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By Fabiana Rosa, Communication and Corporate Responsibility Manager at Indra in Brazil
The technologies marked a real revolution, in which the meaning of “being connected” acquired a new value. Today, being connected means “being a part”, integrating a social network in which we meet our friends, share our interests and access various opportunities. Technologies have definitely improved our quality of life, allowing us to overcome social, cultural, geographic barriers that used to limit us. Technologies have brought us closer to the world and the world to us.
However, this revolution is not equally available to the whole of society. People with physical disabilities have seen little progress - and quite late - in this technological wave, accessing the available technological resources in a partial, limited and incomplete way. With more than 200 million inhabitants, the population with some physical disability in Brazil exceeds 22%. According to the World Health Organization, 10% of the population has some type of disability and 80% lives in developing countries. In Latin America and the Caribbean, that number would correspond to 85 million people.
It is precisely within the scope of the inclusion of people with some type of disability that IT companies have the unique opportunity to exercise the role of corporate citizen, creating technologies that help society move forward. One of the main global technology companies, Indra, has as one of its objectives to use innovation and technological development as tools for greater social integration.
Through Accessible Technologies, a partnership model that allows interaction between the multinational and universities, Indra seeks to reduce these digital gaps by developing innovative solutions and services in the area of accessibility and inclusion. With more than 50 projects developed in the last 15 years, there are many examples of tools that have contributed to improving the access of people with disabilities to technology. These successful solutions already register more than 450,000 downloads from 95 countries, including Brazil.
In 2014, Indra's Chair in Accessible Technologies in Brazil was signed with Red Ilumno, a network formed by nine universities in Latin America, which includes the Brazilian Universities Veiga de Almeida (UVA) and the Jorge Amado University Center (UNIJORGE). With an estimated time of four years, the project aims to expand the access of people with disabilities to higher education at a distance.
The project foresees several stages, starting with the elaboration of an overview of people with disabilities who are already in higher education at a distance. Among the institutions that make up Red Ilumno, it was mapped that visual (202), hearing (100) and mobility (155) deficiencies are the most present among students with some disability.
After the initial research phase, the Chair will propose technologies that will meet these needs. As a final result, the partnership will result in new solutions to minimize the digital divide that still affects the population with disabilities, bringing results that must go beyond Brazil's barriers and offer alternatives for a more equal society.
However, this revolution is not equally available to the whole of society. People with physical disabilities have seen little progress - and quite late - in this technological wave, accessing the available technological resources in a partial, limited and incomplete way. With more than 200 million inhabitants, the population with some physical disability in Brazil exceeds 22%. According to the World Health Organization, 10% of the population has some type of disability and 80% lives in developing countries. In Latin America and the Caribbean, that number would correspond to 85 million people.
It is precisely within the scope of the inclusion of people with some type of disability that IT companies have the unique opportunity to exercise the role of corporate citizen, creating technologies that help society move forward. One of the main global technology companies, Indra, has as one of its objectives to use innovation and technological development as tools for greater social integration.
Through Accessible Technologies, a partnership model that allows interaction between the multinational and universities, Indra seeks to reduce these digital gaps by developing innovative solutions and services in the area of accessibility and inclusion. With more than 50 projects developed in the last 15 years, there are many examples of tools that have contributed to improving the access of people with disabilities to technology. These successful solutions already register more than 450,000 downloads from 95 countries, including Brazil.
In 2014, Indra's Chair in Accessible Technologies in Brazil was signed with Red Ilumno, a network formed by nine universities in Latin America, which includes the Brazilian Universities Veiga de Almeida (UVA) and the Jorge Amado University Center (UNIJORGE). With an estimated time of four years, the project aims to expand the access of people with disabilities to higher education at a distance.
The project foresees several stages, starting with the elaboration of an overview of people with disabilities who are already in higher education at a distance. Among the institutions that make up Red Ilumno, it was mapped that visual (202), hearing (100) and mobility (155) deficiencies are the most present among students with some disability.
After the initial research phase, the Chair will propose technologies that will meet these needs. As a final result, the partnership will result in new solutions to minimize the digital divide that still affects the population with disabilities, bringing results that must go beyond Brazil's barriers and offer alternatives for a more equal society.
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