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Making research more accessible to people with visual impairments

Behind the scenes of research

Equality and solidarityResearch in society

When a participatory science project like inmob, aimed at visually impaired people, discovers that its target audience cannot access its work, it is a major setback in the works. To support researchers and associations in healthy and sustainable collaboration as part of this research, the ACCESS project has led scientists to review their communication habits. This in-depth work is now benefiting the entire university and the visually impaired community.

Photo of a feedback workshop at Université Gustave Eiffel
Credit: GEOLOC laboratory

Participatory science, accessible science

The inmob joint laboratory, formed by the GEOLOC research team and the company Okeenea, is participatory by design. The tests carried out in the Nantes region serve to record the experiences of visually impaired users, to build a highly detailed geolocation tool tailored to the needs of the visually impaired. However, without visually impaired volunteers to act as testers for the project developed by researchers, it would not be possible to create a geolocation tool adapted to their needs... As a result, to recruit volunteers and involve them in the long-term scientific process, it was essential to develop a range of communication channels and tools.

A range of tailored communication tools

Photo of a business card in Braille
Credit: GEOLOC laboratory

With the help of a student from the Nantes School of Design, hosted for a year, the laboratory created new communication materials tailored to its audience. Researchers now have business cards in Braille and a website with ergonomic design for the visually impaired. There are also USBs and 'fake' sensors to explain their work to the visually impaired - the range of tools created includes both digital and physical materials. The team also produces videos and podcasts to publicise its work and encourage new testers to join the adventure. During the feedback workshops, which were redesigned from scratch to meet the specific needs of this group, PhD students and researchers also moved away from PowerPoints and placed more emphasis on oral presentations. And the ACCESS project has gone even further members of the GEOLOC Laboratory also had the opportunity to learn how to interact with people with visual impairments, in particular, working on guiding techniques, thanks to members of the Valentin Haüy Association.