Didactic guide proposal for the production of accessible educational materials in plastic films through the thermoforming process

Abstract

The Brazilian Inclusion Law ensures the right to accessibility and highlights the importance of Assistive Technology as a fundamental tool for promoting inclusion and autonomy for disabled people. In this context, accessible educational resources play an essential role in the development of visual impairment students enabling their effective participation in the school environment. The Benjamin Constant Institute, a national reference in the education of visual impairment people, stands out for the production of graphotactile materials made from transparent PVC plastic films through the thermoforming process. This technique allows textured educational materials to be replicated in plastic films that are characterized by durability, precision, and lower cost for large-scale production. In this context, the objective of this research was to develop a didactic guide to support teachers and other professionals interested in thermoforming educational materials using plastic films. The literature review revealed a gap in documents that provide guidance for the production of thermoformed materials, reinforcing the relevance of this project. This is an exploratory field study with a qualitative approach. Data collection was carried out through electronic forms containing semi-structured questionnaires, answered by six participants with knowledge of the thermoforming technique and two participants who were unfamiliar with it and/or did not use the thermoforming process in their school routine, in order to evaluate the didactic guide. The textual content of the responses was subjected to lexicographic analysis. The didactic guide compiles guidelines, specifications, images, and techniques related to the thermoforming of plastic films, taking into account prior experiences, bibliographic references, and results from previously conducted tests, it also explains in a simple and objective manner the aspects related to thermoforming in plastic films to participants who were unfamiliar with it and/or did not use the process. The participants’ evaluation of the document was positive, as they considered that the techniques presented were well described and could be replicated with visual impairment students.