Assistive technology that breaks barriers

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Brazilian legislation has provided, since 1999, that university spaces are suitable for People with Disabilities (PWD), in addition to establishing the adoption of accessibility plans and centers. This legislation was reinforced in 2015 with the Brazilian Inclusion Law (LBI). But at Unicamp the issue of accessibility came before, with the proposal to create the Accessibility Laboratory (LAB), still at the Institute of Philosophy and Human Sciences (IFCH) by then employee Deise Tallarico Pupo, in 1998. The teaching, research space and extension, a model for several higher education institutions, was opened in 2002 at the Cesar Lattes Central Library (BCCL) – at the time with support from Fapesp and the Dean of Undergraduate Studies (PRG). The area serves the entire University and external community with a proposal for inclusion in teaching and learning. Wider doors, wide circulation area, table adapted for wheelchairs, educational games, felt puppets and posters in Pounds they signal the focus on all deficiencies, going beyond the visual, which was the laboratory's starting point. “The technological interface is just one aspect of accessibility. Inclusion also involves correct architectural designs, adaptation of teaching programs and, of course, changes in attitude”, says Valéria Martins, coordinator of the LAB and the Unicamp Library System (SBU).

Valeria Martins
Valeria Martins

Divided into environments such as access to information, teaching support and a multimedia room, the LAB aims to encourage users to carry out studies and research with greater autonomy and independence. Support begins right at the entrance exam, where candidates with disabilities can rely on space technologies to take the tests. When joining Unicamp and declaring yourself a PCD, access to the tools is guaranteed for the entire period of stay. According to the DAC (Academic Board), there are currently 48 students - undergraduate and postgraduate - self-declaring. “Hundreds of students have already been here, today we have an average of 20 users, but the actions also focus on preparing teachers to deal with students and access bibliographic materials”, comments Valéria. She exemplifies: “having more time to take a test, using some of the technologies, scanning books into Braille or audio files are some options”. Based on fundraising projects, the LAB managed, among various materials, to create a collection with 10 adapted bibliographic items and a 3D printer, requested even for biology classes. Studying a cell or an atom, for example, has become more viable.

Staff
Staff

The demand is continuous and the selection of tools happens on a case-by-case basis: “living with people with disabilities is the best way to go beyond accessibility theories”, says the LAB coordinator. Among the next steps is the expansion of accessibility to other libraries on campus, where there is a basic kit of devices so that people can work locally. Employees Fernanda Landim and Luiz Felipe Ribeiro are on the front line of service, with support from fellows and interns. “The initial interview tells us what is really needed, whether it is digitizing books, using a reader for low vision, a stand-alone reader with up to 16 different languages, electronic magnifying glasses or even working as a scribe”, comments Fernanda. The proposal is for free and autonomous access also for those coming from outside. “We generally receive people with disabilities and public schools who want to understand our software and hardware, through workshops and experiments”, confirms Felipe.

André Kaysel Velasco and Cruz
André Kaysel Velasco and Cruz

André Kaysel Velasco e Cruz has been a professor in the Department of Political Science at IFCH since March 2017. With congenital glaucoma, he lost his vision completely at the age of 22. Accompanied by your guide dog Jed, circulates through different spaces at the university. He divides his time between classes on the history of Brazilian political thought, student orientation and department meetings. Almost a year and a half after joining, he assesses the undeniable challenges, such as architectural barriers and some people's lack of knowledge on how to deal with the situation. “The reception at IFCH was very good, but in general there is always prejudice and doubts about accessibility”, she comments. On the occasion, the LAB played an important role, bringing lectures to the institute on guidance and encouraging the use of available technologies for studies. “Many do not know what the space offers in terms of software and autonomous readers, as well as professionals prepared to deal with people with disabilities.” He also mentions the possibility of following the Opera “The Magic Flute”, presented at Theatro Municipal de Paulínia in September last year, with live audio description provided by LAB. The professor was invited to join a Working Group on Accessibility set up by the Rectory. The report, delivered at the end of 2017, aims to create an integrated coordination in the area and was prepared by different sectors of the institution. “Joining efforts in teaching and developing research should make public space more accessible and provide solutions for the whole of society”, says Kaysel.   

