We are very pleased to announce that we have renewed our collaboration agreement with the TransMedia Catalonia research group for four more years!
TransMedia Catalonia is an interdisciplinary research group at the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB), founded in 2004, which focuses, among other areas, on research into communication accessibility. They also work on user evaluation and the implementation of new technologies to improve accessibility experiences across various formats and platforms.
For us, accessibility to information and communication is key to ensuring the inclusion and full citizenship of people with intellectual disabilities. The field of cognitive accessibility has recently been included in the Accessibility Code of Catalonia, but it is an area where there is still much to explore. In this sense, we believe it is strategic to collaborate on research projects aimed specifically at making access to information more effective for people with reading comprehension difficulties.
New audiovisual formats
The collaboration agreement with the TransMedia Catalonia group began in 2021. Since then, the people we support have participated in experiments and tests for various innovative projects, such as the MediaVerse project, funded by the European Commission. This project aimed to explore new audiovisual formats accessible to people with disabilities. One of the group’s notable initiatives was the creation of an immersive tour of our facilities, recorded with 360º cameras, and featuring explanations adapted for people with auditory and visual impairments. This has been an important first step in exploring immersive and interactive technologies for activities with the people we support.
Innovation in easy-to-read
Additionally, we have participated in several research projects focused on easy-to-read materials, a methodology that facilitates document comprehension through the use of accessible texts, designs, and icons. For instance, in 2023, we took part in a research project on the effectiveness of easy-to-read materials. The researchers analyzed different strategies to improve understanding, such as the use of images or the repetition of information. The results will enable us to create more accessible materials for people with intellectual disabilities. The findings of these studies will be published soon in specialized journals and will help improve the comprehension of information for people with difficulties.
Progress in accessibility
The results of these studies will soon be published in specialized journals and will help improve the level of information comprehension for people with difficulties.
In the meantime, the renewal of this agreement will allow us to continue working to improve the quality of accessible content, tailored to the needs of the people we support, and to contribute to building a kinder and more inclusive society.