IMPACT OF LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SERVICES ON THE PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT OF THE SPECIALLY-ABLED STUDENTS IN KARNATAKA: A COMPARATIVE STUDY

Students with Special Needs are a specific group of students who need additional assistance due to physical, intellectual or mental disabilities and limited physical development. The study examines a comparative study of the impact of library and information services on the personality development of specially-abled students in Karnataka. For this study, data were collected using quantitative and qualitative methods of in-depth interviews, survey methods, and focus group discussions on collecting data from a sample of 36 specially-abled school librarians/in charge in Karnataka. This study is confined to visually impaired schools and hearing impaired schools only. The study findings showed that there was a positive impact of library services on both categories of respondents. However, their challenges rely on their personality development process because they lack modern facilities, hearing loss, and blindness due to less supportive school infrastructures. The study highlights the impact of library and information services on the personality development of specially-abled students. It suggests better library and information services in the contemporary digital and electronic environment. The school libraries under the study should switch over from the traditional environment to the modern ICT environment to cope up with the ever-changing world

A Phone Learning Model for Enhancing Productivity of Visually Impaired Civil Servants

Phone-based learning in civil service is the use of voice technologies to deliver learning and capacity building training services to government employees. The Internet revolution and advancement in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) have given rise to online and remote staff training for the purpose of enhancing workers productivity. The need for civil servants in Nigeria to develop capacity that will enhance knowledge is a key requirement to having competitive advantage in the work place. Existing online learning platforms (such as web-based learning, mobile learning, etc) did not consider the plight of the visually impaired. These platforms provide graphical interfaces that require sight to access. The visually impaired civil servants require auditory access to functionalities that exist in learning management system on the Internet. Thus a gap exist between the able-bodied and visually impaired civil servants on accessibility to e-learning platform. The objective of this paper is to provide a personalized telephone learning model and a prototype application that will enhance the productivity of the visually impaired workers in Government establishments in Nigeria. The model was designed using Unified Modeling Language (UML) diagram. The prototype application was implemented and evaluated. With the proposed model and application, the visually and mobility impaired worker are able to participate in routine staff training and consequently enhances their productivity just like their able-bodied counterparts. The prototype application also serves as an alternative training platform for the able-bodied workers. Future research direction for this study will include biometric authentication of learners accessing the applicatio

A Phone Learning Model for Enhancing Productivity of Visually Impaired Civil Servants

Phone-based learning in civil service is the use of voice technologies to deliver learning and capacity building training services to government employees. The Internet revolution and advancement in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) have given rise to online and remote staff training for the purpose of enhancing workers productivity. The need for civil servants in Nigeria to develop capacity that will enhance knowledge is a key requirement to having competitive advantage in the work place. Existing online learning platforms (such as web-based learning, mobile learning, etc) did not consider the plight of the visually impaired. These platforms provide graphical interfaces that require sight to access. The visually impaired civil servants require auditory access to functionalities that exist in learning management system on the Internet. Thus a gap exist between the able-bodied and visually impaired civil servants on accessibility to e-learning platform. The objective of this paper is to provide a personalized telephone learning model and a prototype application that will enhance the productivity of the visually impaired workers in Government establishments in Nigeria. The model was designed using Unified Modeling Language (UML) diagram. The prototype application was implemented and evaluated. With the proposed model and application, the visually and mobility impaired worker are able to participate in routine staff training and consequently enhances their productivity just like their able-bodied counterparts. The prototype application also serves as an alternative training platform for the able-bodied workers. Future research direction for this study will include biometric authentication of learners accessing the applicatio

Assessing the value of the information provision for enhancing the autonomy of mobility impaired users. Madrid pilot Site Study.

A City is the space where every person acquires the citizen condition, which demands access to multiple services and facilities, and develops social relations in a free and equal condition of options. A lack of accessibility limits independency and autonomy. Thus, the relationship between “sustainable development” and “accessibility for all” becomes clearer, and both goals reinforce each other. In this sense, information plays a key role in order to overcome existing barriers, specially for people who rarely use public transport, have impaired mobility, or make a particular journey for the first time. The impact and benefits is linked with public transport as a “facilitator” of mobility, and, in particular, for the aim of intermodality. The usefulness of information that should be provided (both the information itself and how is offered) to mobility impaired users (MI users) is discussed on this paper based on following of the ASK-IT project that has being carry out on Madrid. The work was done in close cooperation with representatives of all different types of MI user groups

Harnessing Technology: new modes of technology-enhanced learning: a case study series

This report presents the outcomes and conclusions from a series of 18 case studies exploring the innovative use of technology for learning and teaching using new modes of technology

ICT Tools as Provision for Information to the Visually Impaired Persons in Lagos State Special Libraries

The rapid development in technology has transformed all spheres of life. Information Communication Technology has revolutionaries the accessibility and use of information resources in the contemporary world. However, people who are visually impaired encounter challenges in accessing information resources and services in the libraries especially ICT and it is as a result of their customised library collections being mostly in Braille formats. Provision of ICT tools for the visually impaired has received tremendous attention all over the world. Information resources for the visually impaired are converted into formats that are usable to them; these formats include Braille, talking books/audio recordings and large prints to meet their information needs which are the manual format of information source. The study adopted a descriptive research design. Total enumeration sampling technique was used. Data were collected with the use of a structured questionnaire that was converted into Google form on ICT Tools as Provision for Information to the Visually Impaired Persons in Lagos State Special Libraries. The population of this study comprised of 104 of all the visually impaired using the two special libraries in Lagos state. Frequency counts, percentages, mean, standard deviation, were used to analyse the data. The result shows that the Assignment, Health and Scholarship are the major information needs of Visually Impaired Persons. The result also show that Speech synthesis (x = 1.92), Computers (x = 1.92) was ranked highest majorly, Internet connectivity (x = 1.81), speech-to-text engine (x = 1.75) and Retina implant (x = 1.09) were ICT tools available for the visually impaired. The result also show that lack of marketing of library services to the visually impaired, inadequate funds to acquire individual ICT tools and Lack of awareness were the major challenge encountered by Visually Impaired students. In conclusion Libraries meant for people with special needs should provide enough ICT tools to the visually impaired to meet their needs. Recommended that library should train staff on how to assist the visually impaired persons on the usage of the ICT tools available in the library. Library should make available ICT tools visually impaired students

Assistive technologies : short overview and trends

This paper gives a brief overview of currently existing assistive technologies for different kinds of disabilities. An elaborate discussion of all types of assistive technologies is beyond the scope of this paper. Assistive technologies have evolved dramatically in recent years and will continue to be further developed thanks to major progress in artificial intelligence, machine learning, robotics, and other areas. Previously, assistive technologies were highly specialized and were often difficult or expensive to acquire. Today, however, many assistive technologies are included in mainstream products and services. An introduction and state of the art of assistive technologies are presented first. These are followed by an overview of technological trends in assistive technologies and a conclusion

Usability Assessment of Library Services by the People with Disabilities in Digital Environment: Study of NCR, India

The study aims at assessing the usability of library services in the digital environment by the users with disabilities in the libraries of Delhi National Capital Region, India. The survey method is followed for data collection where questionnaire as a data collection tool is used along with personal interviews with the users as well as with the experts and data was analyzed using statistical software ‘Stata version 11’. The results from statistical analysis shows that Internet is the most preferred source among the users with disabilities for the access of required information. Also, there is lack of orientation and training programmes for the users with disabilities in the NCR libraries. The study depicts that ICT has a positive impact in the lives of the people with disabilities. The data analysis reveals that there are inadequate adaptive facilities for the people with disabilities in the NCR libraries to assist them in the access of the required information