The extent to which cortical maps may reorganize in adult humans is a significant and topical debate in visual neuroscience. Though there are conflicting findings, evidence from humans and animals indicates that the topography of the visual cortex may change after retinal deafferentation. Remarkably, this reorganization seems to be possible in adults, whose brains are less amenable to plastic change. If adult visual reorganization is legitimate, an understanding of its causes and consequences could be profound considering the millions suffering from age-related visual disorders. This dissertation explores whether visual training may yield a reorganization of sensory maps in the adult visual cortex. It describes research in which patients, diagnosed with age-related macular degeneration (AMD), underwent visual rehabilitation therapy. Functional brain scans and behavioral tests were conducted pre and post training. These interventions generated valuable knowledge regarding whether "reorganized" activity is a true rewiring of feed forward cortical processes or an artifact of attentional feedback. The rehabilitation training produced demonstrable differences in activation patterns along the primary visual cortex (V1), but sparse improvement in the behavioral tests. In contrast, there was significant improvement in fixation tests which assessed oculomotor control. These results suggest that the nature of reorganized activity has more to do with attentional mechanisms than feed forward reorganization. Future investigations could benefit from examining the brain sites that govern visual attention in the frontal and parietal cortices. These areas may have more to do with visual adaptation in AMD patients than V1.

Low vision impacts on Quality of Life (QoL). Thus, low vision services are essential to enhance the QoL of people with functional low vision. However, of the estimated 70 out of the 124 million people with low vision who require services, approximately 5-10% has access to services. The demands for low vision services will continue to grow due to the emerging global trends in ageing populations and changes in the epidemiology of vision impairment. While critical data and information are available for other forms of vision impairment, there is a paucity of information on the distribution, needs, and priorities for improving low vision service delivery at the national, regional, and global levels. / This thesis addressed the problem by first developing and distributing a survey to Vision 2020 contacts, government, and non government organisations in 195 countries during 2006-2008 to assess the current situation of low vision services globally. The survey was first pilot tested leading to improvements in the length, layout, and content of its form. Specifically, the survey topics included: epidemiology, policies, human resources, service provision, barriers, equipment, and monitoring and evaluation. / The Classification Analysis and Regression Tree (CART), logistic regression methodology and grounded theory analysis were used to present the findings and identify the critical success factors of low vision service coverage. The qualitative component consisted of case studies in three countries (India, Ghana, and Cameroon) during November 2007 and 2008. A total of 101 interviews were carried out. The case studies provided an overview and historical perspective of services, effectiveness, cost, efficiency, acceptability, access, equity, sustainability, and ideal situations as recommended by interviewees. Qualitative findings from the case studies were produced with the assistance of the NVivo software. / The primary results are that the majority (80%) of countries have poor (≤10%) coverage. Key issues pertinent to the current situation of service coverage are: human resources (number and combination of disciplines), funding (sustainability and arrangements), type of services provided (comprehensive and multidisciplinary) and its locations (NGOs or government facilities), and the sociodemographic and economic barriers (costs, awareness, and rural areas) to accessing services. / The critical success factors found in this research are represented by the ‘FRAME’: Funding (sustainable source, public and private mix), Rehabilitation workers (e.g., adequate numbers of multidisciplinary personnel), Access to low vision devices, Multidisciplinary services; and External contextual influences in which low vision services operate in. The case studies identified seven major themes that further build on the FRAME: sustainability, governance, advocacy, human resources, access, awareness, and service delivery. / The conclusion of the thesis is that a global picture of the current situation of low vision services was acquired and it is now known which countries have poor (≤10%) and better (>10%) coverage. It also found the critical success factors that will assist the WHO Low Vision Working Group and Vision 2020 to improve the current models of service delivery, future planning, training curriculum development, and priorities setting. Specifically, these need to be achieved through three areas of action: human resources development, sustainability, and advocacy.

