See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.

net/publication/345318614

Adaptive Technology for Supporting Persons with Disability in selected Public

Academic Libraries in Ghana

Article · November 2020

CITATIONS READS

3 1,249

3 authors, including:

Philip Nukpe Akwasi Duffour Frimpong

Global Banking School Kumasi Technical University
3 PUBLICATIONS 15 CITATIONS 11 PUBLICATIONS 26 CITATIONS

SEE PROFILE SEE PROFILE

All content following this page was uploaded by Akwasi Duffour Frimpong on 06 May 2021.

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

University of Nebraska - Lincoln
DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal) Libraries at University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Fall 11-1-2020

Adaptive Technology for Supporting Persons with Disability in

selected Public Academic Libraries in Ghana
Alberta Addai-Wireko Ms.
St. Monica's College of Education, [email protected]

Philip Nukpe Dr.

University of Ghana, [email protected]

Akwasi Duffour Frimpong Mr.

Kumasi Technical University, [email protected]

Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/libphilprac

Part of the Library and Information Science Commons

Addai-Wireko, Alberta Ms.; Nukpe, Philip Dr.; and Frimpong, Akwasi Duffour Mr., "Adaptive Technology for
Supporting Persons with Disability in selected Public Academic Libraries in Ghana" (2020). Library
Philosophy and Practice (e-journal). 4435.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/libphilprac/4435
Adaptive Technology for Supporting Persons with Disability in selected Public
Academic Libraries in Ghana

Alberta Addai-Wireko
St. Monica’s College of Education
College Librarian
[email protected]

Dr. Philip Nukpe

University of Ghana
Senior Lecturer
[email protected]

Akwasi Duffour Frimpong

Kumasi Technical University
Assistant Librarian
[email protected]

1
 ABSTRACT

This study was to examine the barriers to access and availability of adaptive technologies in
supporting Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in public academic libraries in Ghana. The
study adopted the qualitative research design. The University of Cape Coast Library and the
University of Ghana library were purposively selected and interview guides were used for
data collection. A total of 20 respondents were selected and the interviews targeted 16
students with disabilities using the snowball approach, the 2 Librarians, and the 2 heads of
the unit in the library that catered students with special needs. The thematic content analysis
was used to analyse the data. The study revealed that there is some form of adaptive
technologies that aided PWDs to access some services in the library, a special unit dedicated
to serving the needs of PWDs, and there were dedicated staff that served their needs.
Nonetheless, the adaptive technologies that were needed to access the libraries' built
environment, as well as library services, were woefully inadequate to afford the persons with
disabilities independent life in the library environment. The study recommends that the
Librarians should be consulted in the architectural designs and provision of adaptive
technologies such as computers with all the necessary software and ensuring that facilities
are in good working condition.

Keywords: Adaptive Technology, People with Disability, Academic Library, University of

Ghana, University of Cape Coast, Ghana

2
INTRODUCTION
The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that over a billion people; representing
about 15% of the world's population have some form of disability (WHO, 2013). Out of this
number, roughly 80% live in poor and developing countries (Mensah, 2008). Oye-Lithur,
Stickney, and Nathan (2007) estimated that 10% of Ghana’s citizens were “Persons with
Disabilities” (PWDs.). This large minority group is socially excluded as they are deprived of
their basic rights to access information. All citizens should have access to information that
permits self-development and active participation in a democratic society (Todaro, 2005).
Unfortunately, this important right eludes most PWDs. Consequently, there was a need for
global, regional, and national legislative interventions like the United Nations Convention on
the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA),
the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights, and among others that strived to include
the rights of PWDs.
Ghana in a bid to uphold the rights of PWDs passed the Disability Act 2006 (Act 715).
Section 6 of the Act urges owners or occupiers of public places to provide apt facilities that
make it open and available for use by PWDs and also obliges public service providers to
ensure that such services are accessible to PWDs. However, national and private information
and communication service providers exempt the hearing impaired from public information
access, and many newspapers, books, and educative materials are offered in inaccessible
format to the blind. (Mensah, 2008).

The Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 that stresses on inclusive and equitable quality
education and promotion of lifelong learning opportunity for all is somehow dependent on
ensuring inclusive built environments in institutions of higher learning of which the library is
part (Tudzi, Bugri & Danso, 2017). However, the built environment presents one of the
greatest challenges of providing equal opportunities and full integration of PWDs in Ghana
(Mensah, 2008). Information, communication, and adaptive technology according to
Friedman and Norman, (2012) can offer PWDs new possibilities to freely live and participate
in socio-economic activities yet these technologies are woefully inadequate or missing in the
public care system.

3
Statement of the Problem
Studies show that every individual including PWDs needs information for daily decision-
making (Yoon & Kim, 2011; Koulikourdi, 2008) and this is one of the fundamental human
rights that permits self-development and active participation in a democratic society (Todaro,
2001). This all-important right eludes most PWDs in Ghana as “national and private
information and communication service providers” exempt the hearing impaired from public
information access and many newspapers, books, and educative materials are offered in
inaccessible format to persons with visual impairments, (Mensah, 2008). Again the SDG goal
4 declares the need to ensure “inclusive and equitable education for all” yet, less than 2% of
PWDs in Ghana attain education past the second cycle level (Ghana Statistical Services,
2013; Tudzi, et al., 2017) and even these few number struggle since the “built environment of
educational institutions including libraries usually is inaccessible to PWDs” (Ashigbi et al.,
2015; Fidzani et al., 2013).
Since the passage of the Ghana Disability Act, 2006 (ACT 715); all public facilities
including academic libraries were to be made accessible to PWDs by 2016 yet this has not
been achieved as most public academic libraries do not have services for PWDs (Kwafoa,
2016). In the face of the growing trend of disability worldwide of which Ghana is no
exception (National Health Policy, 2007; WHO, 2013), libraries in Ghana are possibly
excluding large potential users as there is a lack of adaptive technology for disabled persons.
Given the above, libraries in Ghana will do well for PWDs if they embrace adaptive
technologies.
Looking at the numerous studies that have been discussed so far which focus on library
accessibility and resources to PWDs, there is much emphasis on library services for persons
with visual impairment, physical barriers in the library built environment, accessibility of
online resources, the impact of legislation on library service provision for PWDs but none of
these studies look at adaptive technologies and how they can help meet the accessibility
needs of PWDs holistically. Literature is almost absent on the availability and use of adaptive
technology by PWDs in libraries in Ghana. The thrust of this study is to examine the barriers
to access and available adaptive technologies for PWDs in public academic libraries in
Ghana.

4
Objectives
The research objectives are as follows:
1. To examine barriers to access in libraries for the PWDs.
2. To investigate the available adaptive technologies in the libraries for PWDs.

