SciELO Books is a collection that, since its inception, has aimed to expand access, impact and visibility of scientific publications in digital format, adopting editorial practices aligned with international guidelines. In recent years, scientific publishers have begun to pay attention to the importance of implementing accessibility policies in their publications in order to facilitate access to works by blind people, those with visual impairments or other reading difficulties. In this context, in 2024, SciELO Books established a partnership with Editora UEMG to produce 100% accessible digital books, expanding the guidelines and practices already consolidated in the collection. This article presents practical aspects of the production of accessible digital books and describes the implementation process carried out, in a pioneering manner, by SciELO Books and Editora UEMG. It also seeks to offer support to publishers interested in adopting accessibility practices in their publications.
This article explores the subject of access to data of people with neurodevelopmental disorders, focusing on the governance of health data generated during diagnostic and support processes. Current practices often limit individuals’ control over their data, despite the potential benefits for personalized care as well as for research. We address this matter by linking the concept of self-determination theory in Psychology and the legal concept of informational self-determination. We argue that bridging these concepts can enhance data governance, proposing practical solutions such as ethical data spaces. Our analysis integrates theoretical frameworks with case studies to advocate for policies that empower individuals while enabling responsible data sharing for research. By aligning technical standards with ethical and psychological insights, this work contributes to enlighten how data governance can foster better outcomes for neurodivergent people.
this paper presents a set of guidelines for producing accessible digital documents that support people with disabilities (visual, auditory, physical, and intellectual) and individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), grounded in the understanding that accessibility in digital documents is a prerequisite for ensuring access to rights, particularly the human right to information and education. The guidelines were compiled and organized based on bibliographic and documentary research, as well as the authors’ experience in educational and training activities. They encompass a range of document types, including calls for applications to graduate programs, theses, dissertations, and undergraduate final projects, produced as text-based documents and made available in .doc files (compatible with Microsoft Word, LibreOffice, and other word processors) and in the .pdf format (Portable Document Format), which is supported by a wide variety of document readers. Beyond its conceptual contribution, this paper also aims to support the implementation of inclusive praxis by promoting equitable access to scientific knowledge.
This article seeks to systematize the practice of Poetic Audio Description, an aesthetic accessibility resource already in use within the field of the arts. Based on a literature review on the subject and on the authorship’s experiences and research, it proposes a concept, foundations, and guidelines for Poetic Audio Description, presenting procedures and examples for its implementation. It is grounded in the understanding that Audio Description constitutes a work of intersemiotic translation and recreation and, within the context of the arts, a practice that should be supported by the principles and standards of traditional Audio Description, by the poetics of the work to be translated, by the specificities of artistic languages, and by the linguistic-expressive resources of poetic language. This requires translational choices that enable a singular, aesthetic, transformative, and creative experience, while preserving the aesthetic enjoyment intrinsic to the work in dialogue with the poetics that constitutes it. Understanding and establishing the foundations and norms for the practice of Poetic Audio Description strengthen it as an aesthetic accessibility resource, grounded in an ethic that respects both the artwork and the process of artistic translation. Finally, it is worth emphasizing that this modality, due to its creative and creating power, is primarily aimed at people with Visual Impairment, but also addresses all audiences, affecting them, expanding meanings, and fostering an aesthetic education, mediated by language, for the critical and sensitive perception and understanding of a shared, complex, and plural world.
This paper delves into the various inclusion strategies aimed at enhancing students’ scientific writing proficiency, particularly in the context of dissertations and theses. It investigates the impact of compensatory and enabling measures — such as digital tools, accommodations, and alternative methods — on cognitive processes inherent to academic writing. These processes encompass memory, attention, executive functions, and language processing. The article critically examines how assistive technologies and systematic adjustments mitigate cognitive load, foster higher-order thinking, and ultimately enhance the clarity and coherence of students ‘written work, thus promoting an inclusive academic environment for students with diverse learning needs.
