Convenience and accessibility of library services to students with disabilities at the University of Limpopo in South Africa

Kolobe Justice Phukubje · Mpho Ngoepe

42 citations0/0 files storedJournal of Librarianship and Information Science

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Library Science and Administration Disability Education and Employment Digital Accessibility for Disabilities

Abstract

Students with disabilities require special convenient access to library services as compared to the general student population. Despite the special needs requirements, there is consensus among researchers that access to library services by students with disabilities is not yet fully available, especially in countries in the global periphery. This study utilised quantitative data collected through questionnaires directed to 92 disabled students registered for the 2013 academic year, an interview with the librarian responsible for the disabled students unit and observation using the IFLA checklist for access to libraries for disabled people to evaluate the convenience and accessibility of library services for students with disabilities at the University of Limpopo in South Africa. Even though the study established that a purpose-built library service unit for students with disabilities that complies with international best practice was in place, students with disabilities were not adequately satisfied with the library services they received as very few library materials had been transcribed into accessible formats. The situation was compounded by the fact that only one librarian was assigned to manage and run the library services for the disabled. The study recommends that the university should hire more librarians to assist students with disabilities in the audio-braille library. It is hoped that the study will stimulate policy makers to include students with disabilities in information access and collection development policies. A further study on the needs and academic progress assessment of students with one group of disabilities is recommended.

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1990Practical Research: Planning and Design 2014South African Journal of Higher Education 2011Online databases and the research experience for university students with print disabilities

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2017Students with disabilities’ experience in South African higher education – a synthesis of literature 2021Managing digital accessibility at universities during the COVID-19 pandemic 2020Access to library services and facilities by persons with disability: Insights from academic libraries in Ghana 2018Defining, evaluating, and achieving accessible library resources 2018Providing access to students with print disabilities: The case of the North-West University in South Africa 2022Towards the Implementation Process of Accessible Virtual Campuses in Higher Education Institutions in Latin America 2018Provision of Library Services for Users in Wheelchairs at Ardhi University and University of Dar Es Salaam Libraries 2024We May Be Visually or Hearing Impaired, but We Need Access to Visual and Auditory Information

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