International Journal of Knowledge Content Development & Technology

Research Institute for Knowledge Content Development & Technology (건국대학교 지식콘텐츠연구소)
권호 표지
DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

Accessibility and Usability of Library Websites to Students with Visual and Physical Disabilities in Public Universities in Kenya

  • Received : 2021.03.02
  • Accepted : 2021.05.10
  • Published : 2021.06.30
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

This article examines the accessibility and usability of library websites to students with visual and physical disabilities in public universities in Kenya. The study used survey research design and adopted a mixed methods approach. Data were gathered using survey questionnaire, focus group discussions, structured interviews, and observation. The study population consisted of six public universities that had a longstanding tradition of enrolling students with disabilities. Census was used to obtain a study sample comprising of students with visual disabilities (86), students with physical disabilities (91), University Librarians (6), Personnel from Disability Mainstreaming departments (6), Systems Librarians (6) and Library Personnel who provided information services to students with disabilities (133). The Social Model of Disability and IFLA Access to Libraries for Persons with Disabilities checklist were used as conceptual and theoretical framework in the study. Study results revealed that all the libraries had library websites. However, the websites did not have disability services page or information specific to individuals with disabilities. Also a section of students with disabilities lacked awareness of the existence of library websites and e-resources available through them. Additionally, the website design posed various access challenges. The study concluded that people with disabilities were excluded from access and use of library websites in public universities. The authors recommended that library websites must contain disability services page containing information specific to persons with disabilities. Moreover, libraries should evaluate their websites to ensure compliance with W3C requirements for web content accessibility. Additionally, libraries should develop disability policy to provide guidance on provision of information services to persons with disabilities.