LITERATURE REVIEW
Overview of Disability
“Disability” is an evolving concept and has been viewed differently by different scholars. It
has been discussed in some detail by a variety of authors across the world. Harris and Enfield
(2003) brought to the fore that the global debate, attitudes, assumptions, and the view of
disability are usually grouped into four models; the “Charity Model of Disability”, “Medical
or the Individual Model of Disability”, “Social Model of Disability” and “The Rights-based
Model of Disability”.
The charity and the medical models of disability are individually centered and see PWDs as
victims of their impairment and so attribute disability to the individuals’ physical state that
stops them from carrying out their normal activities. The charity model hence believed that
PWDs deserved our help, pity, charity, sympathy, and welfare so that they could be catered
for (Harris & Enfield, 2003). The medical model conversely saw PWDs as persons with a
medical condition that need to be cured. These two models proposed segregating PWDs from
the “normal” people by the provision of special services and institutionalization of PWDs in
special institutions like special schools, homes, sheltered employment places, and hospitals
where an expert like social workers, special education teachers, medical professionals, and
therapists can provide special care for these unfortunate individuals as a solution to this
problem. Todaro (2005) in support of this model declared that disability is a medical
condition that prevented individuals from using part of their body either partially,
completely, or with ease to perform the daily task.
The shift from the medical model to the “social model of disability” was as a result of
disabled groups and several researchers recognizing that disability is socially defined (WHO,
2011; Joint, 2005). People are disabled by barriers in society instead of by their bodies. Joint
(2005) argues that this move sparked a drastic change in individuals thinking about disability
so people began to attribute disability to society’s refusal to adapt itself to the nature of “the
disabled group” who as a result become socially excluded rather than seeing disability as a
problem to the individual.
5
Closely related to the social model is the “Right-base Model of disability” which according
to Harris and Enfield (2003) centered on fulfilling PWDs human rights like the right to health
or education and employment which are often denied them so that they can have the same
opportunities and share in society. A look at this model clarifies the need for the libraries'
understudy to champion the cause of library users with disabilities by including them in
every aspect of library service provision. This will have a positive impact on empowering the
library users with impairments to share on an equal basis with the other users who have no
impairments.

Types of disabilities
Physical Disability
Researchers have described physical disability as bordering on a total or partial loss of an
individual’s body function which in turn affects the person's movement. Watson et al. (2020)
declare that physical disability is a total or partial loss of an individual’s bodily functions or
the total or partial loss of a body part. Koulikourdi (2008) used the term ‘‘motor-impaired’’
to describe this disability. To her, they included people who have developed some of these
types of disabilities: “quadriplegia, paraplegia, hemiplegia, craniocerebral injuries, or
amputation of the upper and lower limbs.” Robertson (2007) posits that it may both be
congenital or resulting from injury or disease and include “amputations, arthritis, back
problems, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, post-viral fatigue
syndrome, and spinal cord injuries.”

Hearing Impairment
Gilton (2012) states that hearing loss can affect one or both ears and vary from minor to
profound and can be so severe that people have trouble processing linguistic information
with or without amplification. Again, the differences may be that the person can be partially
or deaf when hearing loss occurs and it is more difficult for children who are born deaf or
become so before learning to talk to communicate using speech. Koulikourdi (2008) posits
that deafness is proven scientifically as people who despite the use of hearing aids are unable
to grasp ordinary speech through their hearing. The term ‘‘hard-of-hearing’’ describes
someone whose hearing is slightly poor and seems not to be able to comprehend other
speakers. Robertson (2007) on the other hand makes it clear that hearing impairment is often
a hidden disability which may not be evident and there is a general misconception that people
with hearing impairment cannot “hear any sounds at all” but that is not the case; “the person
6
is likely to be able to hear some frequencies and maybe lip-reading.” Robertson (2007) states
that hearing impairment may range from people who may lose their hearing temporarily due
to a medical condition that can be treated and those who deafness and hearing loss are
permanent as well as people who have profound hearing loss and are profoundly deaf; these
people have no hearing at all.

Visual Impairment
Robertson (2007) states that the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 2005 defines a
visually-impaired person as someone who is “blind or partially-sighted or has uncorrectable
sight loss or who has a physical disability which makes it impossible for them to hold a book
or move their eyes.” Koulikourdi (2008) declares that the Greek legislation 958/1979 defines
a blind individual as “someone whose visual sharpness is less than 1/20 of the norm, despite
any possible medical intervention”. Persons with visual impairments, therefore, include
“people with color blindness, cataract, tunnel, and peripheral vision, people with difficulty in
reading the standard print and other several cases.” The World report on disability also
declares that impaired vision can be due to either eye diseases or uncorrected refractive
errors. WHO (2011) and Robertson (2007) make it clear that visual impairments can also be
congenital or developed later in life. “Some conditions are stable, whereas others will worsen
or fluctuate.” The grouping of persons with visual impairments is based on the amount of
vision; that is people with low vision, people who are functionally blind, and people who are
blind.

Barriers of PWDs
Physical barriers in the built environment for PWDs
According to Tudzi, et al. (2017) the built environment encompasses both the external
environment around buildings and the internal spaces within buildings. Barriers in any of
these can render the built environment hostile and unfriendly to PWDs and prevent them
from accessing that environment. Mensah, (2008) assert that the physical and the built
environment present one of the greatest challenges of providing equal opportunities and full
integration of PWDs in the Ghanaian society. As WHO (2011) put it; a person’s environment
has a huge impact on the experience and extent of disability. Inaccessible environments
create disability by creating barriers to participation and inclusion. Examples of the impact of
physical obstacles in the built environment as is identified by various studies include the
following:
7
i. Wheelchair users may be rendered disabled if they find themselves in a building
without an accessible bathroom. That is the availability of a washroom that do not consider
the extra room that is needed for a wheelchair user to maneuver through renders the
washroom useless for the wheelchair user meaning that it will be like no washroom exist
(Tudzie et al., 2017; Heaven, 2004; WHO, 2011; Robertson, 2007).
ii. Persons with physical disabilities and visual impairments cannot access upper rooms
in a story building if there is no elevator. That is if no stairs exist but rather elevators every
part of that building becomes accessible to everyone irrespective of disability. (Tudzie et al.,
2017; Craven, 2008; Todaro, 2005).
iii. Steps, staircases, and ramps without handrails on both sides with tactile markings at
the foot to warn PWDs. Handrails are very vital for persons with visual impairment since
they trace it with their hand whiles walking to guide them to their destination so if they are
not available it cause most persons with visual impairments to be mostly dependent on other
people (Todaro, 2005; Tudzie, et al., 2017).

There have been several studies on library services for PWDs across the world which have
revealed that these barriers also exist in libraries. Among the physical barriers revealed by
Todaro, (2005) on "Library services for people with disabilities in Argentina” which focused
on 20 different libraries in Argentina that provided services for visually impaired and
physically handicapped people revealed that there exist architectural barriers which bring
about environmental obstruction that are physical, like a lot steps in stairways, narrow
doorways, the entrance of the building with steps and no ramp, amongst others. These foil
free movement for PWDs. Heaven, (2004); Robertson, (2007) and among others made
similar discoveries.
Although the 1992 constitution of the Republic of Ghana provided that any place to which
the public has access shall have apt facilities for the disabled and the section 6 of the
Disability Act 2006 (Act 715) states that “the owner or occupier of a place to which the
public has access shall provide appropriate facilities that make the place accessible to and
available for use by PWDs”. Tudzi, et al. (2017) in a study found that libraries at KNUST
were generally not physically accessible and this served as a deterrent to PWDs in their
academic pursuits. Among other things, the whole library environment was hostile
particularly regarding the physical access where building essentials like staircases and steps
were poorly designed that stop PWDs from accessing the buildings. This goes to confirm

8
what Beaton, (2005) declared that Libraries form part of society and so can add to a
“disabling environment”. Libraries consequently have a part to play in empowering the
disabled to take a full and rightful share in community life.

