Literacy Policy for People with Visual Impairments in Fortaleza and BissauAbstract
Introduction. This article analyzes how the literacy policy for people with visual impairments in Fortaleza can serve as a reference for strengthening inclusive practices in Bissau, focusing on the use of digital assistive technologies. The study is primarily based on research by Felipe Silva (2023), Maria Silva (2022), and Vital (2023), in addition to official documents from Fortaleza and Bissau.
Methodology. This is a qualitative and documentary study founded on the analysis of curriculum guidelines and educational legislation in both contexts.
Results. In Fortaleza, the Reference Curriculum Documents (DCRFor) evidence progress in consolidating inclusive policies, including accessible digital resources, teacher training, and coordination with specialized institutions. In Bissau, official documents demonstrate still incipient progress, characterized by generic approaches and a lack of detailed strategies and investments.
Discussion. The study indicates that Fortaleza’s experience can support Bissau in formulating public policies, teacher training, and the implementation of digital assistive technologies, favoring equity in the literacy of people with visual impairments.
Conclusion. Cooperation between these contexts can expand inclusive practices and strengthen educational policies.
Keywords
Bissau; Fortaleza; literacy; people with visual impairments; inclusive education policy
Resumo
Introdução. O artigo analisa como a política de letramento de pessoas com deficiência visual em Fortaleza pode servir de referência para o fortalecimento de práticas inclusivas em Bissau, com foco no uso de tecnologias digitais assistivas, tendo se baseado principalmente nos estudos de Felipe Silva (2023), Maria Silva (2022) e Vital (2023), para além dos documentos de Fortaleza e de Bissau.
Metodologia. Trata-se de uma pesquisa qualitativa e documental, fundamentada na análise de diretrizes curriculares e legislações educacionais de ambos os contextos. Resultados. Em Fortaleza, os Documentos Curriculares Referenciais evidenciam avanços na consolidação de políticas inclusivas, incluindo recursos digitais acessíveis, formação docente e articulação com instituições especializadas. Já em Bissau, os documentos oficiais demonstram avanços ainda incipientes, com abordagens genéricas e falta de detalhamento sobre estratégias e investimentos.
Discussão. O estudo aponta que a experiência de Fortaleza pode subsidiar Bissau na formulação de políticas públicas, capacitação de professores e implementação de tecnologias assistivas digitais, favorecendo a equidade no letramento de pessoas com deficiência visual. Conclui-se que a cooperação entre os contextos pode ampliar as práticas inclusivas e fortalecer políticas educacionais.
Palavras-chave
Bissau; Fortaleza; letramento; pessoas com deficiência visual; política da educação inclusiva.
Resumen
Introducción. El artículo analiza cómo la política de alfabetización de personas con discapacidad visual en Fortaleza puede servir de referencia para el fortalecimiento de prácticas inclusivas en Bissau, centrándose en el uso de tecnologías digitales de apoyo, basándose principalmente en los estudios de Felipe Silva (2023), Maria Silva (2022) y Vital (2023), además de los documentos de Fortaleza y Bissau.
Metodología. Se trata de una investigación cualitativa y documental, basada en el análisis de las directrices curriculares y la legislación educativa de ambos contextos. Resultados. En Fortaleza, los Documentos Curriculares de Referencia evidencian avances en la consolidación de políticas inclusivas, incluyendo recursos digitales accesibles, formación docente y articulación con instituciones especializadas. En Bissau, por su parte, los documentos oficiales muestran avances aún incipientes, con enfoques genéricos y falta de detalle sobre estrategias e inversiones.
Discusión. El estudio señala que la experiencia de Fortaleza puede servir de base a Bissau para la formulación de políticas públicas, la capacitación de docentes y la implementación de tecnologías digitales de apoyo, favoreciendo la equidad en la alfabetización de las personas con discapacidad visual. Se concluye que la cooperación entre ambos contextos puede ampliar las prácticas inclusivas y fortalecer las políticas educativas.
