INFORMATION NEEDS AND SEEKING BEHAVIOUR AS CORRELATES OF UTILISATION OF INFORMATION RESOURCES AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS IN IBADAN METROPOLIS, NIGERIA

Abstract

Information needs and seeking behaviour play significant role in the utilisation of information resources by secondary school students with special needs in Ibadan metroplolis, their information resources needs in nature differ from that of their counterparts without special needs due to their peculiar health challenges which are visual, speech, hearing, locomotive and intellectual impairments. Descriptive survey research design was adopted and purposive sampling technique was used to select 112 students with special information needs. Information Needs, Seeking Behaviour and Utilisation of Information Resources Questionnaire (INSBURQ) (r=0.86) was administered. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics. Respondents are both sexes in the age range of twelve and twenty two. There were significant differences between information needs and utilisation (β = -0.244; t = -2.614; p = 0.010 < .05); information seeking behaviour and utilisation (β = 0.010; t = 0.106; p = 0.916 > 0.05). Information needs propel utilisation of information resources more while information seeking behaviour was found to be less significant in the utilisation of information resources by secondary school students with special needs in Ibadan metropolis. The study therefore recommends that, efforts should therefore be made by all stake holders to provide adequate resources, assistive and adaptive materials that are relevant to information needs of students with special needs.