Barriers to accessing service for PWDs

Relating to barriers to accessing services that make people disabled, WHO, (2011) posits that
policies and service delivery systems, including the rules underlying service provision, can
pose as an obstacle that prevents individuals from sharing in the society so the world report
on disability by WHO created some scenarios that makes it clear that barriers to
accessing service can make people disabled.
Mensah (2008) makes it clear that the hearing impaired hardly gets “access to public
information as both national and private information and communication service providers
cut them out and many newspapers, books, and educative material are presented in the format
that is inaccessible to the blind.” Meaning that though people get access to both private and
public information as well as access to the content of any information materials of their
choice for any purpose that they want to put it to; the persons with hearing impairments and
the persons with visual impairments are excluded from accessing theses information that may
adversely affect them all because the service providers do not factor in the fact that in their
bid to provide information and communication service they may need something extra like
sign language interpreters or an alternative format of information before they can become
functional in information access.
Concerning barriers to service access in the library, several studies that focused on serving
PWDs in the library revealed that for the libraries to offer an inclusive library environment
that does not prevent PWDs from accessing library services the library must be furnished
with adaptive technologies and assistive devices. Joint (2005) stated that “larger libraries
may have better resources to build a wide set of services like offering high-quality IT-
based assistive technologies and create excellent infrastructural improvements to enhance the
physical accessibility of the library environment.”
According to Joint (2005) if service providers fail to anticipate needs but rather react to needs
and libraries fail to adjust their services in advance by including the demands of every patron
then a disabling environment is created for definite client groups. Robertson (2007) in
agreement with this statement declares that provision of service in an accessible and
inclusive way is crucial and borders on a moral issue of human rights and a legal duty as
attitude and improper or poor responses create barriers for PWDs.
9
Adaptive technological requirements of PWDs to overcome barriers
Several studies across the globe (Watson, et al., 2020; Gilton, 2012; Koulikourdi, 2008;
Robertson, 2007) among several others have revealed the various requirements that are
needed to create an enabling environment for all the categories of disability. These
requirements will therefore be needed to overcome physical barriers in the built environment,
in accessing information and service as well as promote independent living of PWDs.
The requirements that are identified by the various documents and studies could be grouped
into two; the requirement needed to overcome physical barriers in the built environment and
the requirement needed to overcome the barriers to access to service.

Concerning the adaptive technological requirements of PWDs to overcome barriers in the

library built environment, Garrod, (2004) declares that “adaptive, accessible, enabling and
assistive technologies” are used interchangeably to mean “the software packages and
equipment” that assist people with special needs to use computers and access the internet.
The emphasis of this definition is on aiding PWDs to use computers and access the internet.
Robertson (2007) on the other hand claims that it encompasses several electronic devices
i.e. specialist software and/or equipment that enable PWDs to” bypass, overcome, or
compensate for barriers to learning and access to information” so this definition focus on
overcoming all barriers to learning and information access meaning if the built environment
presents a barrier to learning these technologies can aid to do away with them. There are
several initiatives on adaptive technology for PWDs by different libraries all over the world
especially in advanced countries like the USA, Canada, UK, Australia, to mention but a few.
Technology has made it possible for most of these initiatives.
Koulikourdi (2008) used the term “accessible tool” in her study “Assistive technologies in
Greek libraries” to describe the adaptive technologies that are needed to overcome the
barriers in the library built environment. Among such tools include the elevator and ramp.

This is used to overcome the physical barriers that stairs create to prevent PWDs from
accessing upper rooms, especially in a storey building. Koulikourdi (2008) in her study
“Assistive technologies in Greek libraries” that aimed at investigating the use of assistive
technologies in Greek libraries reveal in her findings that some of the adaptive technologies
found in Greek libraries included elevators and ramps that were highly patronised to
overcome the physical barriers that prevent PWDs from accessing other parts of the library
10
that is likely to be out of reach if the library is to be a storey building. Irvall and Nielsen
(2005) endorses the provision of elevator and ramp but insist that there should be rails at both
sides of ramps and the elevators must be well lighted with buttons and signs in brailed and
synthetic speech. Tudzi, et al. (2017) discloses that the rails attached to the ramp or staircase
are included in the universal design of buildings. A look at the findings from the study of
libraries in Greece and the KNUST libraries in Ghana however showed a contradictory
statement as the elevators and ramps were available and highly used in Greece than KNUST
library did not have this adaptive technology.

Robertson (2007) observed that impairments that cause “mobility difficulties” as is the case
of those who have physical disabilities and those with visual impairment are noticeable so
people with this type of impairments may have to depend on “assistive devices”, like
wheelchairs, scooters, crutches, and walking sticks. Irvall and Nielsen (2005) also make
mention of the fact that persons with visual impairments must be able to walk with a cane
and find their way into the library.

Moreover, Irvall and Nielsen (2005) indicated that doors must be fitted with automatic door
opener so that no obstacles are found in the way of persons with visual impairment and
wheelchair users and also insisted that the automatic door opener should be reachable by
persons in a wheelchair. Heaven (2004) put it this way there must be a power-operated door
that functions either by “a push pad or card swipe or a door controlled by a motion sensor or
hands-free proximity reader.” Tudzi, et al. (2017) discovered in their work “Deterrent
libraries: denying persons with disability” that though automatic doors were necessary and
part of the universal design of buildings none of the libraries in KNUST had them and this is
also confirmed by Heaven (2004) that the provision of automated doors at libraries entrances
in the UK was often inadequate and this was attributed to lack of funding.

Koulikourdi (2008) in her study to describe the adaptive technologies that are needed to
overcome the barriers to access information content of which the format of the information is
inclusive. The equipment discovered by various studies to aid PWDs to overcome the
barriers to accessing library service for visually impaired people: “scanners, screen readers,
screen enlargement devices, speech synthesizers, tape recordings, personal computer with
specialized software and hardware like CD-ROM drive and internet connectivity, Apollo II,

11
speech synthesis external unit, voice composer, book scanner with Optical Character
Recognition (OCR) software, camera and microphone, text to speech software, Braille
translator, Braille embosser, Braille display, Braille software for the conversion of the text to
Braille format, Braille printer and closed-circuit television (CCTV).” All these types of
equipment and software were useful for persons with visual impairments and were captured
in the study of library services for people with disabilities in Greece (Koulikourdi, 2008) but
the caution here is that they were woefully inadequate.
Robertson (2007) also prescribes that “the persons with visual impairments may require
screen-reading software, Braille, tactile or audio recordings that rely on aural rather than
visual processing.” Irvall and Nielsen (2005) also added on and declared that there must be
“magnifying glass, illuminated magnifier, electronic reader and computers with screen
adapters and software designed for persons with reading and cognitive disabilities.

