An investigation of the motivations for computer usage and needs for digital services of visually impaired older adults

• Main Authors: Chia-Ling Lee, 李佳玲
• Other Authors: 林珊如
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2013
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/84032428441951915252

碩士 === 國立臺灣大學 === 圖書資訊學研究所 === 101 === With the population aging, visually impaired people are growing year by year, people around us may have to face the problems caused by visual impairment, so the related issue has become more and more important. The purpose of this study is to understand the visually impaired older adults’ motivation of computer use, as well as to understand their needs for digital services, which include set computers in library, offer computer course, and build the website for visual impaired people. Semi-structured interview is used in this study, with additional questionnaires to collect interviewees’ information. Interviewees were selected by purposive sampling method, and found by snowball sampling through libraries and institutions. Interviewees were divided into two groups, do not use computer recently (five people interviewed), and keep using computer(16 people interviewed), the total number of interviewee in this study is 21. The results are as follows: One, visually impaired older adults’ motivation of computer use: The motivation can be divided into internal factors and external factors to discuss. Internal factors include self-evaluation, fears of new technologies, as well as computer’s value which is judged by interviewee, and the last one is the most important in internal factors. External factors include having personal computer or not, involving computer programs or not, and accepting other’s support or not. In addition, this study also discusses the interviewees’ difficulties and solutions in using computer. Second, visually impaired older adults’ needs of computer in library: For interviewees, using computer in library is a "specifically" behavior. Because of physical inconvenience and long-time transportation, most of the interviewees would not go to library for borrowing books or using computers, they prefer to use library’s remote service at home, because they are used to their own computer, and they don’t like use computer in public environment. In addition, interviewees have satisfied with phone and internet, it is no need to go to the library. Third, visually impaired older adults’ needs of computer courses: The study found that interviewees who don’t use computer recently can be divided into two types, one is simply learning how to use computer, the other is learning for their real needs. They may use computer in the future. On the other hand, interviewees who keep using computer also can be divided into two types, keep learning or not, the different between them is learning for real need currently, or for the future. Fourth, visually impaired older adults’ needs of digital service: Internet combines the characteristics of a variety of information channels, and had no restriction of distance and time. However, interviewees have different views about the replaceable of internet. In library’s website, interviewees’ behaviors include search, download, read, broese the web information, and participate in the activities, most of the interviewees just download or listen the audio book in the website, and they pay a little attention to additional information there. Interviewees’ needs of the digital collections in library website include update collections, buy more collections, promote the quality of collections, and integrate all the resources of visual impairment in Taiwan; while the needs of digital reader services in library website include simplify the process of application , improve website interface, improve effectiveness, and strengthen the promotion of library’s service. Finally, this study put forward four aspect of suggestions for blind library and institute: motivation, equipment, curriculum, resources. In the aspect of motivation, libraries and institutes need to understand readers’ motivation of computer usage and their background, in order to evaluate their adaptability and guide them regard their needs. In the aspect of equipment, libraries and institutes need to evaluate the necessity of computer in library, and provide services which meet readers’ needs. In the aspect of curriculum, libraries and institutes need to track the visually impaired learner, and evaluate the necessity of advanced course. In the aspect of resources, libraries and institutes need to improve the website interface, and make the website easy to understand, to make the interface more acceptable, visually impaired person can be employed as a website designer. In addition, resource integration, and concept correction are also required to work.