Empowering Visually Impaired Students: Developing Educational Assistive Technologies for Inclusion in the Nigerian University System
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Date
2026-07
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Centre for Internationalisation and Strategic Partnership (CISP), University of Ilorin, Nigeria
Abstract
Students with visual impairments in Nigerian universities continue to
encounter significant barriers to learning, including inaccessible educational
materials, inadequate assistive technologies, insufficient institutional support,
and limited educator preparedness for inclusive teaching. This paper presented
a conceptual framework for promoting educational inclusion through the
development of localised assistive technologies, accessible learning resources,
educator capacity-building, and institutional policy reform. Drawing on
Inclusive Education Theory, the Social Model of Disability, Universal Design
for Learning (UDL), and the Capability Approach, the paper proposed an
integrated model to enhance access to higher education for students with
visual impairments. Central to the framework is EVISVision, an assistive
mobile learning application designed to support independent access to
educational content through text-to-speech, optical character recognition,
voice navigation, and offline functionality. The framework also emphasised
the conversion of academic materials into Braille, audio, large-print, and
screen-reader-compatible formats, as well as systematic staff training and
policy implementation. The paper contributed to the ongoing discourse on
inclusive higher education and offered practical recommendations for
advancing Sustainable Development Goals 4 and 10 through equitable access
to quality university education in Nigeria.
Keywords: Inclusive Education, Assistive Technologies, Accessibility, Policy
Reform
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Citation
Inclusive Education, Assistive Technologies, Accessibility, Policy Reform.