Home / Current Issue / Paper 1718266
Barriers At the Interface: Challenges Faced by Visually Challenged Students in Accessing ICT Services at Kenyan Public Universities and Implications for Inclusive Policy Reform
Subject area: Science,Engineering and Technology · Area of research: Computing and Informatics
DOI: https://doi.org/10.64388/IREV9I11-1718266
Abstract
Despite decades of international normative pressure and domestic legislation, visually challenged students (VCS) in Kenyan public universities continue to encounter profound barriers in accessing ICT services essential to academic participation. This paper presents an in-depth analysis of the challenges experienced by VCS at Kenyatta University and Maseno University, drawing on multi-stakeholder primary research involving 54 VCS, 10 lecturers, 4 ICT experts, 4 student guides, and 2 senior university administrators. Through thematic analysis of interview data and systematic observation, the study identifies seven interconnected challenge domains: (1) inadequate assistive technology provisioning; (2) inaccessible digital content and learning management systems; (3) deficient ICT support staff competence; (4) restrictive physical access environments; (5) insufficient institutional financial commitment; (6) absence of tailored ICT curricula for VCS; and (7) the compounding social burden of dependency on sighted guides. The paper develops a barrier typology that distinguishes between structural, institutional, technical, and social barriers, and maps these against the frameworks of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), Kenya's Persons with Disabilities Act (2003), and the WCAG 2.1 accessibility guidelines. Policy recommendations are addressed to university management, the Commission for University Education, the Ministry of Education, and the Kenya Institute of Special Education.
Keywords
Barriers to ICT Access, Visual Challenges, Higher Education Kenya, Digital inclusion, Disability Policy, Accessibility, CRPD, WCAG
References
[1] Borg, J., Lindstrom, A., & Larsson, S. (2011). Assistive technology in developing countries: National and international responsibilities to implement the CRPD. Lancet, 378(9807), 1863–1865.
[2] Bocconi, S., Dini, S., Ferlino, L., & Ott, M. (2007). Accessibility of educational software in Africa: A systematic review. Journal of Educational Technology & Society, 10(4), 85–97.
[3] Ertmer, P. A. (1999). Addressing first and second-order barriers to change: Strategies for technology integration. Educational Technology Research and Development, 47(4), 47–61.
[4] Gakuu, C. M., Kidombo, H. J., & Ndiku, L. M. (2009). ICT integration in Kenyan special education: Policy and practice gaps. Journal of Educational Research and Reviews, 1(2), 45–58.
[5] Government of Kenya (2003). Persons with Disabilities Act. Nairobi: Government Printer.
[6] Government of Kenya (2010). Constitution of Kenya 2010. Nairobi: Government Printer.
[7] Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (2014). Kenya Economic Survey 2014. Nairobi: KNBS.
[8] Scherer, M. J. (2005). Living in the state of stuck: How assistive technology impacts the lives of people with disabilities (4th ed.). Brookline Books.
[9] Shneiderman, B., & Plaisant, C. (2004). Designing the user interface: Strategies for effective human-computer interaction (4th ed.). Pearson Addison-Wesley.
[10] United Nations (2006). Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. New York: United Nations.
[11] Velleman, R. A. (1990). Serving physically disabled people: An information handbook for all libraries. Bowker.
[12] World Wide Web Consortium (2018). Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1. W3C Recommendation.
How to cite this paper
@article{1718266,
author = {Savatia, E. M.},
title = {Barriers At the Interface: Challenges Faced by Visually Challenged Students in Accessing ICT Services at Kenyan Public Universities and Implications for Inclusive Policy Reform},
journal = {Iconic Research And Engineering Journals},
year = {2026},
volume = {9},
number = {11},
pages = {3450-3455},
issn = {2456-8880},
url = {https://www.irejournals.com/formatedpaper/1718266.pdf},
abstract = {Despite decades of international normative pressure and domestic legislation, visually challenged students (VCS) in Kenyan public universities continue to encounter profound barriers in accessing ICT services essential to academic participation. This paper presents an in-depth analysis of the challenges experienced by VCS at Kenyatta University and Maseno University, drawing on multi-stakeholder primary research involving 54 VCS, 10 lecturers, 4 ICT experts, 4 student guides, and 2 senior university administrators. Through thematic analysis of interview data and systematic observation, the study identifies seven interconnected challenge domains: (1) inadequate assistive technology provisioning; (2) inaccessible digital content and learning management systems; (3) deficient ICT support staff competence; (4) restrictive physical access environments; (5) insufficient institutional financial commitment; (6) absence of tailored ICT curricula for VCS; and (7) the compounding social burden of dependency on sighted guides. The paper develops a barrier typology that distinguishes between structural, institutional, technical, and social barriers, and maps these against the frameworks of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), Kenya's Persons with Disabilities Act (2003), and the WCAG 2.1 accessibility guidelines. Policy recommendations are addressed to university management, the Commission for University Education, the Ministry of Education, and the Kenya Institute of Special Education.},
keywords = {Barriers to ICT Access, Visual Challenges, Higher Education Kenya, Digital inclusion, Disability Policy, Accessibility, CRPD, WCAG},
month = {May},
doi = {https://doi.org/10.64388/IREV9I11-1718266}
}