The people with physical disabilities also need switches, switch interfaces, mounting
systems, switches that require feet movements only, a joystick roller, trackball roller, PC
control system by the head, screen reader, virtual keyboard, and software that simulates the
mouse functions to support them (Koulikourdi, 2008). Irvall and Nielsen (2005) in their
document “Access to libraries for persons with disabilities checklist” also indicated that

there must be adaptive keyboards or keyboard overlays for users with motor impairments.
Again Garrod (2004) endorsed keyboards with big keys and/or coloured keys; 'Gloves' that is
fit above a standard keyboard to make it easier to strike the required key; keyboard stickers,
mouse alternatives like trackballs, touch-pads, and joysticks for people who cannot use a
normal mouse.

For hearing-impaired people, Robertson (2007) also talked about hearing aids that hard of
hearing people use. According to her, it works best in a quiet setting across a distance not
exceeding 1.5 metres and in “one-to-one conversations.” In case there is noise or some
people talking at a time or on windy days, the user of the hearing aid may need to use
assistive devices like induction loops to eliminate background sounds. Irvall and Nielsen
(2005) added that in the library setting the induction loop system should be located at the
reference desk and circulation desk to aid them to communicate with library staff.

Additionally, alternative materials were also needed to overcome the information access
barrier for persons with visual impairment. (Koulikourdi, 2008) Irvall and Nielsen (2005)
12
added that PWDS requires special media formats like talking books, easy-to-read books,
Braille books, large print books, video/DVD books with subtitles, and/or sign language,
talking newspapers, talking periodicals, E-books, tactile picture books. CD player, DAISY
(Digital Audio Information System) player which is a digital talking book system.

For the accessibility of library websites, databases, and OPACs the library website design
needed to follow universal design principles that ensure that website created is usable by all
so some libraries OPACs were furnished with some adaptive technologies like text
enlargement and speech synthesize (Koulikourdi, 2008) Irvall and Nielsen, (2005) state that
for libraries to provide information to PWDs certain universal principle must be set which
include information on the library’s accessible website (that is the availability of audio
information and text).
To conclude in this review, there are numerous adaptive technologies identified worldwide
that can help PWDs to overcome the barriers in society. They range from specialised
equipment or devices to specialised software as well as alternative format of information. To
borrow from Gilton (2012) “adaptive technology can range from low-tech to high-tech, from
simple to complex, from free or costly to extremely expensive, and it can be online or offline.
Adaptive technology takes many forms such as simple tools (like a magnifying glass) to help
in reading, adaptable furniture, or elements added to existing technology, handy elements
used with other technology, such as thumb drives for computers and among others.
Technology keeps on changing and keeping up with it is a serious challenge. Librarians must
work with an advisory committee consisting of people and supporters from various disabled
communities to ascertain most needed equipment, especially as needs change over time.”

METHODOLOGY

This study adopted the qualitative approach and involved interviews to collect the data.
According to Creswell (2014), the qualitative approach involves a more natural setting where
researchers collect data at the site. The researcher chose the University of Ghana, Legon
(UG), and the University of Cape Coast (UCC) as the cases for this study as they were
among the three public universities in Ghana that enroll students with all forms of
disabilities. Again, they all have a significant number of students with disabilities and had the
facilities that this research sought to study. The table below shows the population of the

13
study:

Institution Librarian Head Students with Students with Students

S/N
of Visual Hearing with Total
Unit Impairments Impairments Physical
Disability
University
1 1 1 37 6 37 82
of Ghana
Universit
2 y of Cape 1 1 19 0 0 21
Coast

Total 2 2 56 6 37 103

Table 1: Population of the study

Source: Fieldwork 2020

How relevant the respondents are to the research topic determines the way the people to be
studied is selected rather than their representativeness in qualitative research (Flick, 1998).
The snowball approach was used to identify students with disabilities to form the sample
size. All the two University Librarians and the heads of the units that cater to the needs of the
PWDs were purposively sampled for the study. The thematic content analysis approach was
used systematically to arrive at these findings. Out of a population of one hundred and three
(103); twenty (20) respondents were selected and interviewed in the study representing
almost 20% of the entire population which according to Campbell et al. (2020), is appropriate
when the study aims to glean knowledge from targeted respondents deemed to have specific
knowledge in the field of study.

Selection of Sample
Table 2 Sample size of the Study
Higher Librarian Head Students with Students with Students with
S/ N
Education of Unit Visual Hearing Physical Total
Institution(HEI) Impairments Impairments Disability

14
 University
1 1 1 6 2 3 13
of Ghana
University of
2 Cape 1 1 5 0 0 7
Coast

Total 2 2 11 2 3 20

ANALYSIS AND PRESENTATION OF FINDINGS

Barriers to Access in Libraries for Students with Disability

Physical Access of Libraries
Student respondents were asked to indicate how accessible the library was to them in terms
of physical access. The physical access here sought to look at the parking lot, doors, stairs,
ramps, elevator among others that one uses to gain access into the library and if these pose
any challenge to respondents in their use of the library. The respondents in the management
class were also asked questions to confirm the students’ claims. Some of the questions
differed a little from that which was posed to the students’ respondents. The first objective
questions for the heads of the unit were, however, the same as that of the students.
It came to light that out of the six (6) student respondents with visual impairment in HEI 1,
three (3) indicated that in terms of physical access, availability of washrooms, and the
available workspace; the library is accessible to some extent. This is captured in the
responses below:

Ama
“The library is accessible to some extent. The challenge arises when people park their cars
on the street getting to the entrance of the library it makes it difficult to access the library
since I bump into them when trying to access the library.”

Kofi confirmed Ama’s claim by saying that:

“The library is accessible to some extent. It is only the irresponsible parking of cars at the
entrance of the library by some library users that pose as a challenge and makes it difficult
to access the library at times. I bump into cars sometimes when I try to access the library.”

Two of the respondents with visual impairment in HEI 1 however opposed this view and
15
indicated in their response that the library is accessible.

Yaw had this to say:

“If I’m moving from my hall to the library, because I’ve been thought how to move around …
I trace the gutters with my white cane that is the device that helps me when I get there
sometimes the security men give assistance and guide me to the room so for me physical
accessibility is okay”

Only one of the respondents with visual impairment in HEI 1 was of the view that physical
accessibility was not good at all. This is found in his response quoted below:

Kuuku:
“For me, since I’m in level 100 it seems to be somehow difficult for me because I don’t know
entirely (the) place, and what I know is maybe … sometimes I could miss a step so for me I
think it is not easily accessible to me”.
For the respondents with hearing impairment in HEI 1, their responses were quite different
from those with visual impairment. They had fewer answers because they had their sight and
they could walk so their outlook of physical access to the library was just like students
without disability.
The response from Kobby confirmed this claim: “For me everything is okay”
The students with a physical disability, on the other hand, had some issues with the physical
accessibility of the library in HEI 1. It came to the fore from the response of one (1) of them
that though physical access to the entrance of the library and the ground floor as well as the
first floor of the library was accessible because of the ramp leading to the first floor, the
subsequent floors were however inaccessible. This meant that the reading rooms upstairs
were not accessible at all. This is captured in the response below:

Gyasi:

“It is not all that accessible to me but going to the library is very easy but sometimes when I
am searching for a book, I have to move upstairs so if I don’t get anyone to help me by going
upstairs to … get the material I need for me it will be very difficult for someone in my
situation to do that.”

