Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

Permanent URI for this community

https://hdl.handle.net/10530/1

Browse

Browsing Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences by Subject "academic libraries"

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Information support for students with disabilities in selected academic libraries in Malawi
    (University of Zululand, 2020) Eneya, Dorothy Doreen
    This study examined information support for students with disabilities in selected academic libraries in Malawi. It focused on the access to library facilities, resources and services for students with disabilities in the following institutions: University of Malawi (UNIMA) (Chancellor College and Polytechnic Libraries), Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST) and Mzuzu University (MZUNI). The specific objectives of the study were to examine the availability and accessibility of library and information services for students with disabilities in the selected academic libraries; the accessibility of library buildings to students with disabilities; implementation of policy and legislation; to establish challenges facing students with disabilities in accessing library and information resources in the selected academic libraries; and to propose a strategy for the provision of library services for students with disabilities. The study adopted a qualitative multi-case study design guided by an interpretivist paradigm. The sample comprised students with disabilities, library staff and disability unit staff (where such units existed) from the selected institutions. The universities were specifically selected because they are all public institutions and they enrol students with disabilities, they have similar governance structures and are under an obligation to implement government policy and legislation. A purposive sampling technique was employed to select library staff, while a census was employed for students. In total, 23 students with disabilities, 14 library staff, one head of a disability unit and one dean of students were interviewed. In addition, the Malawi Disability Act and the strategic plans of the selected institutions were reviewed. The selected libraries were also audited for accessibility using an inspection audit checklist that was informed by the IFLA checklist. Data was analysed using thematic analysis. The study was guided by the social model of disability and Wilson’s model of information behaviour. The two models were important in identifying barriers to library and information access for students because of disability. This study revealed that there was inadequate information support for students with disabilities in all the selected academic libraries. The libraries were providing services and resources which were not accessible to students with disabilities. None of the libraries provided information materials in alternative formats such as braille, audio and large print, nor was assistive technology available to vi enhance the accessibility of information. No readers were provided to read for visually impaired students. Library buildings and facilities were not accessible to students with disabilities, mainly those with mobility and visual impairments. In some libraries, this was due to turnstiles fitted at the entrances and stairs leading to upper floors of the libraries with no provision for a lift/elevator or ramps. Furthermore, the libraries did not take into account the needs of students with disabilities in designing library orientation and information literacy training programmes, which led to their exclusion from these programmes. A lack of policy governing library services for students with disabilities exposed the students to marginalising practices and discriminatory library services. Even the existing national disability policy and legislation did not explicitly address library services for persons with disabilities. The study also revealed that the design of library websites did not favour users of assistive technologies because of the errors displayed by the WebAim library accessibility evaluation tool. The study recommends the development of policy to address library services for students with disabilities in academic libraries. In addition, academic libraries should embark on less costly efforts towards addressing accessibility, such as assigning staff to assist students with disabilities, conducting awareness training for library staff and introducing telephony services. Furthermore, academic libraries should collaborate with other libraries and agencies that promote and provide reading materials for persons with disabilities, such as braille and audio materials. In the long term, academic libraries should procure assistive technologies for use by students. The study has proposed a strategy towards the provision of library services for students with disabilities.
University of Zululand