Palabras clave
Bissau; Fortaleza; alfabetización; personas con discapacidad visual; política de educación inclusiva.
1 Introduction
This article examines inclusive policies and the literacy of people with visual impairments through the lenses of comparative education and digital accessibility. The right to inclusive education, especially for those with visual impairments, has become a central agenda in academic and institutional debates, revealing both significant advances and gaps in the school literacy process. This concern stems from a long history of exclusion and marginalization, particularly in contexts marked by deep social inequalities, such as various regions of the African continent, where people with visual impairments were frequently abandoned, relegated to social invisibility, and deemed incapable of performing relevant roles in community life.
This stigma, rooted in historical, cultural, and social prejudices, remains present in many spaces, although efforts are currently underway to overcome it through inclusive educational policies, specific legislation, and innovative pedagogical practices aimed at guaranteeing rights and promoting equity.
According to Oliveira (2016), visual impairment refers to a partial or total decrease in the ability to see compared to a condition considered normal vision. This concept encompasses both individuals with residual vision capable of perceiving shapes, colors, and light and those experiencing total blindness without any visual perception. The author further notes that visual impairment can result from multiple causes, including congenital factors, degenerative or infectious diseases, and acquired injuries, implying that the experience of disability is diverse and marked by particular trajectories.
In the same vein, Nascimento (2012) defines visual impairment as the total or partial loss of vision, which may be congenital or acquired, highlighting that visual acuity levels vary significantly among individuals.
The most common classifications point to two main groups: people with low vision (subnormal vision), who present significant visual impairment but maintain some degree of visual functionality; and blind people, whose vision loss is total or nearly total. In the first group, relevant rehabilitation results are often possible if diagnosis and treatment begin early, potentially reaching up to 80% recovery in some cases. In the second group are individuals whose blindness is irreversible but who, through technological resources, differentiated pedagogical practices, and specialized support, can develop autonomy and social agency.
Vital (2023) draws attention to a fundamental aspect: having a visual impairment should not be understood as synonymous with isolation, marginalization, or abandonment. On the contrary, it is a human condition that must be considered within the plurality of bodily and social experiences. What often limits the full participation of these individuals in society is not the disability itself, but the lack of sensitivity and effective public policies to address diversity. (Dias; Nascimento, 2024; Mendonça; Viana; Nascimento, 2023; Mororó et al., 2023). Consequently, the promotion of inclusive practices becomes imperative, especially in the field of Education, where literacy represents not only learning to read and write but also the possibility of critically interpreting the world and actively exercising citizenship.
In this scenario, the policy of integrating assistive technologies into the literacy of people with disabilities becomes indispensable for expanding inclusion possibilities and overcoming historical barriers. These technologies benefit both students and teachers, as they assist in lesson organization and enable better interaction (Dias; Nascimento, 2024; Mendonça; Viana; Nascimento, 2023; Silva, 2022).
However, researchers agree that while the contributions of assistive technologies to inclusion are indisputable, their use is not limited solely to the relationship between teacher, student, and school. It has a direct relationship with the subjects and society. Thus, “[...] given that assistive technologies are viewed as a science, one must seek the relationships between the social context and those found in the school environment” (Silva, 2022, p. 42).
Therefore, it is increasingly evident that the incorporation of digital and assistive technologies in the school space should not be seen merely as a supplementary resource, but as a central element for the realization of inclusive education.
The current debate involves two distinct educational contexts: Fortaleza, the capital of the state of Ceará (Brazil), and Bissau, the capital of Guinea-Bissau, located on the West African coast. The choice of these contexts is justified by their contrast: on one hand, Fortaleza has consolidated public policies and pedagogical practices focused on educational inclusion in recent years, with an emphasis on the use of digital technologies by people with different types of disabilities, including visual impairment. On the other hand, Bissau still faces structural, training, and technological challenges that hinder the full implementation of inclusive strategies in Education.