Mavis confirms Gyasi’s claim by saying

“The other rooms that are upstairs I think they will be very inconveniencing since there is no

16
elevator there generally I think it is a bit limiting.”
Mavis however had this to say:
“in accessing the library, usually when you are going you have to leave your things before
you enter the library so before I got to know that people with special needs were not
supposed to, I wasn’t going to the library so when I found out that I could go inside with my
bag because it was a lot of trouble for me taking out my things, taking off my bag, yes for me
that was my only challenge because I can walk so … my personal need is addressed so
accessing the library is easier for me”

This response generated was based on the fact that she had an amputated arm resulting from
an accident so to her the library was accessible; she could walk, unlike her male counterparts
who could not walk without the aid of crutches.

Findings gathered from respondents in HEI 2 revealed that out of the five (5) participants;
four (4) agreed that the library is accessible in terms of physical access. Here are some of the
responses that attested to that fact:

Eddy:
“It’s accessible but there are so many staircases; that is where there is a challenge but on the
whole it is accessible.”

John:

“… it’s quite okay yes I’m familiar with the environment here so I am okay. I am in level 300
so I am familiar with this environment.”

Lucy:

“… I have little sight yes I can see small and walking alone is not a problem for me.”

Becky was however of the view that no one can isolate the library from the university
environment so if the university environment was not accessible to students with visual
impairment then definitely the library cannot be physically accessible so she made this
assertion:
“From the main campus up to this place is not that accessible because you know the
environment has not just been done for visually impaired so that there will be environmental
hallmarks … For instance, rails, if it has been mainly an environment for us there will have

17
been something like rails where you pass you have your hands by it till you finally branch to
the library but in our case, it is not that. And then also they have a car being parked at all
along so it is not that accessible without assistance.”

The responses from HEAD 1 and HEAD 2 affirm the students’ claim that to a large extent
the libraries understudy was accessible to PWDs to some extent so they had these to say:

Head 1:
“The parking lot is okay; it is flat so that even those who use wheelchairs can use it without
any problem. It’s on the ground floor so that one too it is okay. It is also accessible to the
wheelchair users and for the blind so it is not bad but then if they want to go to other sections
of the library, some are upstairs and so it becomes difficult. There is a ramp to the first floor
but on the other floor there is no ramp neither is there any elevator. At the entrance of the
library, there are no proper ramps. It is just a wooden one which is even broken.

Head 2

“The library … is not accessible at all especially for the physically challenged like someone
in a wheelchair. Now we thank God that the elevator has been repaired so if the person
wants to come here he can use the elevator on the ground floor and then come to our place
here so, for now, I can say that it is accessible.

Available place of convenience

On the issue of the place of convenience, four (4) of the student respondents from HEI 1
commented on the fact that it is accessible but there are no special washrooms dedicated to
PWDs. Another observation was made by Kekeli that the place of convenience may not be
conducive for wheelchair users. Some of these responses are captured below:

Kojo:
“We don’t have any specific washroom for PWDs; it is the normal washroom that everybody
goes to use.”

Kekeli:
“There is a place of convenience for all students and that is where we all use. For me, as a
visually impaired person, I may say the washroom is accessible but maybe to my colleagues
who are physically challenged they may have a problem in accessing such facility especially

18
for wheelchair users.”

All five (5) respondents from HEI 2 agreed that the place of convenience was okay and
accessible. Some of their responses have been captured below:

Lucy:
“We have washrooms here.”

John:
“For the place of convenience, it is somehow okay.”

Management also affirms what the students said in what pertains to the two institutions in
terms of place of convenience.

Head 1 responded by saying:

“The toilet facility we have here is also on the ground floor just that there are no specialised
toilet seats and the rooms are even small so when you are going in with a wheelchair it is a
bit difficult ...”

Head 2 emphasised that:

“They have a separate washroom for our students when they come to the unit… it is only the
students that use them and not staff.”

Available Adaptive Technologies in the Libraries

This objective set out to find out how the respondents were introduced to the available
adaptive technologies in the various library, how user-friendly these technologies were, how
accessible the libraries website and Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC) was and how
the libraries could improve on the available infrastructure (adaptive technologies) in the
libraries.

Introduction to Adaptive Technologies in Libraries

The question that bothered on how respondents were introduced to the identified adaptive
technologies generated these responses from some of the respondents from HEI 1:

Ama:

“… through the orientation that was given to us when we first came to the university.

19
 There is also the midterm arrangement for the visually impaired to go to the library
to be trained to use the computers and the other facilities available in the library but I
already knew how to use most of them.”

Kofi:
“It was through orientation and friends. The ‘Unit’ organized an orientation for us to
introduce us to the facilities available to us and my sighted friends led me to the
library until I became familiar with the place ...”

Conclusions arrived at by the look at the responses generated from the respondents from HEI
1 shows that the students with visual impairment were introduced to the available adaptive
technologies through orientation as was indicated by all the respondents. Kofi also made it
clear that their friends also assisted them. Ama made the researcher aware that they also have
a midterm arrangement for the visually impaired to go to the library to be trained to use the
computers and the other facilities available in the library.

The respondents from HEI 2 also confirmed the views of their fellow respondents in HEI 1 as
to how they were introduced to the available adaptive technology. They too had orientation
sections and a training section as to how to use the adaptive technologies. Their views are
captured in the following statements:

Lucy:

“… some of us like this we didn’t know anything about ICT so the resource persons some are
assigned to teach us ICT and they taught us how to use the computers to read and how to
type with it. And then using the CCTV, this is my first time of really using it to read. So they
assisted us.”

Tom:

“When you come to this library you saw some desktop computers around so we have
someone who is solely in charge of our training; when I came here I was told that we apart
from our main timetable with the lectures that we have, you find your own time and go and
register with the person; … then the person takes you through so that is what I was
introduced.”

John:

“When we came at first orally we were told and they even brought us in here to show us some

20
of the thighs that we have and they took us through the various rooms that are there they
make it known to us and then we came to the practical aspect of it which they thought us how
to be using them.”

Ease of use of the adaptive technologies introduced to respondents

The second question under this objective had to do with how easy it was for respondents to
use the adaptive technologies they were introduced to. The views of some respondents from
HEI 1 are captured below:
Yaw:
“Yes, they are easy to use. It only becomes difficult when the machines become faulty and at
times if the speech is not coming then the librarian will try to help you out by turning on the
speech.”

Kuuku:
“For the computers, if we have the speech software on them it will be very easy … to use
them but if there is no speech software, how can I use them? I use this speech software to
hear, to read, and also to write so if the speech software is not on the computers then it
means I can’t use them ...”