Low vision impacts on Quality of Life (QoL). Thus, low vision services are essential to enhance the QoL of people with functional low vision. However, of the estimated 70 out of the 124 million people with low vision who require services, approximately 5-10% has access to services. The demands for low vision services will continue to grow due to the emerging global trends in ageing populations and changes in the epidemiology of vision impairment. While critical data and information are available for other forms of vision impairment, there is a paucity of information on the distribution, needs, and priorities for improving low vision service delivery at the national, regional, and global levels. / This thesis addressed the problem by first developing and distributing a survey to Vision 2020 contacts, government, and non government organisations in 195 countries during 2006-2008 to assess the current situation of low vision services globally. The survey was first pilot tested leading to improvements in the length, layout, and content of its form. Specifically, the survey topics included: epidemiology, policies, human resources, service provision, barriers, equipment, and monitoring and evaluation. / The Classification Analysis and Regression Tree (CART), logistic regression methodology and grounded theory analysis were used to present the findings and identify the critical success factors of low vision service coverage. The qualitative component consisted of case studies in three countries (India, Ghana, and Cameroon) during November 2007 and 2008. A total of 101 interviews were carried out. The case studies provided an overview and historical perspective of services, effectiveness, cost, efficiency, acceptability, access, equity, sustainability, and ideal situations as recommended by interviewees. Qualitative findings from the case studies were produced with the assistance of the NVivo software. / The primary results are that the majority (80%) of countries have poor (≤10%) coverage. Key issues pertinent to the current situation of service coverage are: human resources (number and combination of disciplines), funding (sustainability and arrangements), type of services provided (comprehensive and multidisciplinary) and its locations (NGOs or government facilities), and the sociodemographic and economic barriers (costs, awareness, and rural areas) to accessing services. / The critical success factors found in this research are represented by the ‘FRAME’: Funding (sustainable source, public and private mix), Rehabilitation workers (e.g., adequate numbers of multidisciplinary personnel), Access to low vision devices, Multidisciplinary services; and External contextual influences in which low vision services operate in. The case studies identified seven major themes that further build on the FRAME: sustainability, governance, advocacy, human resources, access, awareness, and service delivery. / The conclusion of the thesis is that a global picture of the current situation of low vision services was acquired and it is now known which countries have poor (≤10%) and better (>10%) coverage. It also found the critical success factors that will assist the WHO Low Vision Working Group and Vision 2020 to improve the current models of service delivery, future planning, training curriculum development, and priorities setting. Specifically, these need to be achieved through three areas of action: human resources development, sustainability, and advocacy.

Objetivos: comparar o telescópio com lente de contato (TLC) com o telescópio convencional (TC) em pacientes com degeneração macular relacionada à idade (DMRI) e baixa visão, com respeito a: acuidade visual (AV), campo de visão (CV), satisfação do paciente com a visão oferecida pelo telescópio (SV), dificuldade de uso do telescópio (DU) e satisfação do paciente com o aspecto estético do telescópio (SE). Materiais e Métodos: Em ensaio clínico randomizado mascarado, foram incluídos 12 pacientes com DMRI e baixa visão, formando 2 grupos de 6 pacientes cada: grupo 1 (uso de TLC) e grupo 2 (uso de TC). Os telescópios usados no estudo foram padronizados para que tivessem a mesma magnificação (2,8x). A AV e o CV foram aferidos antes e durante o uso do telescópio, enquanto a SV, a DU e a SE foram obtidas após a intervenção. Resultados: Não houve diferenças entre os grupos na linha de base. Os dois telescópios demonstraram melhora da AV em relação à linha de base (P=0,002 com o TLC e P<0,001 com o TC) e não houve diferença entre os grupos a este respeito. O CV foi reduzido em 15° com o TLC (P<0.001) e em 54.3° com o TC (P<0.001), em comparação com a linha de base, e tais diferenças também foram significativas entre os grupos durante a intervenção (P<0.001). Os escores de SV foram semelhantes entre os grupos testados. Já os escores de SE, foram maiores com o TLC (P<0.001), assim como os de DU (P=0.003), em relação ao TC. Conclusões: Os dois telescópios promoveram melhora semelhante da AV em pacientes com DMRI e baixa visão, mas o TLC acarretou menor perda de CV em relação ao TC. A SE foi maior com o TLC, mas a DU também foi maior com o TLC, em relação ao TC. / Purpose: To compare the conventional telescope (CT) with the contact lens telescope (CLT) in patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and low-vision, with respect to visual acuity (VA), visual field (VF), patient satisfaction with the vision provided by the telescope (VS), telescope use difficulties (UD) and patient satisfaction with the cosmetic appearance of the telescope (CS). Methods: In a masked randomized clinical trial, 12 patients with AMD and low-vision were enrolled in 2 groups with 6 patients each: group 1 (CLT use) and group 2. (CT use) The telescopes used in this study were standardized to have the same magnification power. (2.8x) Visual field and VA were obtained before and during the telescope use, while VS, UD and CS were obtained after the telescope use. Results: There were no significant differences between groups at baseline. Both groups achieved VA improvement with telescopes compared to baseline (P=0.002 in CLT group and P<0.001 in CT group) and there were no significant differences between groups in this regard. Visual field was reduced by 15° in CLT group (P<0.001) and by 54.3° in CT group (P<0.001) compared to baseline, and VF differences between groups were also significant during telescope use. (P<0.001) Scores observed in both groups were similar in regard to VS. Telescope use difficulties were significant higher in CLT group (P=0.003) as well as CS scores (P<0.001) compared to CT group. Conclusions: Both telescopes provide similar improvement in VA in AMD patients with low-vision, but CLT caused less VF reduction than CT use. Patient satisfaction with the cosmetic appearance of the telescope was higher in CLT group, but UD was also higher in this group compared to CT group.

