Atchara Suwannakin. A study of behavior and needs to access information through the internet of persons with visual impairment living in Bangkok and vicinity. Master's Degree(Rehabilitation Service for Persons with Disabilities). Mahidol University. : Mahidol University, 2003.
A study of behavior and needs to access information through the internet of persons with visual impairment living in Bangkok and vicinity
Abstract:
The objective of the research was to study the behavior and needs, and the problems and obstacles, including factors concerned with accessing information through the internet, of persons with visual impairment by in-depth interview. 25 persons with visual impairment in Bangkok and the vicinity during September 2002 March 2003 were interviewed. The study found that in order to access information through the internet, most
of the interviewees (68 %) used a personal computer at home. A minority of them used the internet at work or in academic institutions. They mostly learned to use the internet from friends (72 %). A minority learned to use the internet from classmates at high school, advertisements or announcements from radio or television. The findings showed that the purpose of using the internet was to search for information (100 %). A majority used it to increase their knowledge and download programs. Concerning their needs in accessing information and communicating through the internet, they needed information that was of quality, variety and easy to read, quick to download, and was accessible by an up to date real-time search. Concerning the format and presentation, they needed a presentation that is helpful for accessing information (100 %). A minority needed a more suitable program for using and reading the content of the internet. On problems and obstacles accessing information through the internet, most of the interviewees confronted the problem of having to use English as the media to access information and communicate (64 %). A minority had problems with the format of the presentation on the screen, limitation of telephone numbers used to connect to the internet, the limited
capability of the computer connected to the internet and having no Thai Speech Synthesizer working with the Screen Reader as the technology for receiving and sending information, the lack of support for these technologies is unhelpful in accessing information. Recommendations from the study are that both the government and private organizations should realize the importance of, and support required for, persons with visual impairment to have more opportunities to access the internet, and should therefore provide opportunities for the visually impaired to demonstrate their abilities and promote more accessibility of information and endlessly widen the visions of visually impaired people.