Kojo:

“As for being user friendly they are but every technology has its challenges. There are
sometimes you go to the offline library and the things there your assistive technology will not
be able to read the thing to you so in that field you will not know whatever you are searching
for. You will not get it so you will still have to rely on someone who will be able to read to
you. If I have a technology that could speak to me, I expect that the URL of the university
website will be compatible with the technology so that when I go there I will not look for an
assistant from somebody the assistance will be minimal.”

From the responses captured above, all the respondents from HEI 1 affirmed that adaptive
technologies are easy to use due to the speech software installed on them. One significant
theme that was generated from the responses from Kojo, Kuuku, and Yaw was the challenges
that arise from the use of these technologies. Among these challenges included faulty
machines as was stated by Yaw, incompatibility of technology with the document one needs
to access as was indicated by Kojo, and lastly if the adaptive technology is there but the
21
software that is needed to access them are absent as was stated by Kuuku.

The respondents from HEI 2 also had these to say on that same question:
Lucy:
“First it wasn’t easy. With the ICT for instance, first, it wasn't easy but with the CCTV it was
okay. you see using the software to read you listen to the voice so when it is reading me at
first it reads fast so I find it difficult hearing the words it is pronounced but now as I use it
gradually I became used to it.”
John:
“they are okay because of the support of the NVDA and JAWS”

From the responses above gathered from the respondents from HEI 2, the majority of them

agree with the assertion made by the students in HEI 1 that the adaptive technologies are easy
to use due to the speech software installed on them. Lucy agrees that some of the adaptive
technologies are easy to use like the CCTV but some of them also take time for one to get
used to. For example, learning ICT and using speech software.
The management respondents were also quizzed on how easy a user can learn to use the
available adaptive technologies in the library. This was to find out if the available adaptive
technologies for PWDs in the library were user friendly. In response to this question HEAD,
1 made it clear that apart from the CCTV and the computers with the speech software
installed on that the students use by themselves; the rest of the adaptive technologies were
operated by the resource persons in the Unit Library. HEAD 1 also made it clear that the
CCTV and the computers with the speech software that the students operate by themselves
are easy to use. These findings confirm what most of the students said that adaptive
technologies like the CCTV and the speech software on the computers make them user
friendly. These are captured in the response below:

Head 1:
“apart from the CCTV that the students use, the scanner and the other things the resource
person does it for them but the CCTV is very easy and not difficult to use. And then the
software installed on the (computers) to be used by the visually impaired it is not all that
difficult to use … you just have to listen and pay attention to it”

HEAD 2 on the other hand made it clear that it was not easy training the students with visual

22
impairments to become computer literates. The challenge that the ICT training section
suffered stemmed from the fact that the period that this training section could be fixed for all
the students to benefit was difficult to allocate since all the students had different timetables
for their courses offered on campus. As a result, the Unit had to organise some of these
training sections during the university’s vacation period even though the students could go
and make personal arrangements for their ICT training. This response confirms what some of
the student respondents from HEI2 said that it was not easy to get trained in ICT and that the
students can make personal arrangements with the Unit Library to be trained in ICT. The
response from HEAD 2 is seen below:

Head 2:

“(For the) visually impaired it is not easy at times you will need to take time because I did
say that we train them to become computer literate most of the time it crashes with their
periods so we’ve arranged it in such a way that when they are free and they don’t have any
period before they come. At times too, their time table becomes very loaded so at times it
becomes very difficult for them to come and have that lesson that is why we’ve taken it upon
ourselves that at the end of every 2nd semester after the examination we set about two weeks
aside and we do intensive ICT training for them.”

Accessibility of the Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC) and the library’s web pages
How accessible the libraries OPAC and the web pages to the amazement of the researcher,
only a few of the respondents had heard about it not to talk of using it. Almost all the visually
impaired respondents from both HEI 1 and HEI 2, the hearing impaired as well as those with
physical disabilities have never accessed them before so they could not give any concrete
answer as to whether they are accessible or not. The responses below captured all that was
gathered from some of the respondents in both institutions:

Kekeli:
“It is not easily accessible so we quite often request for assistance from other people
to know what is available in the library.”

Kojo:

“More must be done to improve accessing the UG Space that means that the assistive
technologies to access the HEI 1 Space.”

23
 Eddy:

“no-no, I have not accessed it. … I know that there is something of that sort but I have
never accessed it before.”

Joe:
“ Okey to be honest I have never used it before”

On the issue of how easy could, PWDs learn how to use the available adaptive technologies,
how disability-friendly was the library Home-page and OPAC to PWDs, and the special
features that make the library Home-page and OPAC disability-friendly. These questions
were to find out the available adaptive technologies in the libraries and whether they were
user friendly to PWDs in the library. Again since the environment of the library is most often
associated with information access and there is a lot of information and services that are
provided by the libraries Home-page and OPAC, it became necessary for the researcher to
enquire about them because the library Home-page and OPAC were dependent on adaptive
technology like the computer with internet connectivity. The question posed by the
researcher on how disability-friendly the library Home-page and OPAC was to PWDs
generated the following statements below from the management in HEI 1:

Head 1:
“for the visually impaired they complain that they are not able to navigate to get to the
library even when they get there looking for the information is difficult ... I can do it but then
I have had a few complaints from the visually impaired that it is difficult going on the
webpage”

This response shows that the HEI 1 library webpage as well as the OPAC which is one of the
major keys in the library for accessing information was not disability friendly because the
needs of the students with visual impairments were not considered when they were built.
This finding is affirmed by LIBRARIAN 1 in answer to this question had this to say about
the library homepage and the OPAC:
“It was not created for disabled people so we don’t have any software which can be able to
read for them. … For the visually impaired if they wish to read unless of cause they have
24
software in their unit where they will be able to read.”

Improving the available infrastructures that support PWDs in the library

The last but not the least question under this objective was to solicit suggestions from
respondents on ways of improving the available infrastructure that supports PWDs in the
various libraries. The following suggestions below were made by the respondents from HEI
1:
Kojo:
“I believe that they can make the library open irrespective of your disability if the right
equipment is there. There shouldn’t be a space that this is the place for the blind or PWDs
whatever you are looking for you can go for it in the library but once they make it restrictive
there are things that will be restricted but if the library is opened you could go to any other
sections of the library if you need somebody to speak to but once it is restrictive, the people
who will be able to help you once they go home you will not be able to do anything. So at
least the staff should be all day round like they do it for the other students without
impairment. The rumps that lead to the library is not of standard they are wooding and
looking at a university of this stature to have a wooden rump if they do the ramp very well as
they did it for the extension of the ‘Unit Library’ you can move with the wheelchair wherever
you want to go without any problem but the wooden one how long will it last. The library
management will have to look at the accessibility of other users of the library like the
wheelchair user. For me, you cannot have everything the way you want it so at least if they
meet you in a halfway you will be able to strive your way through and get access to what you
are looking for.”

Yaw:

“Well, rail should be fixed. You see the pavement when you use the Dean’s office line when
you need to go to … and you turn to your right there are gutters at your left and where cars
are mostly packed sometimes it is confusing I mean if you are going. Some are packed close
to the staircase that will lead you to where the security post is in the library. So if proper
arrangements could be made for drivers or cars to be parked at a different place so that
things become more convenient then we will not be confused or even if a rail can be put
along the gutters so that you can trace it or hold it with your hand that metal we can hold it
will make it more friendly or maybe if signpost may be mounted on the way so that if drivers

25
are coming they will slow down a bit because they should be aware that we are also here. I
think they have improved on the staircase where wheelchair users can easily use the place
but they should do it to other places too.”

