INFLUENCE OF USE OF ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGIES ON THE ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES OF STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS AT KASHIM IBRAHIM LIBRARY, AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study investigated the Influence of the Use of Assistive Technologies on the Academic Activities of People with Special Needs in Ahmadu Bello University Library, Zaria, Nigeria. This study was guided by three research questions: What types of assistive technologies are used to support the academic activities of students with special needs? How has assistive technology influenced the academic activities of students with special needs? And what challenges hinder the effective use of assistive technologies by students with special needs? Adopting a qualitative research methodology and a case study research design, the purposive sampling technique was employed to recruit a sample of 6 participants from a total of 15 registered students. A semi-structured interview was used to collect data. Data collected was analysed using thematic analysis. The findings revealed that no fewer than 20 assistive technologies, such as braille embossers, computers, and "Be My Eyes," are available to support the academic activities of students with special needs in the library. Similarly, assistive technologies have a significant influence on their academic activities as they support the conversion of their lecture notes, printing, and the conduct of assignments. The challenges that hindered the effective use of assistive technologies by students with special needs in the Library were: architectural design, staffing, stigmatization, and power outage. The study concludes that Ahmadu Bello University Library, Zaria, has made a giant stride in supporting the academic activities of students with special needs by providing various assistive technologies and making them accessible.. Therefore, the study recommends that to sustain the provision of assistive technologies, especially modern ones, the library needs to annually budget funds for the acquisition, and the collection needs to be proportionately balanced among the different students with special needs. Similarly, both library staff and users should be regularly trained and user guides produced to equip users with the necessary skills for effective service provision.