A evolução das tecnologias móveis ampliou significativamente a possibilidade de inclusão digital das pessoas com deficiências em geral, permitindo a interação sem as barreiras de espaço e tempo. Dentre estas novas tecnologias está o tablet PC, considerado atualmente a tecnologia móvel mais implementada em instituições de ensino do mundo, devido à sua ampla capacidade de interatividade, flexibilidade, mobilidade, navegação pelos Ambientes Virtuais de Aprendizagem (AVAs), e acessibilidade de diferentes perfis de usuários. Entretanto, a maioria dos usuários com baixa visão (BV) tem encontrado dificuldades em navegar nos AVAs por meio desta tecnologia, tendo que fazer uso de Tecnologias Assistivas voltadas para os cegos. Muito embora as diretrizes utilizadas para a construção destas Interfaces Gráficas do Usuário (GUIs) baseiem-se nos preceitos do W3C e do Design Universal, este fato pode prejudicar sua condição, gerar frustração e, consequentemente, resultar na sua exclusão digital. Com isso, o objetivo desta pesquisa é melhorar as condições de usabilidade dos AVAs no tablet PC, através de uma sistemática estruturada que forneça diretrizes capazes de orientar os desenvolvedores a criarem GUIs pensando no usuário com BV. A metodologia utilizada baseou-se no AVA Moodle como cenário de uso para o estudo de caso, foi realizada em três etapas que incluíram especialistas web, assim como usuários com BV, levando ao desenvolvimento da sistemática. Como resultado final da sua validação, tem-se um Guia de Diretrizes voltado para a construção de GUIs acessíveis aos usuários com BV, no tablet PC. Conclui-se que esta sistemática possibilita ao desenvolvedor agrupar e conceber suas próprias recomendações, em forma de guia de diretrizes, capazes de orientá-lo no incremento de interfaces voltadas especificamente para um usuário típico definido, independente do cenário de uso estabelecido. Refletindo, desta forma, na garantia e qualidade de acesso deste usuário, e permitindo a melhoria do processo de implementação de projetos pelo desenvolvedor. / The evolution of mobile technologies has significantly broadened the digital inclusion possibility for persons with general disabilities, by providing interaction with no space and time barrier constraints. Among these new technologies, the Tablet PCs are currently deemed the most widely implemented mobile technology in teaching institutions worldwide due to their wide capacity of interactivity, flexibility, mobility, browsing through Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs), and accessibility to different user profiles However, most Low Vision (LV) users have faced difficulties to browse through VLEs by means of this technology and must resort to Assistive Technologies aimed at blind persons. Although the guidelines employed for the construction of those Graphic User Interfaces (GUIs) are founded on the precepts of W3C and Universal Design, this fact may harm their condition, generate frustration and, consequently, result in their digital exclusion. This way, the objective of this research is to improve the VLE usability conditions on Tablet PCs through a structured systematic to provide guidelines capable of instructing developers to create GUIs with LV users in mind. The methodology employed is based on the VLE Moodle as the scenery used for the case study, was carried out in three stages and included Web experts as well as LV users, leading to the development of the systematic. As an end result of its validation, there is a Guidelines Guide aimed at the construction of GUIs that are accessible to LV users on Tablet PCs. It has been concluded that this systematic allows developers to group up and conceive their own recommendations in the form of a guidelines guide that are capable of instructing them in incrementing interfaces specifically aimed at a defined typical users regardless of the established scenery of use. This way, it would reflect as an access guarantee and quality for those users, and allow for improvements to the project implementation process by developers.