This narrative explores the challenges and possibilities of academic supervision involving students with low vison in graduate programs. Drawing on the lived experiences of a low vision student, a low vision supervisor, and a sighted supervisor in a professional master’s program at an institution specialized in visual impairment, the study adopts a qualitative approach, combining personal narratives with contributions of the Brazilian legislation and the literature on inclusive education. The findings reveal multiple barriers faced by students with visual impairments, including inaccessible institutional infrastructure, technological and informational obstacles, and attitudinal challenges within the academic community. The role of the supervisor emerges, not only in guiding scientific production but also in advocating for accessible materials, adjusting timelines, and fostering an environment of empathy and trust. The study highlights innovative pedagogical practices, such as remote meetings to facilitate reading and writing, the use of assistive technologies, and personalized planning that respects each student's pace and needs. It concludes that academic supervision in contexts of functional diversity requires sensitivity, flexibility, and a commitment to inclusion, contributing to democratizing access to science and fostering greater diversity in academia.
Accessibility is understood as a process of practical action aimed at identifying and removing barriers in order to enable the effective participation of individuals in different spheres of social life, particularly in activities inherent to the academic career. Accordingly, this study aimed to explore the role of Accessibility and Assistive Technology (AT) in access to knowledge production, based on an account of my academic trajectory as a researcher with visual impairment. This is an autobiographical study developed through the construction of an inventory of personal experiences, focusing on the different ways in which barriers to access to scientific knowledge were imposed throughout my schooling, academic training, and professional practice, as well as on the strategies developed to overcome them. The reflections made it possible to identify that, initially, access to scientific production was enabled through the use of personal strategies and devices designed to make materials accessible. These resources included applications installed on mobile devices to digitize printed files, convert them into accessible formats through optical character recognition (OCR), and access their content using magnification tools and/or screen readers. With the universalization of the Incluir Program, advances were made in the provision of specialized services in higher education, including the availability of AT resources and adapted materials to support access to scientific production—services from which I benefited only during my doctoral studies. Nevertheless, this study advocates that accessibility should be embedded in the very genesis of the production and dissemination of scientific knowledge, thereby avoiding the need for subsequent adaptations.
This article addresses the practices of scientific knowledge production and dissemination, from an accessibility perspective, developed by the Revista Brasileira de Educação Especial (RBEE). We understand that education and knowledge production are public goods and, therefore, should be made available to all. Thus, accessibility constitutes a political and ethical concept linked to the field of human rights and democracy. From this perspective, the RBEE, in partnership with the Grupo de Trabalho Interdisciplinar para a Acessibilidade da Rede SciELO, has developed initiatives to promote accessibility in the production and dissemination of articles: improving editorial standards, with guidelines for authors on accessibility; meetings with professionals responsible for journal layout; and the production of alternative texts for describing images used in articles, among others. We hope that the practices described will provide support for other journals in implementing initiatives aimed at expanding informational and communicational accessibility.
This article examines the technical-scientific framework of the Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) field as a support for digital inclusion initiatives in the processes of scientific knowledge production and dissemination. In this context, it discusses how HCI methods help identify accessibility and usability issues, as well as proposed solutions. The discussion involves the various roles played by users, especially those with visual impairments, though not limited to them — such as authors, readers, or reviewers — and the barriers/problems they face when using systems and software. Additionally, the study addresses issues related to scientific content itself, such as charts, images, and tables, considering the specificities of different fields of knowledge. The work contributes to guiding practices, tools, and editorial policies that promote accessibility. It also reinforces the importance of HCI in building a more inclusive and equitable scientific environment.
The policy of admission and retention of students with disabilities in higher education has gained significant prominence with the legal and social advances in Brazil over the last two decades. The text aimed to identify and analyze national legislation on inclusion, accessibility and disability with an emphasis on higher education. The materials selected for the scope of the study dealt with the use of a database available on the website of the Academic Committee on Accessibility and Disability – AUGM. This data aims to dialogue with the research work developed in partnership with members of REDLAT - Red Interuniversitaria Latinoamericana y del Caribe on Discapacidad y Derechos Humanos (Real Interuniversity Network for Latin American and Caribbean Students on Disability and Human Rights), which has been dedicated to identifying public policies for access and retention in higher education in countries in the Latin American region, updated to contemporary demands and human rights with an inclusive perspective. In light of studies using the Nuclei of Meaning analysis method and the foundations of Constitutional Law, we chose to combine in our results excerpts of meanings contained in national legislation documents that assess aspects of inclusive education, the conceptual view of disability, the provision of services, and technical assistance with assistive technologies, among other measures. We were able to point to numerous legal procedures that address the issue, but the precarious dissemination of knowledge and awareness of the rights of those who recognize themselves as disabled are obstacles to the promotion of inclusive cultures.
