Availability of Assistive Technological Tools towards Academic Performance of Students Living with Disability (Visually Impaired) in Ekiti State Nigeria

This study examined the Availability of Assistive Technological Tools for Academic Performance of Students living with Disability (visually impaired) in Oke-Osun, Ikere-Ekiti, Ekiti State. Descriptive case study research design type was employed. The population of the study was 20 students from the senior secondary school using a purposive sampling technique. A self-developed questionnaire was used to elicit information from the respondents. It was divided into two sections. The section A consists of the biometrics of the students while the section B consisted of 20 item questions to know the availability of assistive technological devices among students living with disabilities. Both face and content validity were satisfied by expert after the construction of the instrument. Specifically, this study sought to investigate if there are available assistive technological tools, to investigate the use of these tools and the academic benefits of these tools among students living with disabilities (visually impaired) and determine the level of usage among male and female students living with disabilities. The findings of this study will be of immense benefit to students, teachers, policy makers, society and prospective researchers. The result showed that that there is significant difference between the student academic performance and usage of assistive technological tools. It also revealed that there is no significant difference between male and female level of usage of assistive technological tools. It was concluded that the use of the available assistive technological tools among the students living with disabilities improves academic performance. Therefore, it was recommended that assistive technological tools be used continuously in special schools especially among the visually impaired students. Parent and teachers for students with special needs should make frequent use of assistive technological tools for instruction in and outside the classroom not only to enhance academic performance but also to make students living with disabilities participate actively in their communities as responsible active citizens.