Objetivos: comparar o telescópio com lente de contato (TLC) com o telescópio convencional (TC) em pacientes com degeneração macular relacionada à idade (DMRI) e baixa visão, com respeito a: acuidade visual (AV), campo de visão (CV), satisfação do paciente com a visão oferecida pelo telescópio (SV), dificuldade de uso do telescópio (DU) e satisfação do paciente com o aspecto estético do telescópio (SE). Materiais e Métodos: Em ensaio clínico randomizado mascarado, foram incluídos 12 pacientes com DMRI e baixa visão, formando 2 grupos de 6 pacientes cada: grupo 1 (uso de TLC) e grupo 2 (uso de TC). Os telescópios usados no estudo foram padronizados para que tivessem a mesma magnificação (2,8x). A AV e o CV foram aferidos antes e durante o uso do telescópio, enquanto a SV, a DU e a SE foram obtidas após a intervenção. Resultados: Não houve diferenças entre os grupos na linha de base. Os dois telescópios demonstraram melhora da AV em relação à linha de base (P=0,002 com o TLC e P<0,001 com o TC) e não houve diferença entre os grupos a este respeito. O CV foi reduzido em 15° com o TLC (P<0.001) e em 54.3° com o TC (P<0.001), em comparação com a linha de base, e tais diferenças também foram significativas entre os grupos durante a intervenção (P<0.001). Os escores de SV foram semelhantes entre os grupos testados. Já os escores de SE, foram maiores com o TLC (P<0.001), assim como os de DU (P=0.003), em relação ao TC. Conclusões: Os dois telescópios promoveram melhora semelhante da AV em pacientes com DMRI e baixa visão, mas o TLC acarretou menor perda de CV em relação ao TC. A SE foi maior com o TLC, mas a DU também foi maior com o TLC, em relação ao TC. / Purpose: To compare the conventional telescope (CT) with the contact lens telescope (CLT) in patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and low-vision, with respect to visual acuity (VA), visual field (VF), patient satisfaction with the vision provided by the telescope (VS), telescope use difficulties (UD) and patient satisfaction with the cosmetic appearance of the telescope (CS). Methods: In a masked randomized clinical trial, 12 patients with AMD and low-vision were enrolled in 2 groups with 6 patients each: group 1 (CLT use) and group 2. (CT use) The telescopes used in this study were standardized to have the same magnification power. (2.8x) Visual field and VA were obtained before and during the telescope use, while VS, UD and CS were obtained after the telescope use. Results: There were no significant differences between groups at baseline. Both groups achieved VA improvement with telescopes compared to baseline (P=0.002 in CLT group and P<0.001 in CT group) and there were no significant differences between groups in this regard. Visual field was reduced by 15° in CLT group (P<0.001) and by 54.3° in CT group (P<0.001) compared to baseline, and VF differences between groups were also significant during telescope use. (P<0.001) Scores observed in both groups were similar in regard to VS. Telescope use difficulties were significant higher in CLT group (P=0.003) as well as CS scores (P<0.001) compared to CT group. Conclusions: Both telescopes provide similar improvement in VA in AMD patients with low-vision, but CLT caused less VF reduction than CT use. Patient satisfaction with the cosmetic appearance of the telescope was higher in CLT group, but UD was also higher in this group compared to CT group.

Submitted by Aelson Maciera (aelsoncm@terra.com.br) on 2017-06-14T18:04:38Z No. of bitstreams: 1 TeseGMF.pdf: 9476298 bytes, checksum: f22d69fa07d6e52aff3ce9e78fe21273 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Ronildo Prado (ronisp@ufscar.br) on 2017-06-26T17:37:13Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 TeseGMF.pdf: 9476298 bytes, checksum: f22d69fa07d6e52aff3ce9e78fe21273 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Ronildo Prado (ronisp@ufscar.br) on 2017-06-26T17:37:21Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 TeseGMF.pdf: 9476298 bytes, checksum: f22d69fa07d6e52aff3ce9e78fe21273 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-06-26T17:44:41Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 TeseGMF.pdf: 9476298 bytes, checksum: f22d69fa07d6e52aff3ce9e78fe21273 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-08-25 / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) / The research objective was to analyze the repertory of representations of means of transportation also called “vehicles” (Aircraft, bicycle, car, sail boat, train and helicopter) expressed in modeling clay, drawing and oral description of children with visual deficiency with the use of models like toys, or reliefs or the reading of the description of a mean of transportation made by the child itself. Participating in the study were two boys with congenital blindness (A and N) and two girls with low vision (G and K) with visual deficiency without any other deficiency associated, with ages between six and nine years old. The research was developed in two institutions frequented by the participants. One of them non-governmental and the other municipal, both specialized in the caring of people with visual deficiency, and localized in two midsize cities in the intern of São Paulo State, where the participants were receiving caring. A period of familiarization between researcher and participant preceded the data collect. The procedure of data collect was made in the following sequence of steps: Repertoire Survey, Intervention, Replication of the repertoire survey and creation of a mean of transportation. The Intervention consisted in presenting the participants the models: toy, relief and orally reading the oral description made by the child itself. In front of each model the children were requested to say the name of the object presented, play the model on a sequence of activities in which they used the modeling clay, pencil and paper to do a drawing and the oral production of the model which was worked on both previous conditions (modeling and drawing). During the confection of the