Kofi:

“The library should get us the information that we need as students reading different courses
by providing alternative formats (i.e. softcopies, audiobooks, and braille materials) of the
reading list of the various courses that are mostly read by visually impaired students in the
‘Unit library’ so that we too can access them. The computer lab designated for PWDs does
not have enough computers and the ones available even some are not in a working condition
so the library management should fix the ones that are not working and get us extra new
computers with the speech software. The ‘Unit library’ has a very poor internet facility so if
the library could enhance the internet facility in the ‘Unit library’ it would go a long way to
help us search for information that we need online. The available space for the students with
special needs is not big enough to accommodate all of us so the library should get us a
bigger space especially during examination periods when the majority of us use the library.”

The respondents from HEI 2 also made some of the following suggestions as to the ways of
improving the library’s infrastructures:

Lucy:
“We don’t have brailed books like our sighted colleagues so if they would have helped get us
some books in Braille so that when we also come we can get some to refer to … and then
there should be an improvement of our desktop that we use.”

Eddy:
“at least they have a lift or elevator here they should make it functional and at the entrance,
there are a lot of obstructions over there so if they can remove some of them…”

John:
“they can improve upon it I mean if they bring more information that we need like all those
books in the library that they have in the library at least they should convert all of them to
the computers too for us here so that we too we can equally do our research and another sort
26
of things and then get more computers and then improve upon the space so that at least when
we are here with our this thing (helpers) too it will be very easy for us.

These suggestions gathered from the two institutions under study revealed that the students
need are similar in the sense that respondents from both institutions suggested that there is a
need for both libraries to improve upon their adaptive technology like the computers, there
was a need for a bigger workspace for PWDs in the libraries just that the need for such thing
was more pressing in HEI 1 than in HEI 2 as was indicated by the number of respondents
who made that suggestion from their responses as well as there was a pressing need for
alternative formats of the information material.

DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS
Barriers to access in the libraries for PWDs
It was revealed by the findings that with regards to physical access and availability of
washrooms to the students with disabilities; the respondents were not satisfied with access to
the library environment. The dissatisfaction with access to the library by PWDs in the
selected cases resulted because there were lots of barriers in the library environment. The
barriers noticed in the selected libraries included inaccessible building, lack of alternative
format of information materials, non-functional and inadequate adaptive technologies, and
among others. It should be noted that for the provision of adequate building facilities
(Todaro, 2005) claims that there should be no architectural barriers making environmental
obstruction of physical in nature, like excessive steps in stairways, narrow entryway, steps at
the building entrance with no ramp, and many more others. This averts free movement for
disabled people and curtails their right to free movement. In effect, this will contradict the
section 6 of the Ghana Disability Act 2006 (Act 715) that urges owners or occupiers of a
public place to provide apt facilities that make it open and available for use by PWDs and
also obliges public service providers to ensure that such services are accessible to PWDs.

Barriers in the libraries-built environment

In terms of physical access, the findings indicated that; one of the case studies did not have
an elevator or ramp leading to the upper levels of the library so students with physical
disabilities and visual impairments needed to deal with many stairs thereby preventing them
from accessing that part of the library. This confirms what Mensah, (2008) declared that the

27
built environment presents one of the major challenges of giving equal chance and fully
integrating PWDs in the Ghanaian society. All the cases once more did not have rails to
guide the students with visual impairments into the library. This is similar to the finding
made by Tudzi, et al. (2017) that there were no lifts at KNUST libraries but conversely, the
results from the studies of Koulikourdi (2008) and Heaven (2004) showed that the majority
of libraries in Greece and UK universities had lifts and ramps. Tudzi et al. (2017) attributed
the lack of elevators in public academic libraries in Ghana to the expensive nature of their
installation.

It was evident in the findings that though toilet facilities were found in the two cases of study
they did not consider the extra room needed for wheelchair users to maneuver their way
through. A similar observation was made by Heaven (2004) that most of the toilets in the five
higher educational institutions she studied did not have extra room for “wheelchair users” to
maneuver through. The worst situation persisted in the KNUST library as many of the
washrooms were found outside the library buildings. (Tudzi et al., 2017).
Though some of the literature reviewed (Heaven, 2004; Irvall & Nielsen, 2005) indicated that
libraries should be furnished with adjustable furniture and automatic doors none of the cases
studied had them. This discovery, therefore, contradicts section 6 of the Ghana Disability Act
2006 (Act 715) which stated that “the owner or occupier of a place to which the public has
access shall provide appropriate facilities that make the place accessible to and available for
use by PWDs”.
From the findings generated from this study, it can be concluded that things within the library
environment like furniture, access to service, and among others can go a long way to either
include PWDs or impede PWDs from using the library.

Available Adaptive Technologies in the Libraries

Ease of use of the available adaptive technologies in the public academic libraries
The findings revealed that the students with a visual impairment from both study areas were
introduced to the available adaptive technologies through orientation and special training
sections. The findings also affirmed that adaptive technologies were easy to use but
difficulties can arise when using these adaptive technologies. Among these difficulties
included faulty machines, incompatibility of installed software with the document one needs
to access as well as if the adaptive technology is available in the library but the software such
as the speech software that is needed to access them is absent. It was also revealed by the
28
findings that some of the adaptive technologies were easy to use like the CCTV but some of
them like learning to use the computers and using the speech software takes time for one to
get used to.

Improving the available adaptive technologies in public academic libraries in Ghana

On the issue of improving the available adaptive technologies in the library, the findings
revealed that there were obstacles in the library environment that needed to be dealt with so
that the libraries can create an enabling environment. For this to be achieved the libraries had
to be furnished with a bigger workspace that has modern adaptive technology and furniture
for PWDs. The creation of an enabling environment for PWDs may however not be achieved
because the challenges faced by the PWDs in the Unit Library included having many
obsolete, non-functional, and inadequate adaptive technologies as well as unstable internet
connectivity. This finding is consistent with the discovery by Kwafoa, (2016) that for library
services to improve other infrastructures like friendly walkways in and around the library,
assistive technology, a good car park at the front of the library, computers with

JAWs software installed, tables for Braille books, extra toilets, reading machines, and Braille
dictionary needed to be added.

Furthermore, the library ought to provide alternative information formats for the PWDs since
they form part of the library patrons and therefore needed to be considered in the provision of
library service to create an inclusive library environment. The alternative format of
information can be achieved only if the libraries make provision for adequate adaptive
technologies like embossers, scanners, and among others that can be used to convert the
printed materials that form most of the library collection. All these, in the long run, will help
do away with segregation that PWDs face from the rest of the library users (Koulikourdi,
2008) was hence right to point out that the “collections enrichment with alternative material
and assistive technology devices are not sufficient.”

