ABSTRACT

The study empirically examined information seeking behavior of people with special needs using Afara school for the blind as a case study. The survey research design was adopted for the study. A sample size of 123 respondents comprising of staff and pupils of Afara school for the blind, Afaraukwu was used for the study. The data collected for the study was analyzed using descriptive statistical tools such as mean, standard deviation, frequency table and charts. Meanwhile, the empirical results emanating from the analysis revealed that the various sources of search skills and information bearing materials available to people with special needs such as talking book, easy to read books, large print books, video/DVD books with subtitles and (or) sign language and that of accessible e-books have been adopted in the school of special needs AfaraUkwu. The study also revealed that the ways and sources with which needed information is being sought are through special needs schools, computer workstations, e-books, non-print materials, information on assistive devices that could aid mobility. It is worthy of note that the Afara school for the blind is enormously fulfilling the goals of information resources dissemination to people with certain physical challenge tagged 'special needs'. However, the challenges faced by people with special needs in their search for information are lack of financial support from the government, lack of necessary facilities (machines) to facilitate easy reading and writing, lack of internet connection to enhance easy access to JAWS (Job Access With Speech), difficulty to access necessary materials due to physical disability, lack of equipment for the production of brail materials, poor preservation and conservation culture of brail materials and books and the challenge of discrimination and intimidation by the public in their quest for information materials. It is therefore recommended that the people with special needs should not be stigmatized by the public but should be shown love, care and support. Also, the government, NGOs and private individuals should give more support to the school of special needs in the country so as to bridge the information seeking gap of people with special needs.