representations the children answered questions about the characteristics and functions of the object presented. The data analysis guided itself by: 1- The component elements featured by the children and the characteristics attributed by them to the mean of transportation in the representations by modeling, drawing and oral description; 2- the type of model used during the intervention: toy, relief and reading of the oral description; 3- the creation of a vehicle using modeling clay, drawing and description. The results showed that, in the absence of models, in dealing with the component elements, the participants with low vision highlighted the external in their productions, for example, wheel, door, while the blind highlighted the internal, like, seat, steering wheel. However, when toys or reliefs were presented, the blind participants also highlighted in their productions the external elements. In the oral description, it was noted that all the children described above all the component elements and the aspects of the function played by them or the vehicles. However, in the oral descriptions of toy models or relief, they referred proportionally more times to the component elements. In reference to the used models in the intervention, the results indicated modifications in the drawing representations, modeling and oral description of the participants, if compared to the productions in the absence of the models. When there was the presentation of the toys to the blind participant, his productions in modeling clay were made on the same representation pattern of the toy, while that the drawing was made in a superior point of view, that is an object seen from the top. When there was the presentation of a relief model, the productions in drawing and modeling clay of the blind participant followed the flat point of view of the relief representation. When the reading of the oral description happened, the representations of the blind participant didn’t change. As to participant K, with low vision, the representations remained adopting the flat point of view for the three types of model. About the vehicle creation step, highlight itself that participant K, with low vision, created a new mean of transportation. The other participants (A, N and G) made means of transportation that had been worked during the intervention. The results empirically proved that the productions of the children with visual deficiency are different from the ones produced by children that can see, seen that they organize the world the notice by other sensorial channels other than the vision. This results were deep-set with the findings about the differences of production between children with visual deficiency. The representations of the blind children and of the ones with low vision considered different points of view; this results contribute to the discussion about the comparing between psychic children, children with visual deficiency/blindness and children with visual deficiency/low vision. It is believed that the results obtained in this work contribute to the discussions, even sparse, about the representations of children with visual deficiency. / O objetivo da pesquisa foi analisar o repertório de representações de meios de transporte também denominados “veículo” (avião, bicicleta, carro, barco a vela, trem e helicóptero) expressas em massa de modelar, desenho e descrição oral de crianças com deficiência visual com o emprego de modelos do tipo brinquedos ou relevos ou leitura da descrição de um meio de transporte feito pela própria criança. Participaram do estudo dois meninos com cegueira congênita (A e N) e duas meninas com baixa visão (G e K) com deficiência visual sem nenhuma outra deficiência associada, com idades entre seis e nove anos. A pesquisa foi desenvolvida em duas instituições frequentadas pelos participantes. Uma delas não governamental e a outra municipal, ambas especializadas no atendimento de pessoas com deficiência visual, e localizadas em duas cidades de médio porte do interior do estado de São Paulo, onde os participantes recebiam atendimentos. Um período de familiarização entre pesquisadora e participantes antecedeu a coleta de dados. O procedimento de coleta de dados foi realizado na seguinte sequência de etapas: Levantamento de Repertório, Intervenção, Replicação do Levantamento de Repertório e Criação de um meio de transporte. A Intervenção consistiu em apresentar aos participantes os modelos: brinquedo, relevo e ler oralmente a descrição oral feita pela própria criança. Diante de cada modelo as crianças foram solicitadas a dizer o nome do objeto representado, reproduzir o modelo em uma sequência de atividades nas quais usaram a massa de modelar, lápis e papel para fazer um desenho e a produção oral do modelo que foi trabalhado nas duas condições anteriores (modelagem e desenho). Durante a confecção das representações as crianças responderam perguntas sobre as características e funções do objeto representado. A análise dos dados guiou-se por: 1- os elementos componentes destacados pelas crianças e as características por elas atribuídas ao meio de transporte nas representações por modelagem, desenho e descrição oral; 2- o tipo de modelo utilizado durante a Intervenção: brinquedo, relevo e leitura da descrição oral; 3- a criação de um veículo utilizando massa de modelar, desenho e a descrição. Os resultados mostraram que, na ausência de modelos, em se tratando dos elementos componentes, os participantes com baixa visão destacaram em suas produções os externos, como por exemplo, roda, porta, enquanto que os cegos destacaram os internos, como, banco, volante. Entretanto, quando houve apresentação de brinquedo ou relevo, os participantes cegos também destacaram em suas produções os elementos externos. Na descrição oral, observou-se que todas as crianças descreveram sobretudo os elementos componentes e os aspectos da função desempenhados por eles ou pelos veículos. Entretanto, nas descrições orais de modelos brinquedo ou relevo elas se referiram proporcionalmente mais vezes aos elementos