Information Communication Technology (ICT) Use for Information Access by Visually and Physically Impaired Persons in Public University Libraries in Kenya
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Date
2023
Authors
Kiruki, Beatrice W.
Mutula, Stephen M.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
IJKCDT
Abstract
This article is a spinoff of a doctoral study that was completed at the
University of KwaZulu-Natal (South Africa) in 2018 on provision of
information services to persons with visual and physical impairments
in public university libraries in Kenya. The article examined how ICTs
such as internet, e-resources and e-databases, word processing, websites
and more were being used in public university libraries to provide access
to information by visually and physically impaired persons. Data were
collected from the visually and physically impaired students, University
Librarians, Systems librarians, staff from disability departments and
library staff who provided services to visually and physically impaired
persons. The findings revealed that the visually and physically impaired
persons in most of the libraries could not access information owing
to lack of the necessary assistive and adaptive technologies and weak
institutional support and framework. The study recommend that the
libraries improve assistive technology infrastructure, embrace new assistive technologies such as telepresence robots, virtual realities and more,
and put in place enabling policies and capacity building programmes
for library staff to enable them to provide services to persons with
impairments.
Description
Article
Keywords
Information Communication Technologies, Information Access, Visually Impaired Persons, Physically Impaired Persons, Assistive Technologies, Public University Libraries, Kenya
Citation
Kiruki, B. W., & Mutula, S. M. (2023). Information Communication Technology (ICT) use for information access by visually and physically impaired persons in public university libraries in Kenya. International Journal of Knowledge Content Development & Technology, 13(1), 43-58.