Avaliação de uma tecnologia assistiva sobre amamentação para pessoas cegas

Abstract

Care technology is an accessibility resource to integrate disabled people and mitigate the harms of exclusion. Educative materials accessible to blind people that can be disseminated through the Internet can increase their independence and autonomy. In recent years, digital inclusion is widely emphasized in education, within the social, work and health context. People need to feel included in any environment, with a view to interacting, communicating, expressing themselves and feeling mutually accepted. This research was developed at the Health Communication Laboratory of the Nursing Department at the Federal University of Ceará, Brazil. The goal was to assess a care technology for blind people, based on string literature about breastfeeding, using distance access for health promotion. Pasquali’s model (1999) was used as a theoretical-methodological framework, concretizing the theoretical pole. The research was carried out from March to September 2009. Three experts in each specialty collaborated: content, string literature, pedagogical aspects and technical aspects. For data collection, an instrument was filled out that assessed questions related to content, rules of string literature, the blind’s accessibility to this technology and its distance use. The analysis involved comparing the experts’ notes and critically reflecting on their suggestions. Ethical aspects were respected in compliance with Resolution 196/96. After assessments, the technology was adjusted until its final approval. While the content and string literature experts made two assessments from the perspective of improving the string, whose considerations were included into the technology instrument itself, the pedagogical aspect experts (availability of technology to blind people) made only one, as they suggested few adjustments. In that phase, one of the experts was blind, which was important for the research because the technology targets the blind population. Almost all items were considered totally adequate in the final analysis. Technical aspect experts (use of this technology at a distance) made only one assessment as, for a second analysis, only one expert filled out the instrument. As observed in this phase, they related the study with distance education, but the research refers to distance access to assimilate contents in health. All contributions were valid because they support and stimulate learning, encouraging autonomy. Therefore, the technology is adequate and can be used for distance health education. Its contents do not reflect any type of discrimination or prejudice and the duration of the audio is adequate. The construction of care technology should be submitted to analysis with a view to its validation before being put at the public’s disposal. In this research, the theoretical pole, according to the abovementioned model, was carried out, while the empirical and analytical poles will be carried out in future research. To develop technologies that can make people autonomous and health and, thus, promote the population’s health, nurses should recognize the demands and needs of the community they deliver care to.