Partnerships enable research and extension actions
What sets LAB apart from other Brazilian accessibility centers is the development of research and extension, but this would not be possible without partnerships. Academics from various areas of knowledge have come closer over time, going beyond the use of devices. Units such as the Faculty of Education (FE), Institute of Language Studies (IEL), Institute of Computing (IC), Institute of Arts (IA) and Faculty of Civil Engineering, Architecture and Urbanism (FEC) and research centers, such as the Interdisciplinary Center for Sound Communication (NICS), the Center for Informatics Applied to Education (Nied) and the Laboratory for Advanced Studies in Journalism (Labjor) develop projects in partnership. Among them are workshops on the topic for pedagogy students and, recently, a 128-hour distance learning course, promoted with the Unicamp Extension School (ProEC). “Telling” of stories about inclusion for children at DEdIC (Division of Early Childhood and Complementary Education) at Unicamp also takes place every 15 days, using puppets, a sensory garden and educational games. Institutional programs with schools, such as CAF (Science and Art on Vacation) and PIBIC-EM (Institutional Program for Scientific Initiation Scholarships for High School) are also on the LAB's agenda. “We developed comic books, videos, toys and booklets, in order to disseminate inclusion inside and outside the university”, says Fernanda.

Computing at the service of accessibility in music

The loss of his vision at the age of seven, following a gunshot accident, did not prevent Vilson Zattera from pursuing a career in music, which he had pursued since he was a child, strumming the guitar. He completed his bachelor's degree at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS) and invested in postgraduate studies in the United States. He arrived at Unicamp in 2011, where he completed two post-doctorates, focusing on accessibility, computing and music, working alongside professors from IA and NICS. And it was precisely in the LAB that he installed a research post to guide students and develop technologies. Seven years later, he evaluates the importance of the space to reach a new professional stage, now as a permanent professor at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN). “Here we study computing applied to braille musicography, musical performance and autonomy of visually impaired musicians, so that they can take advantage of computational resources, in addition to producing materials with more agility and efficiency”, comments Zattera, who will continue in parallel as a collaborating researcher at Unicamp. He cites examples such as the transcription of SongBooks of Brazilian Popular Music, the solution braille handle - simple and cheap way to write through the system Perkins, research on autism and music for babies with disabilities. Despite many lectures across the country, participation in conferences and increased interdisciplinary interest in assistive technology, he regrets the lack of access to low-cost devices. “In Brazil, the practice is still in its infancy, there is a lack of investment in innovation, despite favorable laws”. For him, the way forward is to focus on “reciprocal accessibility”, that is, allowing 100% interaction between “visionaries” and PWDs, with dialogue and language exchange and full inclusion”, he concludes.    

Watch videos produced by LAB to talk about accessibility with children:


This is the point:


A story about accessibility: 

Access the video from TV Unicamp (2017) about one of the technologies developed at the LAB:

 

See more about the history of LAB in the Jornal da Unicamp article:

http://www.unicamp.br/unicamp/ju/561/deise-uma-pioneira-da-acessibilidade

 

Read the 2015 LBI (Brazilian Inclusion Law) in full:

http://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/_ato2015-2018/2015/lei/l13146.htm

Vilson Zattera
Fernanda Landim
Luis Felipe Ribeiro
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Audio description: In an external area, frontal and full-body image, a visually impaired man, in the center of the image, walks being led by a guide dog, holding the animal by the collar with his left hand. To the right of the image, there is a bush; in the center, a flower bed with undergrowth. On the left in the image, there is a wall of a building, with tall palm trees in square beds. There are people sitting on the walls of these flowerbeds. Image 1 of 1.

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