Authors - Nishant Shah, Ansh Bajpai, Shrivaths S. Nair, Manas Verma K, Sabitha S Abstract - Digital accessibility in higher education is a key requirement to ensure the inclusion of students with hearing disabilities. However, institutional plat-forms often present barriers that limit autonomy, understanding of information, and full participation. The objective of this study was to evaluate the user experience of students with hearing disabilities on the EVIRTUAL, SGA, and SIS platforms of the Technical University of Manabí, identifying perceptions, accessibility barriers, and improvement proposals. A descriptive, exploratory study with a mixed-methods approach was conducted. The population consisted of seventy-eight students with hearing disabilities registered in the Inclusion Unit, from which an intentional subsample of ten participants was selected. A structured sur-vey with Likert-type scales and a participatory observation form were applied in real interaction situations with the platforms. Quantitative analysis was carried out using descriptive statistics, while qualitative information was organized into thematic categories. The results show that half of the participants achieve full autonomy in the use of the platforms, forty percent require intermittent support, and the rest need constant assistance. Regarding clarity of information and con-tent comprehension, intermediate responses predominate, which reveals recur-rent difficulties. The main barriers identified were a confusing interface, non-intuitive navigation, insufficient visual supports, and the need for external assistance. The study proposes improvements such as customizable subtitles, step-by-step visual guides, an accessibility button, a sign language interpreter avatar, and optimization for mobile devices, aimed at strengthening autonomy and user experience.
Open Zoom