componentes. No que tange aos modelos utilizados na Intervenção, os resultados indicaram modificações nas representações em desenho, modelagem e descrição oral dos participantes, se comparadas às produções na ausência dos modelos. Quando houve apresentação de brinquedos para o participante cego, suas produções em massa de modelar foram confeccionadas no mesmo padrão de representação do brinquedo, enquanto que o desenho foi feito em um ponto de vista superior, isto é um objeto visto por cima. Quando havia apresentação de modelo em relevo, as produções em desenho e massa de modelar do participante cego seguiu o ponto de vista horizontal da representação em relevo. Quando houve leitura da descrição oral, as representações do participante cego não se modificaram. Quanto à participante K, com baixa visão, as representações permaneceram adotando o ponto de vista horizontal para os três tipos de modelo. A respeito da etapa de criação de um veículo, destaca-se que apenas a participante K, com baixa visão, criou um novo meio de transporte. Os demais participantes (A, N e G) confeccionaram meios de transporte que haviam sido trabalhados durante a Intervenção. Os resultados comprovaram empiricamente que as produções de crianças com deficiência visual são diferentes daquelas produzidas por crianças que enxergam, visto que elas organizam o mundo que percebem por meio de outros canais sensoriais que não a visão. Estes resultados foram aprofundados com os achados sobre as diferenças de produção entre as crianças com deficiência visual. As representações das crianças cegas e daquelas com baixa visão consideraram pontos de vistas diferentes; estes resultados contribuem para a discussão sobre a comparação entre crianças videntes, crianças com deficiência visual/cegueira e crianças com deficiência visual/baixa visão. Acredita-se que os resultados obtidos neste trabalho contribuam para as discussões, ainda que esparsas, sobre as a representações de crianças com deficiência visual.

A evolução das tecnologias móveis ampliou significativamente a possibilidade de inclusão digital das pessoas com deficiências em geral, permitindo a interação sem as barreiras de espaço e tempo. Dentre estas novas tecnologias está o tablet PC, considerado atualmente a tecnologia móvel mais implementada em instituições de ensino do mundo, devido à sua ampla capacidade de interatividade, flexibilidade, mobilidade, navegação pelos Ambientes Virtuais de Aprendizagem (AVAs), e acessibilidade de diferentes perfis de usuários. Entretanto, a maioria dos usuários com baixa visão (BV) tem encontrado dificuldades em navegar nos AVAs por meio desta tecnologia, tendo que fazer uso de Tecnologias Assistivas voltadas para os cegos. Muito embora as diretrizes utilizadas para a construção destas Interfaces Gráficas do Usuário (GUIs) baseiem-se nos preceitos do W3C e do Design Universal, este fato pode prejudicar sua condição, gerar frustração e, consequentemente, resultar na sua exclusão digital. Com isso, o objetivo desta pesquisa é melhorar as condições de usabilidade dos AVAs no tablet PC, através de uma sistemática estruturada que forneça diretrizes capazes de orientar os desenvolvedores a criarem GUIs pensando no usuário com BV. A metodologia utilizada baseou-se no AVA Moodle como cenário de uso para o estudo de caso, foi realizada em três etapas que incluíram especialistas web, assim como usuários com BV, levando ao desenvolvimento da sistemática. Como resultado final da sua validação, tem-se um Guia de Diretrizes voltado para a construção de GUIs acessíveis aos usuários com BV, no tablet PC. Conclui-se que esta sistemática possibilita ao desenvolvedor agrupar e conceber suas próprias recomendações, em forma de guia de diretrizes, capazes de orientá-lo no incremento de interfaces voltadas especificamente para um usuário típico definido, independente do cenário de uso estabelecido. Refletindo, desta forma, na garantia e qualidade de acesso deste usuário, e permitindo a melhoria do processo de implementação de projetos pelo desenvolvedor. / The evolution of mobile technologies has significantly broadened the digital inclusion possibility for persons with general disabilities, by providing interaction with no space and time barrier constraints. Among these new technologies, the Tablet PCs are currently deemed the most widely implemented mobile technology in teaching institutions worldwide due to their wide capacity of interactivity, flexibility, mobility, browsing through Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs), and accessibility to different user profiles However, most Low Vision (LV) users have faced difficulties to browse through VLEs by means of this technology and must resort to Assistive Technologies aimed at blind persons. Although the guidelines employed for the construction of those Graphic User Interfaces (GUIs) are founded on the precepts of W3C and Universal Design, this fact may harm their condition, generate frustration and, consequently, result in their digital exclusion. This way, the objective of this research is to improve the VLE usability conditions on Tablet PCs through a structured systematic to provide guidelines capable of instructing developers to create GUIs with LV users in mind. The methodology employed is based on the VLE Moodle as the scenery used for the case study, was carried out in three stages and included Web experts as well as LV users, leading to the development of the systematic. As an end result of its validation, there is a Guidelines Guide aimed at the construction of GUIs that are accessible to LV users on Tablet PCs. It has been concluded that this systematic allows developers to group up and conceive their own recommendations in the form of a guidelines guide that are capable of instructing them in incrementing interfaces specifically aimed at a defined typical users regardless of the established scenery of use. This way, it would reflect as an access guarantee and quality for those users, and allow for improvements to the project implementation process by developers.