Keywords

References

  1. Abduldayan, F. J., Dang, T. L., Karemani, A., & Obadia, S. B. (2016). The Role of Academic Libraries in enhancing Workflow in African Universities. In Proceedings of the International Conference on Information Technology and its Applications (ACTA 2016) (Vol. 1830, pp. 158-163). Mina, Nigeria. http://ceur-ws.org/Vol-1830/Paper29.pdf
  2. Ahmi, A., & Mohamad, R. (2016). Evaluating Accessibility of Malaysian Public Universities Websites using A Checker and WAVE. Journal of Information and Communication Technology, 15(2), 193-114. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3550314
  3. Alahmadi, T., & Drew, S. (2017). Accessibility Evaluation of Top-ranking University Websites in World, Oceania, and Arab Categories for Home, Admission, and Course Description Webpages. Journal of Open, Flexible and Distance Learning, 21(1), 7-24. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1148198.pdf
  4. Albert, B. (2004). Disability KaR Research Project Briefing Note: The social Model of Disability, Human Rights and Development. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/57a08ca8e5274a31e0001356/RedPov_social_model_briefing.pdf
  5. Altay, A., Tekin, A., Dursun, B., & Yayla, M. (2012). The Role of Libraries in the Information Society. http://acikerisim.kirklareli.edu.tr:8080/xmlui/bitstream/handle/20.500.11857/131/2012-11-.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
  6. American Library Association. (2006). Library Services for People with Disabilities Policy. http://www.ala.org/asgcla/resources/libraryservices
  7. Anambo, E. E. (2007). Library Services Provision to Students with Impairments: A Case Study of Jomo Kenyatta Memorial Library. [Master's thesis, Kenyatta University, Nairobi] http://erepository.uonbi.ac.ke:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/56595
  8. Ayoung, D. A., Baada, F. N. A., & Baayel, P. (2020). Access to Library Services and Facilities by Persons with Disability: Insights from Academic Libraries in Ghana. Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, 53(1), 167-180. https://doi.org/10.1177/0961000620917723
  9. Bashir, R., Fatima, G., & Malik, M. (2017). Library Resources for Persons with special Needs: A quantitative Analysis. Bulletin of Education and Research, 39(2), 215-224. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1210126.pdf
  10. Bhoi, N. K. (2017). Use of Information Communication Technology (ICT) and Library Operation: An Overview. In International Conference on Future Libraries: From Promises to Practices (pp. 445-456). http://eprints.rclis.org/32231/1/Use of Information Communication Technology %28ICT%29 and Library OperationAn Overview.pdf
  11. Billingham, L. (2014). Improving Academic Library Website Accessibility for People with Disabilities. Library Management, 35(8/9), 565-581. https://doi.org/10.1108/LM-11-2013-0107
  12. Byerley, S. L., & Chambers, M. B. (2001). Disabilities: Achieving universal Access on a Library Web Site. In ACRL Tenth National Conference (pp. 303-311). Denver, Colorado. http://www.ala.org/acrl/sites/ala.org.acrl/files/content/conferences/pdf/byerley.pdf
  13. Carson, G. (2009). The social Model of Disability. Scotland: Scottish Accessible Information Forum. http://www.saifscotland.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/social-model-of-disability.pdf
  14. Dodamani, A. M., & Dodamani, S. M. (2019). Provision of assistive Technology for Students with visual Impairments in University Libraries in India. Journal of Library & Information Technology, 39(3), 104-108. https://publications.drdo.gov.in/ojs/index.php/djlit/article/view/14329/7092
  15. Elaydi, H. A., & Shehada, H. (2013). Effective Factors in successful Use of assistive Technology at Palestinian. International Journal of Engineering Sciences & Research Technology, 2(4), 660-664. http://www.ijesrt.com/issues pdf file/Archives 2013/april_2013/1.pdf
  16. Ferati, M., Vogel, B., Kurti, A., Rau, B., & Astals, D. S. (2016). Web Accessibility for visually impaired People: Requirements and Design Issues. In A. Ebert, S. Humayoun, N. Seyyf, A. Perini, & S. Barbosa (Eds.), Usability and Accessibility-focused Requirements Engineering UsARE2012/2014 LNCS (Vol. 9312, pp. 79-96). Cham: Spinger. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-45916-5
  17. Forrest, M. E. S. (2006). Towards an accessible Academic Library: Using the IFLA Checklist. IFLA Journal, 32(1), 13-18. https://doi.org/10.1177/0340035206063881
  18. Ghosal, A., & Chandra, A. (2019). The social Model: Disability as a socially constructed Phenomenon, International Journal of Engineering Development and Reasearch, 7(2), 381-384. https://www.ijedr.org/papers/IJEDR1902071.pdf
  19. Githinji, J. W. (2013). Access to University Education for Persons with Disabilities. [Master's thesis, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya]. http://erepository.uonbi.ac.ke/bitstream/handle/11295/62965/Githinji_Access to University education for persons with disabilities.pdf?sequence=3&isAllowed=y
  20. Graves, S. J., & German, E. (2018). Evidence of our Values: Disability Inclusion on Library Instruction Websites. Journal of Chemical Information and Modeling, 18(3), 559-574. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781107415324.004
  21. Green, R. A., & Blair, V. (2011). Keep it simple: A Guide to assistive Technologies. Santa Barbara, California: Libraries Unlimited.
