This study aimed to investigate the needs and challenges faced by visually impairedindividuals when using the internet and assess the compatibility of the challengesthey face with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.0). By exam-ining these aspects, through analysis of existing literature, surveys and interview.The study sought to gain insights into the difficulties experienced by the visuallyimpaired community and provide recommendations for improving web accessibilityand contribute to the development of more accessible and user-friendly web content.This, in turn, can improve the quality of life for individuals with visual impairmentsand promote their active involvement in social, economic, and cultural activities.The study findings indicate common obstacles faced by individuals with visual im-pairments when accessing the internet, including difficulties in reading text, limitedcustomization options, insufficient color contrast, poorly structured content, inacces-sible forms or inputs, challenges in identifying images or icons, navigating web pages,and completing forms.Individuals with visual impairments have unique requirements when using theinternet, such as the use of assistive technologies and alternative text descriptions.However, they encounter various obstacles that hinder their access and engagementwith digital content and services.Although WCAG 2.0 serves as a foundationalframework for web accessibility, there is still room for improvement in terms ofawareness, implementation, and testing. Further efforts are necessary to enhanceinternet accessibility for individuals with visual impairments, facilitating their fullparticipation in social, economic, and cultural activities.

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INTRODUCTION: Children in inpatient settings are in an unfamiliar environment that does not facilitate engagement in typical occupations. Children report multiple concerns with the hospital environment and experience including physical pain, loss of independence, loss of meaningful activities, lack of routine, and loss of control. Occupational therapists play a distinct role in improving the hospitalization experience for children by addressing these concerns. By improving the evaluation and treatment of visual deficits for children in inpatients settings, occupational therapists can increase children’s function and independence in meaningful activities and maximize psychological well-being. THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVE AND EVIDENCE: Self-determination theory posits that humans have three innate psychological needs – competence, autonomy, and relatedness. These needs are not being met for children in inpatient settings as shown by multiple qualitative studies, however occupational therapy can aid in meeting these needs through proper intervention. DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT: Resources were developed to improve the evaluation and treatment of visual deficits in children in inpatient settings including a vision screening tool, treatment protocol, referral protocol, and functional implications of visual deficits chart. METHODS: The vision screening tool and protocols were used on a small sample of patients (n=6) to identify and treat visual deficits. A survey was provided to occupational therapists to determine feasibility, usefulness, and effectiveness of the resources. CONCLUSION: The resources are useful and feasible for evaluating and treating visual deficits in children in the inpatient setting.

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This thesis aims to explore the perspectives of people with visual impairments about the internet and web accessibility. How the current status of web accessibility is and how people with visual impairments use the internet are important topics in a society that is more and more digitalized. Nine people with visual impairments were asked through semi-structured interviews. The questions covered what they do on the internet, what devices and assistive technologies they use, how web accessibility affects them and how they become digitally literate. This collected data from the interviews and literature, focused on digital disability divide, digital literacy and web accessibility, guided the analysis which was conducted following a qualitative approach. This thesis shows that, while web accessibility allows for many online actions nowadays, much more is required. More focus on the users and their needs related to technical access is needed and digital literacy should be promoted. The study also concludes that technology, digital literacy and web experience are interconnected, which could provide a framework for future research.

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In recent years, global crises like COVID-19 have accelerated the trend towards digital and online learning, bringing significant benefits and opportunities for various educational fields, including music education and other artistic ventures. This rapid digital transformation has created new ways to teach and learn music, making it more accessible to a broader audience from the comfort of their homes. However, it raises an important question: are these platforms inclusive and accessible to people with impairments? This research addresses this significant gap in accessibility and ensures inclusive music e-learning environments. Focusing on people with visual impairments, we examine their needs and limitations when using e-learning platforms to learn music. By applying principles of non-excluding design, the study highlights key accessibility challenges in music education platforms faced by visually impaired users. Through a comprehensive literature review, qualitative interviews with visually impaired users and musicians, and a developer survey, we identify major barriers and perspectives associated with accessibility in software development. Our work includes analysing qualitative interviews and survey results to propose Web Accessibility Guidelines for musical e-learning platforms. Additionally, we develop a toolkit/plugin using these guidelines to enhance digital navigation and content accessibility, thereby improving the learning experience for visually impaired users in music education.