Orientador: Edmea Rita Temporini Nastari / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Ciencias Medicas / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-10T00:20:43Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Mazzaro_JoseLuiz_D.pdf: 2658396 bytes, checksum: 487f4424a3fd3a436ffbd688bcdf7721 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007 / Resumo: Realizou-se um "survey" transversal, descritivo e analítico, com o objetivo de identificar conhecimentos e opiniões de professores e pais de alunos com baixa visão incluídos em escolas públicas da rede regular de ensino de Brasília (DF), em relação ao problema visual, equipamentos, sistemas, técnicas e recursos relacionados à deficiência visual e ao processo educacional, visando subsidiar programas de ensino de baixa visão. A população foi de 174 professores e 86 pais, compondo amostra não probabilística. Foram elaborados dois questionários estruturados, um auto-aplicável, respondido pelos professores e outro aplicado por entrevista aos pais. Para garantir a confiabilidade e a validade dos dados, os questionários foram submetidos a testes prévios. Em relação aos professores da população do estudo, predominaram os do sexo feminino (74,1%) e razoável experiência profissional. A maior parte (62,1%) lecionava pela primeira vez para alunos com baixa visão. A maioria (89,7%) deClarou formação superior completa e quase a totalidade (97,1%) que não possuía formação na área da deficiência visual, a maioria (73,0) não tinha recebido treinamento ou orientação nos últimos três anos. A maioria (73,0%) se auto-avaliou sem preparo para: lecionar para alunos com baixa visão e quase a totalidade (96,6%), dependência do professor especializado. Em relação à população dos pais, evidenciou-se ligeira predominância do sexo feminino (62,8%) e predomínio de baixa escolaridade. Pouco mais da metade (52,3%) não exerciam atividade remunerada e os que exe_ciam, eram atividades de baixa especialização. As causas da baixa visão mais apontadas pelos pais foram a toxoplasmose, a catarata e o glaucoma congênitos. Os familiares (53,%) foram os primeiros a suspeitarem de problema visual do filho, tendo ocorrido nos seis primeiros meses de vida. A maioria acreditava que o problema de visão dos filhos, atrapalhava para enxergar no quadro-negro, no caderno, na escrita e na leitura de livro. A maioria dos pais (73,1%), atribuíram a repetência escolar a outras dificuldades, tendo manifestado satisfação, com o atendimento da escola. Auto-avaliaram-se preparados para prestarem informações sobre a deficiência visual do filho. Os pais manifestaram conhecimento insuficiente sobre as limitações causadas pela deficiência visual e sobre as necessidades dos filhos, em relação a equipamentos, recursos e sistemas capazes de potencializar o uso da visão residual. Evidenciou-se que os professores manifestaram não apresentar conhecimentos suficientes para o desenvolvimento de trabalho pedagógico de qualidade com alunos que apresentavam baixa visão / Abstract: A descriptive and analytical cross-sectional survey was conducted, with the objective of identifying the knowledge and the opinions of teachers and parents of students with low vision in public schools of regular system of education in Brasília (DF), regarding the visual problem, equipment, systems, techniques and resources related to the visual deficiency and the educational process, aiming to subsidize programs of education in low vision. The population was of 174 teachers and 86 parents, consisting on a non-probabilistic sample. Two structuralized questionnaires had been elaborated: one auto-applicable, answered by the teachers, and another applied by interview with parents. To guarantee the trustworthiness and the validity of the data, the questionnaires had been submitted to previous tests. Concerning the teachers of the population of the study, the female sex predominated (74,1%) and also the ones with reasonable professional experience. The biggest part of them (62,1 %) taught students with low vision for the first time. The majority (89,7%) declared higher education and almost the totality (97,1%) didn't have vocational training in visual deficiency. The majority (73%) have not received . training or orientation in the last three years. Most of them had self-evaluated themselves without preparation to teach students with low vision and almost the totality (96,6%) of them depends on the support ofthe specialized teacher. Regarding the parents population, it was predominant the female sex (62,8%) with low leveI of education. A few more than