4.2 Literature on library services’ provision for people with visual impairments and in
4.2.4 Library services’ provision for people with visual impairments and in
4.2.4.3 The role of ICT in information provision for people with visual
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is vital in this era, as it facilitates effective information transfer and access through various gadgets. In line with this (Cahill and Cornish 2003:193) insist that information is a key currency in today’s society, with ICT its primary means of delivery. They argue that an essential part of bridging the gap between the information rich and information poor is ensuring that no one is denied access to these services because of a disability, or because the equipment that exists in order to breach such challenges is not available at their point of access to ICT services. Yu and Li- Hua (2010:1) claimed that the “entire world is now well into the information age, the storing, retrieving, manipulating, transmitting or receiving of information electronically in a digital form has become critical for the development of society and the economy. ICT is having an increasing impact not only on the people’s daily lives, but also on the way business is conducted”.
90
In a similar view, Yu (2002:406) insists that “access to information through technology has increasingly become a necessary tool to success and the source of opportunity in education and employment”. In relation to this assertion, Jaeger (2008:24) stresses that accessibility is equal access to ICT for individuals with disabilities, and it is of utmost importance to persons with disabilities in the networked society. Accessibility allows individuals with disabilities, regardless of the type of disability they have, to use ICTs such as Web sites, in a manner that is equal to the use enjoyed by others. In the same vein, Kinnell, Yu and Creaser (2000:11) noted that use of ICT for people with visual impairments easily helps to convert print into electronic text and read it from the screen as either transitory Braille or through synthetic speech. In addition ICT made possible converters such as scanners, reading machines, embossers and tape recorders to convert text into desired formats.
In addition Coombs (1998:16) claims that modern information technology accessed through a computer adapted for people with a disability opens a window on the world of information as nothing has before. Civil rights legislation in the United States of America requires colleges and universities to provide all their catalogs, pamphlets and course materials in alternative formats, this technology provides an inexpensive solution to a potentially expensive and difficult solution: “People who previously had very little autonomy now use computers to speak, write, read, study, manage finance, organize their own lives, express themselves creatively, develop skills and hobbies and gain employment” (Tilley, Bruce and Hallam 2007:76).
Bell and Peters (2005) add that in the 21st century, talking book libraries and mainstream libraries are teaming up to use technological innovations to deliver cutting-edge services and programs and a wide variety of electronic books to ensure that people with visual impairments have the same access to library materials and services as their sighted counterparts. For Dermody and Majekodunmi (2011) “there is no doubt that technology has opened the door for students with disabilities. Using screen readers and augmentative communication programs, students with disabilities can attend classes, participate in discussions, read and write assignments
91
independently.” In line with this, Destounis et al. (2004:288) comment that “access to information and IT has become so important that it should be considered as a civil right. However, for many people - especially those with disabilities access remains a right denied”. Destounis et al. further claimed that the removal of physical barriers such as having wider doors and ramps which accommodate people in wheelchairs in buildings and public facilities are replaced by the introduction of IT. The researcher would argue that this is not the case entirely but that ICT does allow remote access for such patrons.
In addition
Electronic information can be translated into any language needed. This technological advance may be one of the greatest intellectual aids for people with visual impairments. Software programs are available to translate electronic text into Braille, speech, or sign language on command by the user.
People with visual impairments are no longer bound by limitations imposed by the print world. The internet also offers people in wheelchairs a chance to stay connected with community. An interface exists for virtually everyone (Library Technology Report 2004).
Academic libraries should deploy ICT in all their operations, including service delivery to people with visual impairments and in wheelchairs, for the purpose of curbing challenges facing them in accessing information resources. In line with this Dutch and Muddiman (2001) cited in Sturges (2005:300) recommends that “if libraries are to reach out to the excluded of the information society, they will need to move beyond passive conception of access and utilize ICT as a means towards a much more active engagement with local communities and the disadvantaged”.
Powell (2003 cited in Stilwell 2011:51-52) emphasized that “ICT are essential in efforts to achieve ‘inclusion’. The information gap is widening faster than other gaps in access to resources if we seek to enable development, ordinary people must have the information necessary to make choices and their views also need to be heeded.
The traditional systems, while they still play a vital role, cannot provide all the information that is needed for such choice- making”.
92
Jaeger (2008:24) claimed that for ICTs, to be accessible, they should provide equal or equivalent access to all users and work compatibly with assistive technologies, such as narrators, scanners, enlargement, voice activated technologies and many other devices that persons with disabilities may use. In relation to this statement, The Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies (2001) highlights that well-planned technological solutions and access points, based on the concepts of universal design, are essential for the effective use of information and other library services by all people. Libraries should work with people with disabilities, agencies, organizations, and venders to integrate assistive technology into their facilities and services to meet the needs of people with a broad range of disabilities. Library staff should be aware of how available technologies address disabilities and know how to assist all users with library technology.
Mann (2010) claimed that individuals with visual impairments face numerous challenges, but agrees that one of the largest is access to information. Traditional information packages such as books or computer screens do not fit their needs and must be adapted in order to be effectively accessed. He also sees adaptive technologies as created to bridge this gap. In line with this Byerley and Chambers (2002:169) emphasize that “computer and adaptive technologies have greatly enhanced the opportunities of students with disabilities to conduct independent research, write papers and communicate more effectively with peers and instructors”.
Goette (2000:68) observed that most individuals with disabilities praise assistive technology and say that they could not imagine life without it.
Tilley, Bruce and Hallam (2007:64) state that “by using appropriate assistive technology; libraries can improve information access and quality of life for large numbers of their patrons.” In line with this Babalola and Haliso (2011:143) recommend that libraries take advantage of advances in ICT to increase information access for people with visual impairments. In addition a broad range of assistive technologies are now available to provide access to information in electronic databases and on the internet, giving users with visual impairments opportunities equal with the sighted.
93