Finally, physical barriers in the library environment could be removed using adaptive
technologies. This can be done by building standard ramps and installing elevators for
students with physical disabilities and fixing rails for the students with visual impairment to
use to navigate their way into the library (Tudzi et al., 2017).

29
CONCLUSION

To sum up, there is a growing trend of disabilities worldwide and this reality is also reflected
in Ghana so libraries; more especially the public academic ones should seriously consider
PWDs in their service delivery by embracing adaptive technologies for disabled users.
Adaptive technology devices are needed by PWDs but they are woefully insufficient even
though they are considered to be very important for achieving equal access to the library built
environment and information services delivery. Taking into consideration the above, libraries
in Ghana will do well for PWDs if they accept adaptive technologies. Given this, it would be
prudent for public academic libraries in Ghana to follow the example of other updated
international libraries because they have the potential to help PWDs to overcome the barriers
in the library environment and take advantage of new technologies to expand their services
for PWDs and offer inclusive library services. That is why several recommendations that
might improve this situation have been provided at the end of this study.

Recommendations
1. In the architectural design of public academic libraries in Ghana, it is recommended that
there should be points of access and disability-friendly among others that ease the movement
of PWDs. Libraries and Librarians should also be involved in conducting accessibility audits
with universal design in mind so that all barriers to physical access to the library can be dealt
with.
2. A separate department for persons with reading, hearing, and other disabilities as
suggested by IFLA is laudable and should be implemented by the two university libraries.
This would enhance the quality of living for PWDs as it would help them feel comfortable in
the library environment since they would not disturb other library users when they use
adaptive technologies.
3. The libraries should improve on and ensure proper maintenance of the available adaptive
technologies such as computer software to make the library inclusive for PWDs. This would
contribute decisively to eliminating the gap between PWDs and non-disabled persons by
improving information access among PWDs.
4. As much as possible the two University Library’s websites must be simple, consistent,
clear, multi-modal, or able to provide content in multiple media, error tolerant, and attention
focusing on accessibility.

30
5. Furthermore, despite the inadequate financial support for libraries in Ghana provisions
must be made for PWDs by the Management of the two Universities since they are part of
the library users.

31
 REFERENCES

Ashigbi, E. K. Y., Danso, A. K., & Tudzi, E. P. (2015). Persons with disabilities and the built
environment: A user perception of the University of Ghana. Ghana Journal of
Higher Education, 2(1), 72-94.
Beaton, M. (2005). Glasgow City Council: Library, information and learning services for
disabled people in Glasgow. Library Review, 54(8), 472-8.
Campbell, S., Greenwood, M., Prior, S., Shearer, T., Walkem, K., Young, S., ... & Walker, K.
(2020). Purposive sampling: complex or simple? Research case examples. Journal of
Research in Nursing, 1744987120927206.
https://doi.org/10.1177/1744987120927206.
Craven, J. (ed). (2008). Web accessibility: Practical advice for the library and information
professional: Lodon: Facet Publishing.
Creswell, W. J. (2014). The research design: Qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods
approaches (3rd ed.). Los Angeles: SAGE Publications.
Fidzani, L. C., Mafatlane, G. R., Sechaba, N., Gabaratane, K., Pontsho, K., Gwatiwa, N.,
Dintwa, T., Onkgolotse, O., Tjitunga, A., Kgosisejo, K., & Mothobi, D. (2013).
Accessibility of University of Botswana main campus buildings to wheelchair users.
Botswana Journal of African Studies, 27(1), 125-152.
Flick, U. (1998). An introduction to qualitative research. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Friedman, J. L., & Norman, G. C. (2012). Norman/Friedman principle: Equal rights to

information and technology access. The Texas Journal on Civil Liberties & Civil
Rights, 18(1), 47 - 68.
Garrod, P. (2004). Adaptive technologies in public libraries. Public Library Networking
Focus, UKOLN An issue paper from the Networked Services Policy Task Group.
Number 1
Ghana Statistical Services (2013). 2010 Population census, national analytical report.
Accra: Ghana Statistical Service.
Gilton, D. L. (2012). Lifelong learning in public libraries: Principles, programs, and people.
Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press.
Harris, A., & Enfield, S. (2003). Disability, equality and human rights: A training manual for
development and humanitarian organisations. Oxfam GB.
Heaven, S. (2004). The provision made by higher education library services. Library and

32
 Information Research, 28(90), 24-30.
Irvall, B., & Nielsen, G. S. (2005). Access to libraries for persons with disabilities: Checklist.
The Hague: IFLA Professional Reports.
IFLA. (2012). IFLA code of ethics for librarians and other information workers. Retrieved
February 20, 2020 from http://www.ifla.org/news/ifla-code-of-ethics-for-librarians-
and-other-information-workers-full-version
Joint, N. (2005). Disability issues and libraries: A Scottish perspective. Library Review, 54(8),
449 – 452. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/00242530510619138
Koulikourdi, A. (2008). Library services for people with disabilities in Greece. Library
Review, 57(2), 138 – 148. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/00242530810854017
Kwafoa, P. N. Y. (2016). Provision of library services for the visually impaired in public
universities in Ghana (Doctoral dissertation, University Of Ghana).
Mensah, O., Williams, J., Atta-Ankomah, R., & Mjomba, M. (2008). Strengthening the
Disability Movement in Ghana through Organizational Capacity and Advocacy:
Contextual Analysis of the Disability Situation in Ghana. Retrieved February 20,
2020 from http://www.gfdgh.org/Context%20analysis.pdf
National Health Policy (2007). Creating wealth through the ministry of health. Retrieved
January 22, 2019, from http://www.moh.gov.gh/wp-
content/uploads/2016/02/NATIONAL-HEALTH-POLICY.pdf
Oye-Lithur, N., Stickney, S., & Nathan, S. (2007). The simplified version of disability rights
in Ghana. Accra: The Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, Africa.
Persons with Disability Act, 2006. Act. 715. Retrieved January 22, 2020, from
www.gfdgh/GHANADISABILITYACT.pdf
Robertson, L. (2007). Access for library users with disabilities. Retrieved March15, 2020 from
https://www.sconul.ac.uk/sites/default/files/documents/access_disabilities_0.pdf
Todaro, A. J. (2005). Library services for people with disabilities in Argentina. New
Library World, 106(5/6), 253-268.
Tudzi, E. P., Bugri, J. T., & Danso, A. K. (2017). Deterrent libraries: denying persons with
disability. Journal of Science and Technology, 37(1), 113-126.
http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/just.v37i1.10
Watson, N. J., Hargaden, K., & Brock, B. (Eds.). (2020). Theology, disability and sport: Social
justice perspectives. Routledge.
World Health Organization (WHO) (2011). World report on disability. Geneva: WHO Press.
World Health Organization. (2013). Sixty-sixth World Health Assembly: Disability report by the
33
 Secretariat. Retrieved April 15, 2020 from http://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/WHA66-
REC1/WHA66_2013_REC1_complete.pdf

Yoon, H. Y., & Kim, S. Y. (2011). Development strategy of the alternative format materials for
disabled people in Korea. Aslib Proceedings,63(4), 380-398.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/00012531111148976

34
 35

View publication stats