In this light, the objective of this study was to understand how documents regarding the literacy policy for people with visual impairments from the Municipal Secretariat of Fortaleza can contribute to strengthening inclusion practices in Bissau through digital assistive technologies in the educational process. It is based on the understanding that the exchange of experiences and pedagogical practices between different contexts can broaden horizons, generate innovative solutions, and, above all, reinforce public policies geared toward equity.
2 Methodology
This is a basic research study, the purpose of which is to generate theoretical knowledge relevant to scientific advancement in the field of inclusive education, without predicting an immediate practical application at this stage. No direct interventions in regular schools or specialized institutions for people with visual impairments are planned in Bissau or Fortaleza during this initial phase.
To contextualize the study, it is noted that Guinea-Bissau is a country with a small territorial extension (36,125 km2) and an estimated population of just over two million inhabitants (2,026,778), according to the 2009 Census of the Guinean National Institute of Statistics. In contrast, the state of Ceará, of which Fortaleza is the capital, has an area of 148,894 km2 and a population exceeding nine million people (9,233,656), according to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE, 2024). This contextualization does not aim to establish direct comparisons but rather to situate the distinct geographic and demographic scales in which inclusion policies are developed
The investigation focuses on the functioning of policies and practices related to educational inclusion and the use of digital assistive technologies in Fortaleza and Bissau. To this end, a documentary analysis is adopted, assuming that Fortaleza presents a greater consolidation of inclusive policies and practices.
The methodological approach is qualitative, aimed at an in-depth understanding of meanings, representations, and dynamics related to the use of digital technologies in the education of students with visual impairments. As such, it does not seek statistical measurement or generalization of results, but rather critical interpretation and contextualized understanding (Silva, 2024).
The methodological objective is descriptive and interpretive, intending to produce an analysis that contributes to academic literature and the debate on educational inclusion, identifying possibilities for transforming existing practices.
Regarding technical procedures, documentary research was chosen as the primary data collection strategy. This option allows for the examination of relevant documents, including curriculum guidelines, institutional reports, educational legislation, and academic productions regarding the inclusion of people with visual impairments and the use of educational Technologies
Content analysis was used to analyze the collected material, enabling the construction of valid and systematic inferences, a technique widely recognized as appropriate for qualitative research. This technique facilitates the critical and scientific interpretation of the analyzed documents to produce consistent results capable of guiding discussions and practices in the field of inclusive education.
3 Results and Discussion
As stated initially, this article focuses on inclusive policies and literacy from the perspective of comparative education and digital accessibility. The study began with an analysis of the Reference Curriculum Documents of Fortaleza (DCRFor), developed by educators, managers, and technicians from the Fortaleza Municipal Secretariat of Education (SME), coordinated by a team of professors from the Getúlio Vargas Foundation (FGV), that present a proposal for an educational project aimed at students in the school system.
The DCRFor aims to guide, organize, and regulate the systemic pedagogical practices in Fortaleza’s municipal network. The document is divided into nine volumes, all featuring themes such as inclusion, education, and transformation, evidencing a concern for building an inclusive, democratic school committed to diversity.
In this case, “[...] to include means to encompass, introduce, integrate, insert, and understand. We are, therefore, conceiving that the curriculum involves, as an educational guideline, the integration of other perspectives and possibilities: social, cultural, ethnic-racial, gender, educational, and technological/digital”. (Nascimento et al., 2024a, p. 13). Furthermore:
[...] to educate is to give meaning and formulate significations for what is done and lived; it is to direct and broaden one's gaze toward new horizons, stimulating the perception of the world-expanding its understanding; it is to provide fairer, more inclusive, and integrative spaces for learning. (Nascimento et al., 2024a, p. 13).
By conceiving the curriculum in this way, the document broadens the perspective to integrate various possibilities, emphasizing that inclusion goes beyond simply inserting content. It involves a complex process of understanding and integrating different views and realities. Education, in this context, means assigning meaning to the individual's experience, increasing their perception and critical capacity to understand the world. Transformation is presented as a fundamental element for learning, as it implies a reflective and structured change in thought.
