Possibility of Accessing Information Via Smartphone Applications for People with Visual Impairment: A Field Study

Abstract

The study aims to determine the most popular smartphone applications that Benghazi residents with visual impairments use to obtain information, as well as the most popular smartphone models that meet their practical and scientific needs. To meet the research objectives, a questionnaire was given to some individuals with visual impairments via websites on the Internet and social media, and the Google Forms program was utilized to build the data that identifies the smartphone applications used to access information from the target group in the study. After the questionnaire was distributed, data was gathered and examined. The study produced several findings, including that the iPhone is the most popular smartphone model that most visually impaired people in Benghazi wish to buy because of its applications' reputation for being the easiest to use regarding information access. The most popular applications used to help people with visual impairments access information on smartphones are screen readers, with a percentage of 84.2%) and (3.5%) using screen magnification applications, while 12.3% use both. However, the high price has contributed to people with visual disabilities using another type, which is Samsung. The necessity of offering ongoing courses to enable individuals with visual impairments to stay up to date with the technological advancements that facilitate information access is one of the recommendations and proposals that will improve the accessibility of information for those with visual impairments through smartphone applications—promoting the use of technology in information centers and educational settings where some individuals with vision impairments are present.