A comparative study of availability and access to alternative format by visually impaired adults and students in Nigeria

bibliographic database
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Periodical article

Title:	A comparative study of availability and access to alternative format by visually impaired adults and students in Nigeria
Author:	Adetoro, 'Niran
Year:	2012
Periodical:	African Research and Documentation (ISSN 0305-862X)
Issue:	119
Pages:	15-25
Language:	English
Geographic term:	Nigeria
Subjects:	physically disabled access to information libraries
Abstract:	This article discusses a study on the availability of and access to alternative formats for visually impaired students and adults in Nigeria. Eight libraries servicing visually impaired adults and six secondary school libraries in southwestern Nigeria were selected for the study. The population of visually impaired adults who use the eight libraries was found to be 397, while that of visually impaired students was 166. Data from questionnaires read to the respondents indicate that for both students and adults braille was the only alternative format readily available for use in the libraries. The availability of talking books and large prints was low. The findings suggest that the libraries have not deployed functional and relevant access tools to ensure that alternative formats can be used. The author recommends the support of government, NGOs and corporate bodies to increase the availability of and access to alternative information formats for the visually impaired. Bibliogr. [ASC Leiden abstract]