Podcast recommendations for assisting blind students at IFB

Abstract

A blind person, more than merely a student within an academic institution, is also a holder of knowledge and, therefore, a key agent in the construction of inclusive educational systems, through the contribution inherent in producing and disseminating their scientific research. This study aimed to reflect on the barriers to inclusion at the Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Brasília (IFB) according to the perceptions of a blind student enrolled at the institution, which were recorded in a podcast and later incorporated into and published in an accessibility manual for persons with disabilities. The methodology adopted was based on documentary research (Sá-Silva; Almeida; Guindani, 2009), while data analysis followed the content analysis approach proposed by Bardin (2016). The structure of the study comprised, in the first part, discussions on the use of podcasts as an accessible scientific dissemination tool, as presented by Freire (2021) and other authors. The second part consisted of analyzing the data considering the accessibility dimensions proposed b Sá-Silva; Almeida; Guindani, 2009y Sassaki (2009), from which three were selected due to the significant number of recommendations described in the podcast: (1) architectural and spatial accessibility; (2) communicational accessibility; and (3) attitudinal accessibility. Among the conclusions, it is evident that the knowledge about school inclusion described by the blind student guides the promotion of accessibility across different dimensions. Thus, physical accessibility is not limited to the availability of resources; it also involves the spatial organization of furniture and objects, the student’s position in the classroom, the teacher’s posture toward the blind student, among other aspects. Communicational accessibility goes beyond the distribution of assistive technologies, encompassing all institutional academic spaces and the proper training of all institutional professionals in the use of such technologies. Attitudinal accessibility requires the continuous awareness of the school community regarding the specific needs of blind students, the strengthening of interpersonal relationships, and the guarantee of their right to equitable education. The study also highlights the importance of recognizing the value of listening to and acknowledging the protagonism of blind individuals in building an inclusive and equitable educational system within the Federal Institutes of Education, Science and Technology.