Edwards J. Kochung and Charles Michael Were
Provision of information is one of the strongest tools for fighting HIV/AIDS, and various organisations in Kenya have put tremendous efforts to provide information on HIV and AIDS prevention. However, despite these efforts, the people with disability particularly those who are blind or deaf are still being excluded from accessing information due to communication formats used by HIV/AIDS service providers. The audio-visual channels such as radio, television, newspapers, large bill boards, internet, lectures or brochures being used to provide information on HIV/AIDS to the general population are discriminative since they require the use of sight and hearing. This study examines implication of communication formats on HIV and AIDS information to persons with disability in Kenya. Data for this study was collected specifically from blind and deaf students through interview and focus group discussion. Results indicate that people who are blind or deaf do not access HIV and AIDS information given to the general population and that language used is complicated and technical. HIV and AIDS information should be provide through accessible disability-friendly communication formats such as talking computers, Braille, sign language and symbols
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