Barriers in Using ICT Devices Among Visually Impaired Studnets Mishra Garima*, Kiran U.V.** * Research Scholar, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow ** Assistant Professor, School For Home Sciences, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow Online published on 25 October, 2016. Abstract The purpose of this study was to assess the utilization of ICT enabled devices and identifying barriers in the usage of ICT enabled devices faced by visually impaired students. Exploratory approach has been adopted in which interview schedule is used to collect information. Self structured and standardized schedule was used to collect data regarding assessment of utilization of ICT enabled devices and identifying barriers in the usage of ICT enabled devices among visually impaired students. Respondents were selected from Dr. Shakuntala Mishra National Rehabilitation University, the only university offering higher education to differently abled students in Lucknow. The data was collected purposively form visually impaired students pursuing higher education. Gender, age and family background were selected to assess the influence on the use of ICT devices. Thus the study aimed to find out the kind of ICT enabled devices are being used by male and female respondents, respondents having rural and urban background and respondents from different age group of 18 years to 35 years. Findings regarding the use of ICT related technologies emphasized that female respondents are more active in using ICT enabled services than male respondents. Among all the ICT devices, mobile phone was most used device among 18–23 and 30–35 years of respondents as it helped them to communicate easily. As far as barriers in the usage of mobile phones were concerned, majority of the respondents complained about speech software problem whereas respondents having rural background prefer to use screen reader software than respondents of urban area. From the study it may also be inferred that visually impaired are not very comfortable in using smart cane as it creates many barrier such as, unable to recognize the pit, low or absence of vibration, unable to detect right or wrong side obstacle and creates confusion in enclosures. Thus this study will add valuable knowledge to existing literature regarding barriers faced by visually impaired in using ICT devices. Top Keywords barrier, Technology, Information &communication technology, Visually Impaired. Top |