The analysis delved into Volumes 1, 7, and 9, which most directly present the studied theme: the inclusion of students with visual impairments through the use of digital technologies (Table 1).
Volume 1 prioritizes the concept of inclusion as the starting point for any school discussion. It recognizes that the social context is permeated by structural inequalities and that certain students, such as those with visual impairments-the focus of this study-require specific and/or individualized actions for insertion into the educational process.
It acknowledges digital technologies as part of contemporary culture and students' lives, advocating for their critical and creative appropriation by teachers and the implementation of an inclusive curriculum. It proposes a curricular project based on a diversity of resources and methodologies, emphasizing an inclusive pedagogy that serves all students, including the special education target audience, supported by mediating and formative learning processes. (Nascimento et al., 2024a).
In this scenario, the incorporation of digital technologies into education is a fundamental strategy, especially necessary for students with disabilities-particularly those with visual impairments-who find in these tools various possibilities for access, participation, and learning.
The role of digital technologies in mediating the learning of students with visual impairments and promoting inclusion is emphasized more strongly in Volume 7. This volume highlights the importance of digital resources with expanded accessibility, such as screen-reading software (NVDA, JAWS), voice synthesizers, audiobooks, and applications with tactile or sound interfaces.
Volume 7 of the DCRFor explains that blind students, during the literacy process, use the Braille system along with screen-reading software and MECDaisy accessible books. Since this involves raised writing and reading, initial tools include slate and stylus sets and wooden or plastic boards. Only after students have learned to read and write do they transition to using Braille typewriters and other resources, such as: screen readers with voice synthesizers (Dosvox, Virtual Vision, JAWS), Bookreader scanners, folding canes, accessible books, adapted textbooks, maps, models, and dioramas, among others.
The evident concern is that the school must ensure students with visual impairments have access to curricular content through accessible digital technologies, respecting their specificities and potential. The document proposes the integration of people with visual impairments through differentiated pedagogical activities and tools that favor curriculum access, autonomy, and active participation in the school environment.
Consequently, the DCRFor recommends using equipment adapted to each student's specific situation. It reinforces the importance of continuous teacher training and collaborative work with Specialized Educational Services (AEE), highlighting that coordination between regular classroom teachers and AEE professionals is essential for planning accessible strategies and the proper use of technologies. (Nascimento et al., 2024b).
Corroborating the above, Volume 9 specifically addresses special education from an inclusive perspective, deepening the debate on technology use. It explains that “[...] digital inclusion has thus become essential in Fortaleza to promote educational progress and socioeconomic growth”. (Nascimento et al., 2024c, p. 66). It adds that “[...] by improving access to knowledge and global educational resources, it prepares citizens for the technological labor market and aims to create a fairer society, with improved access to services and greater participation in the digital economy”. (Nascimento et al., 2024c, p. 66).
It is observed that the concern for including people with visual impairments and using digital assistive technologies in the school literacy process is a cultural practice being consolidated in Fortaleza. Official educational documents from the City Hall evidence the need to ensure inclusion, especially for those with blindness, through access to and use of digital technologies in education. The continuity of this policy strengthens the commitment to promoting equal opportunities and effective inclusion in the school environment.
The content of Fortaleza’s documents regarding assistive technologies and inclusive education is corroborated by local and national media reports, which highlight municipal experiences and strengthen the local debate. The G1 News Portal (2019) reported that in Ceará, it is estimated that there are over 200,000 people with visual impairments, according to IBGE data.
Nordeste (2020) highlights actions by the Society for Assistance to the Blind (SAC), which offers psychological and fundamental support to the families of students with visual impairments. According to Marques (2019), this family support is indispensable as it strengthens the learning environment and contributes to effective student inclusion
Simultaneously, the Institute for the Blind recognizes the essential role of portable devices for teachers, noting that “[...] even if a large portion of students has some visual limitation, resources like audio and video calls manage to narrow the contact with students”. (Com aulas..., 2020). Thus, these digital devices, combined with integrated family support, contribute significantly to the literacy process, assisting students in tasks such as reading and writing. (Silva; Fumes, 2023).
