Assistive technologies for visual and hearing impairments offered to medical students in Brazil

Abstract

Abstract: Introduction: Assistive technologies (AT) are products, equipment, devices, resources, methodologies and strategies that can be used in education to promote autonomous learning and academic success for students who have some type of disability. Objective: The objective was to analyze the AT available in medical courses in Brazil to support medical students with hearing and/or visual impairment. Methods: This is a descriptive study that used data from undergraduate medical courses participating in the Higher Education Census coordinated by Anísio Teixeira National Institute of Educational Studies and Research (Instituto Nacional de Estudos e Pesquisas Educacionais Anísio Teixeira, INEP), in 2018. AT for students with hearing and/or visual impairment that were available in medical courses were evaluated considering the characteristics of the institution, such as the type of administration (public versus private), location (capital versus interior) and the year the course started (from the year 2000 versus before year 2000). Results: In 2018, there were 323 active medical courses in Brazil. Most of them (90%) confirmed the offer of at least one type of AT. The discipline of Brazilian Sign Language (LIBRAS, Linguagem Brasileira de Sinais) was the most frequently offered AT (80%) and tactile material was the least offered AT (32%). There was greater comprehensiveness of AT supply for medical students in courses with a private administration, compared to the public ones. The location and the year the course started did not influence the provision of AT in Brazil. The courses showed better AT comprehensiveness to support students with hearing impairment than those with visual impairment. Conclusion: Most medical courses supply AT for people with visual and/or hearing impairments who are medical students, but incompletely. Although the location of the course and the length of time that the course has been active did not influence AT provision, the study revealed inequalities. Medical students with visual and/or hearing impairments have access to assistive technologies especially in courses with private administration, adding more barriers to their financial possibilities, which are already sufficiently affected by the fact that they have to meet the essential needs common to people living with disabilities.