ACQUISITION

This study titled “A Study on the Role of Assistive Technology in Enhancing Digital Skills Acquisition Among Physically Challenged Persons” investigates how assistive technologies influence digital learning, productivity, and inclusion among physically challenged Persons in the Ugbowo–Egor axis of Benin City, Edo State. The study employed a descriptive survey design, with data collected through structured questionnaires administered to 100 Persons, of which 90 valid responses were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics (SPSS v26). Findings revealed a moderate level of awareness of assistive technologies but low accessibility due to cost, inadequate awareness, and poor infrastructural support. Despite these challenges, results showed that the use of assistive tools such as voice commands, adaptive keyboards, and screen readers significantly improved Persons’ digital learning outcomes, confidence, and productivity. Correlation analysis (r = 0.684, p < 0.05) confirmed a strong positive relationship between assistive technology use and digital skill acquisition. The study concludes that assistive technologies are critical enablers of digital inclusion and economic empowerment for persons with disabilities. It recommends targeted government funding, awareness campaigns, inclusive ICT training, and the development of affordable, locally adaptable assistive tools to bridge the accessibility gap and advance sustainable digital participation for physically challenged Persons.

This study investigates the impacts of mother tongue interference on the acquisition of English among students at the University of Benin (UNIBEN). A key challenge in second language learning, mother tongue interference can manifest across phonological, morphological, syntactic, and lexical levels, potentially hindering effective communication and academic performance. Descriptive and quantitative research approaches were adopted, utilizing a structured questionnaire as the primary data collection instrument. The sample comprised 100 randomly selected undergraduate students from various faculties within the University of Benin. The findings revealed common grammatical structures from prevalent local languages were often transferred negatively into English sentences. Furthermore, the study identified that students with higher reported exposure to their mother tongues in non-academic settings showed a greater frequency of these interference-related errors. This suggests that the dominance of the mother tongue in daily life acts as a considerable barrier to achieving English language proficiency