The SAC, a philanthropic institution, operates in health, education, professionalization, and social integration. As a foundation, it receives financial support from the state government, offering the community a hospital clinic, school, and other public or contracted services, also performing medical procedures on-site, in addition to providing information on consultation hours and health insurance plans that offer coverage.
The Grupo Cidade de Comunicação Portal (GC+, 2023) presented the Hélio Góes Institute School, which specializes in teaching students with visual impairments from early childhood through the 9th grade. According to the portal, the school hosts the Academy of Letters and Arts of the Society for Assistance to the Blind, the first in Brazil where all members are visually impaired. Furthermore, “[...] the collection of the Hélio Góes Institute School library consists of books in Braille and large print, according to each student's needs”
Volumes 1, 7, and 9 of the DCRFor and other sources provide foundations for reflecting on pedagogical practices that ensure the literacy of students with visual impairments, particularly blind individuals. They seek to guarantee the right to full participation in school experiences and dialogue with principles of equity, accessibility, and pedagogical innovation. However, it is not yet known how assistive technologies relate in practice to the job skills training of these students, as education must precede labor market readiness. In this regard, it is understood that “[...] there is little data on how educational institutions appropriate assistive technologies as a work methodology”. (Silva, 2022, p. 42).
Additionally, there is little mention of the participation of parents of visually impaired students in the construction of these important guiding documents. It would be beneficial for parents to have a voice, as they deal directly with their children daily and can contribute to teaching strategies. As Vital (2023) states: “[...] family experiences occupy a very important place in the construction of our identity and self-esteem”. (Vital, 2023, p. 131).
It is important to note that, although it is not a document specifically issued by the Municipality of Fortaleza, the Guidelines Manual for Multifunctional Resource Rooms, published by the Ministry of Education (MEC) through the Secretariat of Special Education in 2010, provides guidance on the Program for the Implementation of Multifunctional Resource Rooms, which aims to support the organization of Special Educational Assistance (AEE) for students with disabilities, pervasive developmental disorders, and high abilities/giftedness enrolled in regular education (Brazil, 2010). The document details legal and pedagogical aspects, criteria for the implementation of these rooms, their composition, technical procedures for the delivery, installation, and maintenance of resources, as well as the institutionalization of AEE within the schools’ Political-Pedagogical Project.
The program is structured to meet the needs of students who are the target population of special education in Brazilian public regular schools and has been in force since its publication, being subject to monitoring and updates by the Ministry of Education (MEC). Although it was published in 2010, there is no explicit indication of its immediate loss of validity, as it remains a reference for the provision of Specialized Educational Assistance, constituting a federal resource intended for public education systems for the implementation of multifunctional resource rooms, according to the criteria for school enrollment and registration in the program.
According to this manual, the resources for blind students include a small-sized Braille printer with a minimum speed of 60 characters per second, featuring adjustable impact to accommodate different paper sizes and weights, as well as a voice synthesizer in Portuguese to verbalize commands. The manual also includes a mechanical Braille typewriter with nine keys, capable of writing up to 23 lines and 42 columns, with guaranteed technical assistance. Other resources include electronic and handheld magnifiers with different levels of magnification, a keyboard with a keyguard, a tabletop Braille slate for writing, an ergonomic stylus for Braille dot projection, and a talking calculator with raised keys and messages in Portuguese, ensuring full accessibility for students with visual impairments.
All materials are provided with technical support and manuals in the national language, with adapted devices designed to facilitate learning and promote the autonomy of blind students. These devices are part of the federal resources delivered to and maintained in public schools that adhere to the program, ensuring the provision of Specialized Educational Assistance (AEE) and effective inclusion for students with visual impairments.
