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- Title
Seeing Beyond Sight: The Academic Information Behavior of Visually Impaired Students.
- Authors
Ahmed, Maleeha Rafiq; Naveed, Muhammad Asif
- Abstract
This study examined the information behavior of visually impaired students (VIPs) enrolled in higher academic institutions of Lahore, Pakistan. Qualitative research design using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) as research strategy was employed to conduct this inquiry. Face to face interviews of 15 participants, selected through purposive sampling process, were conducted using an interview guide. All the interviews were carefully transcribed and analyzed using IPA. The results revealed that visually impaired students (VIPs) had their academic information needs like normal students as they look for information regarding lecture handouts, class assignments, research projects, and regulatory notices such as class schedule, fee notices, examination date sheets, etc. The information seeking behavior of VIPs was quite different than normal students as they require more time than normal student they have to convert accessed information in usable formats. The VIPs usually relied overwhelmingly on informal social networks (humans) such as teachers, classmates, seniors, and friends in meeting information needs followed by libraries, disability resource centers and internet. The university libraries need to consider information behavior of VIPs in developing information resources and designing information services. This study generated useful insights which can be utilized as a guide by information professionals in designing a need-based information infrastructure for VIPs.
- Subjects
PAKISTAN; HIGHER education; VISUALLY impaired students; UNIVERSITIES &; colleges; EDUCATION; INFORMATION-seeking behavior
- Publication
Pakistan Library & Information Science Journal, 2019, Vol 50, Issue 2, p32
- ISSN
1994-3059
- Publication type
Article