Document Type
Article
Citation
Onwubiko, E.C (2026). Application of Assistive Technologies and Rendering Assistive Services to Students with Special Needs by Federal University Libraries: A Survey
Abstract
The world as of today, is being said to be witnessing what one may tagged a technological revolution as never before and is transforming for the better, the future of global education in which case, every learner is considered. These newly created technological tools and plans did place librarians as information managers and digital literacy drivers in better position to come up with environments that are inclusive for all learners to achieve their desired goals. The study therefore is a survey on the application of assistive technologies and rendering assistive services to students with special needs by federal universities libraries in Nigeria. With a sampled population of 200 certified librarians working in Nigerian federal university libraries forming the respondents, the study adopted a descriptive survey method while self-designed questionnaire was used for data collection. With the aid of percentage, frequency and mean, the data were analyzed and displayed in charts and a table. The outcome of the study shows that the libraries only provide services for the physically challenged, and intellectually disabled students, and lack almost all the major assistive devices to facilitate assistive services to special needs students, with few assistive services such as personalized library assistance, provision of accessible study space and extension of loan periods for special needs students being provided in high extent. The study identified inadequate funding; lack of infrastructural support, lack of or outdated assistive tools, among others, as major challenges militating against provision of full assistive services to special needs students by the libraries. The study suggested among other things the need for government to adequately fund and equip the libraries with contemporary assistive technologies.