  22. Gupta, D. K. (2003). Marketing of Library and Information Services: Building a new Discipline for Library and Information Science Education in Asia. Malaysian Journal of Library and Information Science, 8(2), 95-108. https://mjlis.um.edu.my/article/view/8380/5815
  23. Harper, K., & DeWaters, J. (2008). A Quest for Website Accessibility in higher Education Institutions. Internet and Higher Education, 11, 160-164. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iheduc.2008.06.007
  24. Hassouna, M. S., Sahari, N., & Ismail, A. (2017). University Website Accessibility for totally blind Users. Journal of Information and Communication Technology, 16(1), 63-80. http://jict.uum.edu.my/images/pdf4/vol16no1june17/4.-UNIVERSITY-WEBSITE-ACCESSI BILITY-FOR-TOTALLY.pdf
  25. Hwang, S. H., & Song, H. (2019). Web Accessibility Status of Leading Universities in USA. Journal of Education and Human Development, 8(2), 11-18. https://doi.org/10.15640/jehd.v8n2a3
  26. Inclusion London. (2015). Factsheet: The Social Model of Disability. https://www.inclusionlondon.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/FactSheets_TheSocialModel.pdf
  27. Intahchomphoo, C., & Jeske, M. (2016). Accessibility and Libraries in the Internet Era: Space, e-resources, and the Web. In The 37th International Association of University Libraries Conference 2016: Library Leadership in a Sea of Change. Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. https://ruor.uottawa.ca/bitstream/10393/34782/1/Accessibility and Libraries in the Internet Era_Channarong and Margo.pdf
  28. International Telecommunications Union. (2013). The ICT Opportunity for a Disability-inclusive Development Framework. https://www.itu.int/en/action/accessibility/Documents/The ICT Opportunity for a Disability_Inclusive Development Framework.pdf
  29. Irvall, B., & Nielsen, G. S. (2005). Access to Libraries for Persons with Disabilities - Checklist (IFLA Professional Reports No. 89). IFLA Professional Reports. Oxford: Oxfam GB. https://archive.ifla.org/VII/s9/nd1/iflapr-89e.pdf
  30. Ismail, A., & Kuppusamy, K. S. (2019). Web Accessibility Investigation and Identification of major Issues of higher Education Websites with statistical Measures: A Case Study of College Websites. Journal of King Saud University-Computer and Information Sciences. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jksuci.2019.03.011
  31. ISO. (2018). ISO 9241-11:2018(en), Ergonomics of Human-system Interaction - Part 11: Usability: Definitions and Concepts. https://www.iso.org/obp/ui/#iso:std:iso:9241:-11:ed-2:v1:en
  32. Johnson, H. (2017). Understanding the Role of Triangulation in Research. Scholary Researh Journal for Interdiscipinary Studies, 6(17), 91-95. http://www.srjis.com/pages/pdfFiles/149544238718.HONORENO JOHNSON.pdf
  33. Kariba, P. K. (2009). An Examination of Library Services for Students with visual Impairments at Kenyatta University. [Master's thesis, Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya]. https://ir-library.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/1227
  34. Kaunda, N., & Chizwina, S. (2019). Providing Access to Students with print Disabilities: The Case of the North-West University in South Africa. Journal of Access Services, 16(1), 6-20. https://doi.org/10.1080/15367967.2018.1547641
  35. Keniston, H. (1960). The Goals of higher Education. Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society, 104(6), 565-569. https://www.jstor.org/stable/985532
  36. Kiambati, F. G. (2015). Challenges in Accessing Electronic Information Resources by Students with visual Impairments in Kenyatta University Post Modern Library. [Masters thesis, Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya]. https://ir-library.ku.ac.ke/bitstream/handle/123456789/14562/Challenges in accessing electronic information resources by students with visual impairments in Kenyatta University Post Modern Library.pdf?isAllowed=y&sequence=1
  37. Kimura, A. (2018). Defining, Evaluating, and Achieving accessible Library Resources: A Review of Theories and Methods. Reference Services. https://doi.org/doi:10.7282/T30P13B3
  38. Kumar, S., & Sanaman, G. (2013). Orientation/Training Programmes in NCR Libraries for People with Disabilities: Study of User's Perspective. Library Philosophy and Practice, (927), 1-15. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2260&context=libphilprac
  39. Levitt, J. M. (2017). Exploring how the social Model of Disability can be Re-invigorated: in Response to Mike Oliver. Disability and Society, 32(4), 589-594. https://doi.org/10.1080/09687599.2017.1300390
  40. Library & Information Science Network. (2018). Information & Communication Technology and Library. http://www.lisbdnet.com/ict-and-library/
  41. Mentes, S. A., & Turan, A. H. (2012). Assessing the Usability of University Websites: An empirical Study on Namik Kemal University. Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology, 11(3), 61-69. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ989199.pdf
  42. Monda, L. K. (2018). The Role of Librarians in Meeting the Information needs of visually and hearing impaired Students at the University of Nairobi library. [Master's thesis, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya]. http://erepository.uonbi.ac.ke/bitstream/handle/11295/105400/Kerubo_The Role Of Librarians In Meeting The Information Needs Of Visually And Hearing Impaired Students At The University Of Nairobi Library, Kenya..pdf?sequence=1