Atualmente, a utilização dos recursos de Tecnologia de Informação e Comunicação tem sido cada vez mais significativa. Porém, para deficientes visuais sem o adequado acesso ao computador e demais tecnologias, os obstáculos no que se refere à educação, lazer ou a garantir um lugar no mercado de trabalho podem ser inúmeros. Sabe-se que na educação para cegos os recursos audiovisuais são frequentemente utilizados pelas Instituições de Ensino, o que pode acarretar que eventualmente alunos com cegueira ou baixa visão venham a adquirir uma compreensão fragmentada da realidade, reduzindo o seu interesse e motivação. Assim, torna-se evidente a importância do uso de material didático adequado, e que não recorra apenas a soluções virtuais, uma vez que isso requer elevado esforço imaginário destes indivíduos. Desta forma, este trabalho propõe o desenvolvimento de uma impressora de gráficos em altorelevo com a utilização de tinta de emulsão acrílica com propriedades expansivas ao calor. Para averiguar a viabilidade deste produto propôs-se a construção de um protótipo através de resíduos de equipamentos eletrônicos e posteriormente analisou-se seu desempenho. Este trabalho teve a intenção de colaborar para a utilização da exploração tátil no aprender dos conhecimentos relacionados às disciplinas de Física e Matemática do Ensino Médio, e contribuir também no fornecimento de subsídios para a inclusão deste grupo de alunos em escolas regulares, profissionalizantes e de ensino superior. / Currently, the resource utilization of Information and Communication Technology has been increasingly significant. However, for the visually impaired without adequate access to computers and other technologies, obstacles with regard to education, leisure and secure a place in the labor market can be numerous. We know that in education for the blind, audiovisual resources are often used by the Institutions of Education, which may force eventually students with blindness or low vision to acquire a fragmented understanding of reality, reducing their interest and motivation. Thus, it is evident the importance of using suitable teaching material, which is not only virtual, since its require a high effort imagination from these individuals. Thus, this paper proposes the development of a graphics embossed printer by the use of acrylic emulsion paint with expansive heat properties. To investigate the viability of this product, it was proposed to build a prototype using scrap electronics and subsequently analyzed for their performance. This project has the intention to collaborate in the use of tactile exploration in the learning of knowledge related to the disciplines of Physics and Mathematics in high school. Also contributing to the provision of subsidies for the inclusion of this group of students in regular, vocational and higher education schools.

[pt] A acessibilidade é uma qualidade ainda pouco considerada na prática de projetos em Design, porém, cada vez mais necessária na nos diversos modos de interação entre o ser humano e os sistemas diversos. Existem nos dias atuais, muitas abordagens intencionadas a universalizar métodos para a produção de produtos, sistemas e ambientes que sejam acessíveis às pessoas com deficiências. A existência de tantas abordagens culmina, na mesma proporção, em frustrações no desenvolvimento de projetos em Design que objetivam o desenvolvimento produtos que sejam de fato eficazes, eficientes e que tragam satisfação aos usuários, no escopo da diversidade humana. Isto pode ser confirmado na rotina da pessoa com deficiência visual, que pode apresentar diferentes necessidade funcionais de acordo com o componente do olho que foi acometido. Essa dissertação se apresenta em uma pesquisa qualitativa, a partir de observação participante em campo, de caráter exploratório e experimental; fundamentada pela análise documental das leis relacionadas com a deficiência visual, acessibilidade, e com Educação Superior. Para investigar o usuário, foram utilizados questionários e entrevistas, que revelaram lacunas para as quais a Ergonomia apresenta métodos para a melhorar a qualidade na interação do usuário com deficiência visual, para as questões de Usabilidade e Interação Humano Computador; do Design Universal e do Design Universal para a Aprendizagem para as questões de acessibilidade. / [en] The accessibility is a quality that is still under-considered in Design projects, but increasingly necessary in different ways of interaction between humans and systems. There are many approaches at present intended to universalize methods to design accessible products, systems, and environments for people with disability. The existence of so many procedures culminates, in the same proportion, in frustration in the development of Design projects that aim to develop products to be really effective, efficient, and bring satisfaction to users, in human diversity scope. It is possible to verify this fact by the routine of people with visual impairment that can present different functional necessities, according to the component of the eye that was affected. This dissertation presents qualitative research, outlined from participatory field observation, wich character is exploratory and experimental, substantiated by the documentary analysis of the laws related to visual impairment, accessibility and also to Higher Education. Questionnaires and enquiries were used to investigate the users. This data showed up gaps where the Ergonomics features methods to improve quality in user interaction to usability issues and Human-computer interaction; and Universal Design and Universal Design for Learning can improve Accessibility issues.