This article from an inclusive education approach aims to publicize the significant findings of the research process entitled: Teaching Augmentative and Alternative Communication in People with Intellectual Disabilities: A Proposal from Pedagogy, carried out at the National Pedagogical University (Bogotá, Colombia) in 2023. In the first part, the theoretical references related to the categories of Augmentative and Alternative Communication, teaching strategies, cognitive demands, communicative functions and pedagogical proposal from Augmentative and Alternative Communication and people with intellectual disabilities are addressed. In the second part, the methodological design and the pedagogical proposal that contemplates the construction of teaching guides for Augmentative and Alternative Communication are presented. Finally, the conclusions that highlight the role of the educator as an active mediating agent in learning environments are presented inclusive and those that correspond to the implementation in which didactics is developed as a central reference.
The great challenge facing Higher Education today is the effective implementation of the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) approach. We cannot speak of quality Higher Education if it is not equitable. The adoption of UDL is a step towards improving the quality and equity of education. When UDL is mentioned as an approach, it is understood that it goes beyond a teaching-learning methodology, that it not only covers the pedagogical aspect but also includes logistical and structural aspects that must be modified and adjusted within the educational system in order to address the diversity or particularity of each human being. It is necessary to remove the homogeneous approach to education from the educational system and move in the direction of multiple approaches. Teacher training, the availability of resources, and the promotion of a culture of adaptation are key elements in this process.
This article examines the enforcement of the legal framework on inclusive education in Santiago de Cali, Colombia, with a focus on the implementation of Decree 1421 of 2017. Using an interdisciplinary approach, the paper analyzes the decree's general provisions, barriers to educational access, and the service delivery scheme for people with disabilities. The study reveals a significant gap between normative standards and actual implementation, as evidenced by budgetary constraints, lack of teacher training, attitudinal barriers, and shortcomings in infrastructure and assistive technologies. Specific challenges such as the absence of reasonable accommodations, judicialization of the right to therapeutic support, and institutional fragmentation between the education and health sectors are also identified. Based on the territorial analysis of the Cali context, the article proposes recommendations to strengthen the implementation of inclusive public policies grounded in human rights, intersectionality, and educational justice.
The University of the Republic (Udelar) is Uruguay's leading higher education institution. It is a free, public, and open access university. Considering access to education as a universal human right, Udelar is in the process of developing a policy toward an Inclusive Udelar, one that recognizes diversity as an opportunity. This article presents a case study based on interviews with university graduates with disabilities. The article presents the conceptual framework that supports the research and describes Udelar's progress in accessibility. The methodological design is qualitative and descriptive, describing the participating population and the instruments used. The results of the descriptive analysis are presented on the barriers and facilitators identified at the physical level, in information and communication, and in the roles played by students, faculty, administrative staff, and families.
This theoretical essay aims to describe the paths of collective struggle to reach the Regional Conference on Higher Education (CRES+5), held in March 2024 in Brasilia. These paths make visible a (disability-accessibility) perspective from an anti-ableist and intersectional approach, which emerges from the territories inhabited by the group of members of the Latin American and Caribbean Interuniversity Network on Disability and Human Rights (REDLAT). In this sense, we ask ourselves: What are the tensions and challenges in ensuring the proclaimed rights? What regional and national strategies enhance the impact of the perspective in the definition of university policies? What interuniversity and intersectoral frameworks are opening new paths? And how do we continue to forge paths and bridges of struggle?