In the context of Bissau, the three main documents of the Guinean State that address the education system as a whole were selected: the Basic Law of the Education System (LBSE) and two other key state documents that address the issue of inclusion of people with visual impairments (see Table 2).
The General Census of Population and Housing of Guinea-Bissau (Guinea-Bissau, 2009), despite being relatively old and not specifically addressing inclusion strategies for people with visual impairments-nor the use of digital technologies applied to education and literacy-remains, to date, the most recent available official source. It proves to be a valuable instrument by providing detailed data regarding the population with disabilities in the country.
The document states that “13,590 people with disabilities were registered. The gender structure of this population shows that disability affects 53.9% of men and 46.1% of women” (Guinea-Bissau, 2009, p. 11). Regarding people with visual impairments, the document notes that “[...] partial visual impairment is the most predominant at the national level, affecting 28.9% of the population with disabilities; that is, 29 out of every 100 disabled individuals are partially blind” (Guinea-Bissau, 2009, p. 11).
Concerning the quantitative survey of this general census and the analysis of the collected data, it can be stated that the school attendance rate of the population with disabilities is 10.3%, with the male rate at 11.5%, slightly higher than the female rate of 8.8% (Guinea-Bissau, 2009), expressing a significant lack of school attendance among people with disabilities.
In a context of approximately 14,000 people with disabilities, only 10% of this group has access to school. Among the literate population with disabilities, students with visual impairments are the least represented (2%), while people with physical disabilities of the lower limbs are better represented (34.3%) (Guinea-Bissau, 2009). Given these data, it can be inferred that this characterizes a state of abandonment for people with visual impairments.
The most important educational document in Guinea-Bissau that regulates the country’s educational system dates from 2010. The LBSE dedicated Article 34 - Structuring of Special Education - to address the structure of inclusive education, which can be found in half a page:
1. Special education takes place in regular teaching establishments, as well as in specific establishments, depending on the type and degree of disability and the learning pace of the student. 2. Curricula, programs, and evaluation systems must be adapted to each type and degree of disability, as well as to the student's learning pace. 3. The State and other public and private entities must support actions in the area of special education. 4. The definition of general regimes for special education, namely in the pedagogical and technical fields, is the responsibility of the government department responsible for the coordination of educational policy.
It is understood that the Guinean State presents a concern regarding the education of people with visual impairments, but it still demonstrates weaknesses and an absence of specific actions directed toward this audience. Another observed aspect is that official documents tend to perceive special education generically, as if all people with disabilities shared the same needs and particularities, disregarding the diversity existing among different groups.
In this context, it is fundamental to develop policies and guidelines that recognize the specificities of each condition, proposing support structures, pedagogical resources, and inclusion strategies adjusted to the singularities of each person or group of people with disabilities.
The third document-the National Strategic Plan for Inclusive Education for Guinea-Bissau 2022-2028-is a document that timidly mentions support for teacher training for inclusive education and the use of digital technologies. The document does not clarify what type of support will be offered for teacher training to operate in schools, nor does it report the funds allocated by the Guinean government for such training and the acquisition of digital educational technology accessories. Similar to the other analyzed document, this one is also generic and does not specify what the strategies will be for creating an inclusive educational system for different groups of people with disabilities: “[...] quality professional improvement of the service, as a strategic way to improve the ministerial structure for the national coordination of Inclusive Education policies” (Guinea-Bissau, 2022, p. 27).
Furthermore, the document exhorts the issue of social behavioral change regarding people with disabilities, ensuring the inclusion of people with disabilities in heterogeneous classes and providing services aimed at helping schools find pedagogical answers for groups of students with disabilities.
