Accessibility of Visual Content for University Students with Visual Impairment: Provisions and Challenges

Abstract

The aim of the study was to examine how university students with visual impairment face challenges in accessing educational materials especially visual content like graphics, charts, states, and complex images throughout their educational journey and how these challenges impact their lives, which may affect their social and emotional gatherings, self-confidence, independence also subject selection for higher studies. Furthermore, this study identifies the provision status of resources to access Visual Content in their educational material.  A Qualitative research design was used for this study, and open-ended interviews were conducted to study this phenomenon, in addition to participants recruited from higher education institutions through convenience sampling for data collection: Face-to-face interviews and online interviews conducted by 10 university graduates with visual impairment. Each interview was transcribed and analyzed carefully using Thematic Analysis. This finding highlights that every student needs different learning support, especially students with VI. Although technology has improved their access to education, in Pakistan, students still find it difficult to access visual content due to inappropriate teaching methodology, lack of awareness of assistive technology (AT) among teachers and students with Visual Impairment (SWVI), some subject-related challenges, technical and financial issues and unavailability of resources which affect their social and educational participation and performance.