A comprehensive digital environment for visually impaired students: user’s perspectives

Assistive technologies, educational engagement and psychosocial outcomes among students with disabilities in higher education

PURPOSE

Increasing numbers of students with disabilities are accessing higher education each year, yet little is known about their assistive technology (AT) needs and its influence on relevant outcomes. The aim of this study was to examine met/unmet AT needs on educational engagement, academic self-efficacy and well-being and the impact of AT use in the areas of competence, adaptability and self-esteem for students with disabilities in higher education in Ireland.

METHODS

One hundred and eleven students with disabilities completed a cross-sectional online survey comprising the College Learning Effectiveness Inventory, the Student Course Engagement Questionnaire, the Self-Efficacy for Learning Form Abridged, the Psychosocial Impact of Assistive Devices Scale, and the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale.

RESULTS

AT use was found to have a positive psychosocial impact in the areas of competence, adaptability and self-esteem. Those whose AT needs were fully met scored significantly higher on academic self-efficacy, well-being, and on 4 of the 10 educational engagement subscales compared to those who had unmet AT needs. Met/unmet AT needs were not predictive of educational engagement.

CONCLUSION

These findings highlight the importance of AT from both educational engagement and psychosocial perspectives for students with a wide variety of disability diagnoses. The wide-reaching benefits of AT must be considered by governmental departments when making funding allocations to disability services within higher education institutions. Implications for rehabilitationStudents with disabilities can face many additional challenges within the higher education environment.Findings from this research show that access to appropriate assistive technology can support students' educational engagement, increase well-being and academic self-efficacy and have a positive impact in the areas of competence, adaptability and self-esteem.Disability and Assistive Technology Officers in higher education should be cognizant of both the educational and psychological benefits of assistive technology across diverse students with various disability diagnoses.Policy makers should consider the wide-reaching benefits of assistive technology when making funding allocations to higher education institutions.

Availability and preferences for information services to visually impaired tertiary students in Delhi

Purpose

The study aims to understand the information services provided to visually impaired users in Indian universities. Further, the study identifies the nuances of information system for visually impaired (ISVI) development suitable to the requirements of the visually impaired community in Indian higher educational institutions.

Design/methodology/approach

A two-fold methodology was followed in the study: (1) empirical survey and (2) information system design and development. The empirical survey was conducted in Indian higher educational institutions wherein 316 responses were collected including 185 (58.5%) undergraduate and 131 (41.5%) postgraduate students. A stratified random sampling technique was used in data collection. Empirical study findings were further used as a basis for ISVI design and development for addressing the information requirements of visually impaired users.

Findings

The study found that 232 respondents (73.2%) access the Internet every day. “Surprisingly, 143 respondents (45.3%) revealed that no digital infrastructure is available in their institutions, while 173 respondents (54.7%) stated digital infrastructure is available. A total of 210 respondents (75.9%) highlighted that the interface of open access (OA) resources is not designed as per visually impaired (VI) students' requirements. information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure is not up to the mark revealed as by 34 respondents (10.7 percent) and was rated ‘poor.’” A total of 268 respondents (90.2%) expressed that their institution should develop the information system to full their information needs.

Research limitations/implications

The study is conducted in only one state in India due to financial hindrances. Visually impaired students studying in other states of India are not covered in the study, which may have different perception about the design and development of information system for the visually impaired.

Practical implications

An online ISVI is designed and developed under the study, which is accessible at http://www.isvi.in. Furthermore, the findings of the study may also be used by administrators of the higher educational institutions for building ICT infrastructure for visually impaired students.

Originality/value

No study has been conducted in Indian higher educational institutions for understanding the availability and preferences of information services to visually impaired tertiary students.

Facilitating learning by the visually impaired: development and usability evaluation of a specially designed ubiquitous library

Purpose

This study aims to develop a ubiquitous library for the visually impaired (ULVI) application (app) and to explore its usability by collecting feedback from visually impaired participants to analyse the problems they might encounter. Their suggestions for improving the app further are also reported.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of ten participants were recruited in the study. Ten tasks were assigned for the participants to complete using the ULVI app. The system usability scale was adopted to collect feedback on the app, and interviews were conducted to understand the participants’ usage behaviours and perceptions of the app.

Findings

The findings indicated that the participants provided positive evaluation of the usability of the app and addressed the functions that might need improvement. Above all, this app was regarded as having great potential. Suggestions and improvements are proposed based on the participants’ feedback.

Originality/value

In terms of the studies relevant to libraries and the visually impaired, few have evaluated the usability of the ULVI app from the perspectives of the visually impaired users. The ULVI app provides resources for the visually impaired and serves as the foundation for developing a more effective ULVI app.