The documents show the Guinean State’s intention to improve the literacy process for people with disabilities by including them in common classrooms so they can learn together with other so-called “normal” students. However, it is understood that people with visual impairments in Guinea-Bissau continue to face difficulties in accessing school and, consequently, digital technologies-school being the space where people with disabilities could use these resources with specialized teachers to guide them in promoting literacy. This is affirmed by the Guinean researcher when stating that, although the laws of Guinea-Bissau address policies for the inclusion of people with disabilities in heterogeneous schools, “[...] the country’s public schools have been unable to comply with the law; that is, to receive people with disabilities, and therefore lack didactic materials and possess few qualified professionals to deal with various forms of disability” (Silva, 2023, p. 32).
5 Final Considerations
The present study allowed for an understanding of how documents regarding the literacy policy for people with visual impairments from the SME of Fortaleza can contribute to the strengthening of inclusion practices in Bissau through digital assistive technologies in the educational process.
The curriculum documents of the City Hall of Fortaleza evidence significant advances in education in Fortaleza, especially in the way they recognize diversity and point to the use of digital technologies as support tools for literacy and the inclusion of people with disabilities. Another aspect is that they demonstrate, beyond the concern of guaranteeing access and permanence for students with disabilities in schools, essential technological resources and adaptations for educational development and the autonomy of these individuals.
The performance of specialized institutions, the support of municipal and state policies, and the presence of accessible technological resources strengthen a culture of inclusion and the construction of an educational identity in the municipality that is independent of specific administrations, expressing the consolidation of the commitment to people with disabilities in the school literacy process, especially through the use of digital technologies.
In contrast, the analysis of official documents from Guinea-Bissau reveals progress that is still timid and a generic approach to the inclusion of people with visual impairments. Although there is legal recognition of the need for inclusive education, actions and strategies remain poorly detailed, without specifying resources, teacher training, or investments in digital technologies. Statistical data point to a low rate of schooling among people with visual impairments, which highlights the urgency of more effective and targeted policies.
Given this scenario, it is concluded that Fortaleza's experience can contribute to education in Bissau, especially in the formulation of public policies, teacher training, and the implementation of accessible digital technologies in schools. Cooperation between these contexts, respecting their specificities, can significantly contribute to the advancement of literacy and the inclusion of people with visual impairments in Bissau, promoting equal opportunities and social participation.
The need to deepen research and promote exchanges between the realities of Fortaleza and Bissau is emphasized, aiming at the construction of more effective strategies adapted to local demands, with the goal of guaranteeing the right to inclusive and quality education for all people with visual impairments.
It is understood that South-South cooperation between Fortaleza and Bissau can significantly contribute to Bissau overcoming challenges related to the inclusion of people with visual impairments in specialized and regular schools, the training of teachers to work with this audience, and the adoption of digital technologies in the literacy process, taking advantage of the experiences and advances already consolidated in Fortaleza.
In this perspective, the use of digital assistive technologies in education in Fortaleza can serve as a model for Bissau by demonstrating the importance of detailed public policies, specific teacher training, the provision of accessible technological resources, and the involvement of the entire school community. Fortaleza's experience shows that the effective inclusion of people with visual impairments in the literacy process depends on integrated and continuous actions, which can be adapted to Bissau's reality to overcome historical challenges and promote a truly inclusive education.
Inclusion implies the right to learn with quality, meaning, and a sense of belonging. In this process, accessible digital technologies are not mere instruments, but fundamental mediations for the construction of knowledge, autonomy, and citizenship for people with visual impairments in school and in life.
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Ad hoc reviewer:
Karla Colares Translated by: Thiago Alves Moreira
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How to cite this article (ABNT):
INFAU, Laurindo Leite; NASCIMENTO, Karla Angélica Silva do; ALBUQUERQUE, Aparecida Maria Costa de. Política de letramento de pessoas com deficiência visual em Fortaleza e Bissau. Educação & Formação, Fortaleza, v. 11, e16642, 2026. Disponível em: https://revistas.uece.br/index.php/redufor/article/view/e16642
Data Availability:
Research data are available within the body of the manuscript.
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Edited by
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Chief Editor:
Lia Machado Fiuza Fialho
