ICT as an Enabler to Academic Success of Students with Visually Impaired at Sim University Hermeneutics Approach

Abstract

While the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) benchmark is 15.6 percent, ‘Sim’ (pseudonym) University is way below that benchmark as only 0.001 percent are students classified as ‘disabled’ despite being in existence for more than 50 year. Within the 0.001, students with visually impaired (SwVI) are the majority estimated at 70 percent. In the 21st century, ICTs generally serve as catalysts to academic success of students in Universities. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the role played by Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) as enablers to academic success of SwVI at Sim University. A Hermeneutic Phenomenology approach guided the research process. Seven participants volunteered to voice their lived experiences and a cluster of themes on ICT usage emerged subsequently. Emerging from the lived academic experiences of SwVI is a host of self-initiated ICTs in use namely: ordinary typewriters, voice recorders, scanners, jaws and computers meant to facilitate learning amidst a negatively charged learning environment. In conclusion, if ICTs are to serve as effective assistive learning devises, ICTs developers and ICT policy makers should consider SwVI not just as ICTs consumers but equal innovators who must be consulted to transform the education landscape at tertiary level.