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Report on Access to Knowledge Survey Phase II Conducted in 4 Southern States of INDIA Presented by NIRMALA DESIKAN Trustee CONSUMERS ASSOCIATION OF INDIA,CHENNAI April 2010

Summary of the Survey Report [INDIA] The Barriers to Access Survey was conducted  To gather information on the actual experience of Indian consumers  To understand their response to access and use of knowledge materials  To understand the obstacles and barriers to access  To identify the barriers to access of educational materials, software, films and music

Study design for data collection  The Survey was designed to be a face to face interaction between the consumer and the field investigator  The questionnaire developed by CI based on the survey result of A2k phase one was used for data collection  An experienced researcher from the field of social science was identified, trained and appointed for a period of three months  Four Post Graduate level volunteers were selected for field work and data collection  The field investigators were given an orientation on the sample frame and the procedure for identifying the consumers for interview

Data Collection and Interview  Sample frame was designed to cover 300 hundred respondents  The respondents were from four southern states of India – Tamilnadu, Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra  Sample was equally divided among the four states with wider demographic representation  Sample frame covered a representative population  Adequate representation was given to physically challenged

Results and feedback from the field  T he field level report showed a good rapport between the respondents and investigators  The feedback showed that while the students were finding the questionnaire easy to understand, senior citizens, working women and physically challenged felt difficulty in clear comprehension  The difficulty to understand the questionnaire was more related to the second part of the questionnaire

Coding and data entry  Pre coded questionnaire responses were coded into numerical codes  Data collected from four different states were coded and checked individually  The data was entered into excel sheets for each state as a separate page  The completed questionnaires were collected, checked and forwarded to the project office  The local project leader and the field investigators were advised to maintain the log book and document the project activities  While the entire field study was smooth the data collection at Andhra was hampered due to agitation for a separate state

Breakup of Respondents Tamil Nadu, Chennai and Pondicherry 159 Kerala – Trivandrum 75 Karnataka 75 Andhra Pradesh Total 359

General Observations  Pattern of Responses did not have a significant variation  Variations were noticed among different age groups  Differences in responses among younger people, working women and men  Awareness about access barriers is limited  Need more awareness on copyright and IPR  Awareness on matters related to text books was clearer than awareness on software, music and entertainment

 Consumers Association of India thanks Consumers International for providing an opportunity to be part of this survey  Our special thanks to Jeremy and his team for all the support and guidance

THANK YOU