (1982) Anomalous Stat of Knowledge approach and Oliver’s (1996) Social Model of Disability. Blind students and those with visual impairments, the subject librarians from the Main Library and the Disability Unit (DU) Co-ordinator were surveyed. The study revealed that the students exhibited information seeking behaviour that included the DU staff as an indispensable part of information access. Recommendations include developing a strategy to implement the UKZN disability policy and allocating a sufficient budget for the purchase of assistive devices or, preferably, incorporating principles of universal design in the information system.

The Vision Outreach Project: A Pilot Project to Train Teachers of Visually Impaired Students in Alabama

1991 ◽  
Vol 85 (5) ◽  
pp. 222-225 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.J. Sanspree ◽  
C. Allison ◽  
R.M. Gargiulo
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Visually Impaired ◽  
Pilot Project ◽  
University Of Alabama ◽  
Rural And Urban Areas ◽  
Rural And Urban ◽  
Visually Impaired Students ◽  
One Year ◽  
The University ◽  
Future Topics

This article describes the Vision Outreach Project—a one-year pilot project for training teachers of visually impaired students at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. The project used video modules to provide distance education in rural and urban areas and incorporated students’ evaluations of future topics that are needed on videotapes to supplement classroom instruction.

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