  43. Mulliken, A. (2019). Eighteen blind Library Users' Experiences with Library Websites and Search Tools in U.S. Academic Libraries: A qualitative Study. College and Research Libraries, 80(2), 152-168. https://doi.org/10.5860/crl.80.2.152
  44. National Commission Persons with Disability. (2007). Rights, not Charity: Guidelines towards an inclusive Society and a positive Difference in the Lives of Maltese and Gozitan disabled People. http://crpd.org.mt/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Dritijiet-mhux-karita-EN.pdf
  45. Nielson, J. (2012). Usability 101: Introduction to Usability. https://www.nngroup.com/articles/usability-101-introduction-to-usability
  46. Njoroge, J. (2013). Library access for Persons with Disabilities in Kenyan Academic Libraries. [Master's thesis, Southern Connecticut State University, New Haven, Connecticut]. https://njorogecapstoneportfolio.weebly.com/uploads/1/8/4/5/18450047/njoroge_special_project_report_for_website.docx
  47. Noh, Y., Ahn, I., & Park, M. (2011). Study on Librarian Service Providers' Awareness and Perceptions of Library Services for the disabled. International Journal of Knowledge Content Development & Technology, 1(2), 29-42. https://doi.org/10.5865/IJKCT.2011.1.2.029
  48. Nyaboke, C. (2018). Challenges of Accessing Library and Information Services for Persons with Disabilities in University Libraries in Meru County, Kenya. International Journal of Economics, 2(1). http://www.ijebmr.com
  49. Ogar, C. E., & Tangka, Y. D. (2018). Transforming Library and Information Services Delivery Using Innovation Technologies. Library Philosophy and Practice, (2036). https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=5400&context=libphilprac
  50. Oliver, M. (1990). The Politics of Disablement: A Sociological Approach. New York, NY: St Martin's Press.
  51. Oliver, M. (2013). The social Model of Disability: Thirty Years on. Disability & Society, 28(7), 1024-1026. https://doi.org/10.1080/09687599.2013.818773
  52. Omekwu, C. O., & Nwafor, O. O. (2014). Availability and use of Information and Communication Technology Resources for People with Disabilities in Nnamdi Azikiwe Library, University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Journal of Applied Information Science and Technology, 7(2), 26-37. https://www.jaistonline.org/OmekwuNwafor_vol7no2_2k14.pdf
  53. Patil, S. K., & Pradhan, P. (2014). Library Promotion Practices and Marketing of Library Services: the Role of Library Professionals. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 133, 249-254. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.04.191
  54. Power, R., & LeBeau, C. (2009). How well do Academic Library Websites Address the Needs of Database Users with visual Disabilities? The Reference Librarian, 50(1), 55-72. https://doi.org/10.1080/02763870802546399
  55. Rasul, A., & Singh, D. (2010). The Role of Academic Libraries in Facilitating Postgraduate Students' Research. Malaysian Journal of Library and Information Science, 15(3), 75-84. https://mjlis.um.edu.my/article/view/6943/4604
  56. Rugara, T., Ndinde, S., & Kadodo, W. (2016). The Right to Information: Library Services and Disability at Tertiary and University Libraries in Masvingo Urban in Zimbabwe, International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 15(3), 191-203. http://www.ijlter.org/index.php/ijlter/article/download/558/281
  57. Sanaman, G., & Kumar, S. (2015). User's Perspective towards assistive Technologies available in NCR Libraries in India. DESIDOC Journal of Library & Information Technology, 35(2), 90-99. https://doi.org/10.14429/djlit.35.2.8274
  58. Seyama, L. G., Morris, C. D., & Stilwell, C. (2014). Information Seeking Behaviour of blind and visually impaired Students: A Case Study of the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg Campus. Unisa Press, 32(1), 1-22. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.25159/0027-2639/1697
  59. Shakespeare, T. (2010). The social Model of Disability. In L. J. Davis (Ed.), The Disability Studies Reader (pp. 266-73). New York: Routledge.
  60. Shanimon, S., & Rateesh, K. N. (2014). Theoretizing the Models of Disability Philosophical Social and Medical Concepts- An empirical Research Based on Existing Literature. International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, 4(6), 1-7. http://www.ijsrp.org/research-paper-0614/ijsrp-p3054.pdf
  61. Taylor, R. R. (2005). Can the social model explain all of disability Experience? Perspectives of Persons with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 59(5), 497-506. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.59.5.497
  62. Tomlinson, S. M. (2016). Perceptions of Accessibility and Usability by blind or visually impaired persons: A pilot study. Association for Information Science and Technology, 53, 14-18. https://doi.org/10.1002/pra2.2016.14505301120
  63. United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization. (2006). ICTs in Education for People with special Needs: Specialized Training Course. Moscow: UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education. https://iite.unesco.org/pics/publications/en/files/3214644.pdf
  64. Venter, S., & Lotriet, H. (2005). Accessibility of South African Websites to visually disabled Users. SA Journal of Information Management, 72(2), 1-15. https://sajim.co.za/index.php/sajim/article/view/263/254about:blank#blocked
  65. Web Accessibility Initiative. (2020). Introduction to Web Accessibility.