City Research Online

Abstract

The skills and attributes required to become information literate have not been analysed from the perspective of information users with cognitive disabilities, such as dyslexia, and this research seeks to begin to address this gap in the literature. The initial objective of the research was to collect data showing the online search strategies of dyslexics and non-dyslexics who are in Higher Education, highlighting any areas of difference and difficulty. The results of a pilot study comparing the online search behaviour of seven dyslexic participants with that of seven who were non-dyslexic, are reported here. Participants were adult undergraduates, taken from all three levels of study. Participants were interviewed and their online information searching behaviour was observed through the collection of screen recording diaries over the completion period of one assignment. Within the dyslexic group, difficulties were reported and observed in the areas of keyword creation, use of appropriate tools to refine and expand searches and the evaluation of sources. The dyslexics' group low selfefficacy in many of the skills associated with information literacy was discovered to be notable barrier.

Publication Type:	Article
Additional Information:	Copyright and associated moral rights in works published in Library and Information Research are retained by the author(s) but this paper may be used freely, with proper attribution, in educational and other non-commercial settings.
Subjects:	R Medicine Z Bibliography. Library Science. Information Resources > Z665 Library Science. Information Science
Departments:	School of Science & Technology > Computer Science School of Science & Technology > Computer Science > Human Computer Interaction Design

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