Abstract
This paper details the development and impact of the "Lembrei de Você" (I Remembered You) project, an inclusive design initiative that created a digital platform to combat loneliness and promote autonomy among the visually impaired, especially the elderly, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Using participatory methods, the research led to the creation of a platform that manages and distributes audio messages through a solidarity network of readers and listeners. The study describes the design process, from accessibility requirements to implementation using WordPress. Results show the platform successfully optimized project logistics and fostered an inclusive digital environment, enhancing social interaction and cognitive engagement through orality. The project is concluded to be a replicable model of social innovation, contributing significantly to inclusive design at the intersection of digital accessibility, psychosocial support, and aging.
Keywords
inclusive design; digital accessibility; visual impairment; loneliness
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2026.2709
Citation
Moura, M., Portugal, C., and Guimarães, M. (2026) Digital Platform to Foster Social Engagement for the Visually Impaired, in Simeone, L., Gray, C. M., Verhoeven, A., de Götzen, A., Bakırlıoğlu, Y., Zohar, H., Stead, M., and Buwert, P. (eds.), DRS2026: Edinburgh, 8–12 June, Edinburgh, United Kingdom. https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2026.2709
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Included in
Digital Platform to Foster Social Engagement for the Visually Impaired
This paper details the development and impact of the "Lembrei de Você" (I Remembered You) project, an inclusive design initiative that created a digital platform to combat loneliness and promote autonomy among the visually impaired, especially the elderly, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Using participatory methods, the research led to the creation of a platform that manages and distributes audio messages through a solidarity network of readers and listeners. The study describes the design process, from accessibility requirements to implementation using WordPress. Results show the platform successfully optimized project logistics and fostered an inclusive digital environment, enhancing social interaction and cognitive engagement through orality. The project is concluded to be a replicable model of social innovation, contributing significantly to inclusive design at the intersection of digital accessibility, psychosocial support, and aging.