Inclusive education seeks to guarantee the universal right to education. The University of Panama assumes, from Social Responsibility and social justice, universal access to the entire population, including the population with some situation of disability. In this paper we present the conditions, experiences and statistics of students with and without disabilities in the spaces lived and felt at the University. The research, which investigated the history and implementation of national and international policies in Panama, is oriented from mixed methods, which included statistical procedures and data analysis of the student population (careers, disabilities, dependencies). For its part, the qualitative method included semi-structured interviews with authorities, teachers, students with disabilities and classmates. The conclusions reveal the characterization of inclusion services, the challenges to be solved to achieve a dignified inclusion that guarantees the right to education, and the design of a strategy to favor the entry, permanence and graduation of students in higher education.
Educational settings, understood as institutions, the soils where culture, stories, tasks intersect, where social praxis underlies, is where normalism also occurs. This ethic of normality reveals the colonial and dominant character that persists in education. In 2021, the UNLa Superior Council approved the “Protocol for action in situations of disability”, the result of four years of collective construction and based on the transversal, comprehensive and integrated experience of our accessibility and disability policy. This article explores the challenges, advances, ruptures and transformations that the implementation of this Protocol has implied.
This paper addresses the concept of infantilisation in the context of disability and education, highlighting how this phenomenon manifests itself in different areas, all related to pedagogical processes and their implications from various educational perspectives. The aim of this work is to make the infantilisation of people with disabilities visible as a violation of a human right and to deny them dignified treatment. The methodology used is based on an analytical method that traces infantilisation from its definition to its manifestations as representations in various educational spheres. As a result, specific actions are proposed that aim to make visible and eliminate the infantilisation of disability in the educational sphere, such as awareness raising and training, promotion of autonomy, equal access to all educational services, person-centred educational planning, interdisciplinary coordination, empowerment and defence of the rights of people with disabilities, support for families and carers, elimination of barriers, promotion of diversity, evaluation and continuous improvement of support policies and programmes. It is concluded that infantilisation is the realisation of paradigms that disrupt the rights of persons with disabilities, violating their right to education, which is why it is essential to make it visible and consequently eliminate it from the educational scenario.
This article analyzed teachers' perceptions regarding the provision of special educational support in a Quilombola school in the state of Amapá. The study employed a qualitative approach, using semi-structured interviews with two special education (AEE) teachers and five teachers from regular reference classes as a data collection method. Content analysis was used to process the data, which enabled the understanding of meanings constructed from a set of texts.The research found that teachers’ perceptions of the school inclusion of students from both Special Education and Quilombola backgrounds reaffirm the importance of ensuring their presence and participation in school, respecting their learning pace and the diversity of learning styles.The results revealed the fragility and precarious conditions of the provision of AEE in the Quilombola school, reflecting the historical invisibility of Quilombola education. Regarding teaching practices, both regular and AEE teachers recognize that diverse ways of learning, reading, writing, listening, and interacting with objects are essential for meaningful teaching, adapted to the needs and cultural identity of students in Special Education. Therefore, teaching practices must value the cultural and social realities of students, promoting plural and contextualized knowledge.
the approval of the National Common Curricular Base (BNCC) in 2017, we recorded a movement among education professionals in Roraima with the aim of structuring a specific curricular organization that would guide the pedagogical actions of the network, giving rise to the Roraima Curricular Document (DCRRR). In this article, we aim to understand which references and perspectives are defined in the state curricular standardization for the education of students characterized as the Special Education audience in Indigenous School Education, in state schools in Roraima. We conducted a qualitative research approach from the perspective of documentary analysis, in which we analyzed, in the DCRR and in the documents that evidence the strategies used in its elaboration process, elements that address the challenge of educating students who present this profile. The results found reveal that, even though it claims to be guided by philosophical, sociological and pedagogical principles, whose discourses claim to focus on integral human development, the DCRR maintains the standardizing and homogenizing logic that has been pointed out in studies that address issues related to the BNCC, without presenting effective indications of measures that contemplate the educational needs of the Special Education public enrolled in indigenous schools in Roraima. We consider that the silencing in the DCRR and the isolated treatment of the Special Education and Indigenous Education modalities weaken the pedagogical actions necessary for access to school education for indigenous students with disabilities, disorders or high abilities.
