The Perceived Importance of Information, Communication and Technology In People with Disability Communities, an Explorative Study, Mutare Urban, Zimbabwe

Title: The Perceived Importance of Information, Communication and Technology In People with Disability Communities, an Explorative Study, Mutare Urban, Zimbabwe
Creator: Ncube Jessica Nokwanda; Songo Sifikile
Abstract: Abstract
Information and communication technologies (ICT) allow people with disability to interrelate socially and economically among themselves and the wider society. This study sought to explore the perceived importance of information and communication technologies among people with disabilities. An explorative study was conducted in Mutare urban, using a sample size of ten participants with varying disabilities. Purposive sampling was done. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data which was analyzed thematically. The findings revealed that ICTs were perceived as essential learning tools. ICT provide easy access to information, social support and opportunities for employment. The study also revealed that people with disabilities were faced with stigma and discrimination in their communities, lack of appropriate infrastructure and technological devices in the course of exploiting information and communication technologies. Creating awareness, advocating for accessibility, developing partnerships, provision of mentorship programmes, affordable devices and reliable connectivity were outlined as strategies for promoting and enhancing the use of information and communication technologies in people with disabilities communities. The study recommended that inclusivity should be embraced in the education of information and communication technologies and that the government and other decision-makers need to prioritize information and communication technologies in policy formulation and budgets for people with disabilities.
Keywords: community, importance, information and communication technologies, people with disabilities, perceptions, Mutare, Zimbabwe
Date: 2024
Source: Journal of Social Issues in Non-Communicable Conditions & Disability (SINCCD)
volume: 3
issue: 2
issn: ISSN: 2958-5872

Item sets: Research Publications - Department of Applied Psychology

Site pages: Research Papers – Department of Applied Psychology

Media: The Perceived Importance of Information, Communication and Technology In People with Disability Communities, an Explorative Study, Mutare Urban, Zimbabwe