a half(52,3%) didn't have income and the parents that did have ajob, had low specialization. Some examples of pointed causes for low vision by the parents were toxoplasmosis, cataract and the glaucoma congenital. The family members (53%) had been the ftrst ones to suspect of the visual problem of the child, occurring in the first six months of life. Most of them believed that the visual problem confused the child in seeing the blackboard, the notebook, in writing and in reading books. The majority of the parents (73,1%), had attributed failing at school to other difficulties, showing satisfaction with the attendance of school. Many parents had self-evaluated themselves prepared to give information of the visual deftciency of the sono The parents had revealed insufficient knowledge on the limitations caused by the visual deficiency and on the necessities of the children, regarding equipment, resources and systems capable of potentizing the use of the residual vision. lt was concluded that the teachers revealed insufficient knowledge for the development of a quality pedagogical work with low vision students / Doutorado / Ciencias Biomedicas / Doutor em Ciências Médicas

Objetivos: comparar o telescópio com lente de contato (TLC) com o telescópio convencional (TC) em pacientes com degeneração macular relacionada à idade (DMRI) e baixa visão, com respeito a: acuidade visual (AV), campo de visão (CV), satisfação do paciente com a visão oferecida pelo telescópio (SV), dificuldade de uso do telescópio (DU) e satisfação do paciente com o aspecto estético do telescópio (SE). Materiais e Métodos: Em ensaio clínico randomizado mascarado, foram incluídos 12 pacientes com DMRI e baixa visão, formando 2 grupos de 6 pacientes cada: grupo 1 (uso de TLC) e grupo 2 (uso de TC). Os telescópios usados no estudo foram padronizados para que tivessem a mesma magnificação (2,8x). A AV e o CV foram aferidos antes e durante o uso do telescópio, enquanto a SV, a DU e a SE foram obtidas após a intervenção. Resultados: Não houve diferenças entre os grupos na linha de base. Os dois telescópios demonstraram melhora da AV em relação à linha de base (P=0,002 com o TLC e P<0,001 com o TC) e não houve diferença entre os grupos a este respeito. O CV foi reduzido em 15° com o TLC (P<0.001) e em 54.3° com o TC (P<0.001), em comparação com a linha de base, e tais diferenças também foram significativas entre os grupos durante a intervenção (P<0.001). Os escores de SV foram semelhantes entre os grupos testados. Já os escores de SE, foram maiores com o TLC (P<0.001), assim como os de DU (P=0.003), em relação ao TC. Conclusões: Os dois telescópios promoveram melhora semelhante da AV em pacientes com DMRI e baixa visão, mas o TLC acarretou menor perda de CV em relação ao TC. A SE foi maior com o TLC, mas a DU também foi maior com o TLC, em relação ao TC. / Purpose: To compare the conventional telescope (CT) with the contact lens telescope (CLT) in patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and low-vision, with respect to visual acuity (VA), visual field (VF), patient satisfaction with the vision provided by the telescope (VS), telescope use difficulties (UD) and patient satisfaction with the cosmetic appearance of the telescope (CS). Methods: In a masked randomized clinical trial, 12 patients with AMD and low-vision were enrolled in 2 groups with 6 patients each: group 1 (CLT use) and group 2. (CT use) The telescopes used in this study were standardized to have the same magnification power. (2.8x) Visual field and VA were obtained before and during the telescope use, while VS, UD and CS were obtained after the telescope use. Results: There were no significant differences between groups at baseline. Both groups achieved VA improvement with telescopes compared to baseline (P=0.002 in CLT group and P<0.001 in CT group) and there were no significant differences between groups in this regard. Visual field was reduced by 15° in CLT group (P<0.001) and by 54.3° in CT group (P<0.001) compared to baseline, and VF differences between groups were also significant during telescope use. (P<0.001) Scores observed in both groups were similar in regard to VS. Telescope use difficulties were significant higher in CLT group (P=0.003) as well as CS scores (P<0.001) compared to CT group. Conclusions: Both telescopes provide similar improvement in VA in AMD patients with low-vision, but CLT caused less VF reduction than CT use. Patient satisfaction with the cosmetic appearance of the telescope was higher in CLT group, but UD was also higher in this group compared to CT group.