The purpose of this study was to explore the availability, awareness, and utilization of assistive technologies among students with visual impairment (SVIs) in higher education institutions in Ethiopia by taking one of the oldest universities in the country as a case. To this end, the study employed instrumental case study design. Five undergraduate SVIs, two special needs educators, an AT service-delivery facilitator, and the resource center coordinator were purposively selected from Haramaya University. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and an observation checklist. The collected data were analyzed by using thematic analysis method and three overarching themes were generated inductively: knowledge and understanding about assistive technologies, availability and access to assistive technology devices and services, and utilization and management of assistive technologies. The study findings show that a lack of awareness among SVIs, instructors, and practitioners in the field; an improper organizational arrangement that dichotomize and diverge student disability services provision from trained professionals in the area; and the absence of policies and guidelines for managing assistive technologies had a negative impact on the availability and utilization of assistive technologies in the University. Thus, it is recommend that the University management, special needs educators, and other concerned stakeholders devise a means to equitably avail assistive technology devices and services for SVIs in the University accompanied by a planned training on its utilization and a coordinated management for sustainability of service delivery.
This integrative literature review examined how assistive technology (AT) can help students with visual impairment (VI) in middle primary and secondary schools (aged 11–18 years) engage in learning Mathematics. To collate the relevant findings across studies, an integrative literature review approach was employed and supported by an evidence-based synthesis method. Automatic search phrases were used to find research articles related to the topic in the Google Scholar, Web of Science, Scopus, and Springer Link databases. A total of 628 articles were identified during the initial search of which only 11 were included after putting them under rigorous selection criteria. In addition, a mixed-method appraisal technique (MMAT) was used to examine the methodological quality of the papers that were included. The synthesis result came up with three overarching themes: the availability of AT to support learning mathematics, the usability of AT in mathematics classes, and the role of AT in the inclusion of visually impaired students. The findings based on the results of the 11 academic articles published from 2007 to 2021 revealed that effective engagement of students with VIs in Mathematics instruction is achieved by providing students with VI equitable access to the swiftly evolving AT, addressing issues related to affordability, testing the usability and appropriateness of existing AT and enhancing accessibility of AT for all by breaking the social stigma against students with VI in using AT. It is concluded that easily affordable and accessible assistive technologies with multiple non-visual display formats that enable students with VI to access mathematical symbols, notations, expressions, and tactual contents should be in place to actively engage students with VI in learning mathematics.
This study sought to explore the web-based information accessibility experiences of students with visual impairment (SVIs) enrolled in two senior universities in Ethiopia. To achieve this, the study used a descriptive phenomenological design. A total of 11 undergraduate fourth-year SVIs, 5 from Haramaya University and 6 from Addis Ababa University, were purposively chosen for the study. Using semi-structured interviews and Colaizzi’s method of data analysis, four overarching themes were generated inductively: web capability experience, social connection, venue of academic achievement, and disabling web environment. Accordingly, the study came with variations in the capability to access web-based information among SVIs observed due to differences in foreknowledge on basic computers and exposure to web interfaces. Routine use of social media, technical, and material support, and follow-up improves the SVIs’ website browsing ability, resulting in a sense of academic agency, social competence, and persistent ingenuity to academic success. However, complex web designs, incompatible assistive technologies (ATs), inaccessible document formats, poor infrastructure, and undifferentiated information flux on the website create a disabling web environment for SVIs, promoting inequality in web-based information access and hence academic achievement. Thus, findings from this inquiry necessitate universities to work to make web designs accessible and compatible with ATs, provide technical and material support to SVIs based on the severity of their impairment, improve infrastructure, and encourage them to regularly practice website use for academic purposes.
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