Tia Zilda. Stories of inclusion

 It was created in response to the scarcity of 
accessible books in Brazil, where, according to the latest 2022 Census conducted 
by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), the illiteracy rate 
among persons with disabilities aged 15 and over is four times higher than among 
persons without disabilities. One of the main reasons for this disparity is the lack of 
accessible publications, which limits access to information.
One of the project's objectives is to expand the production of accessible 
publications in Brazil, fostering a reading culture and supporting the literacy 
development of persons with disabilities. To achieve this, the initiative published 
and distributed the 15th book on inclusion by Claudia Werneck - the only Brazilian 
author recommended by UNESCO and UNICEF - and made available, free of 
charge, the equivalent of 36,000 accessible copies (counting all accessible formats) 
through 30 organizations serving beneficiaries in all regions of the country.
The project was conceived according to Design for All principles. Accessibility was 
integrated from the outset, enabling persons with different disabilities, literacy levels 
and reading preferences to access the same literary work through multiple formats. 
During the launch events in 2024, all accessible formats were presented 
simultaneously through fully accessible digital resources, allowing participants to 
experience the same literary work at exactly the same moment using their preferred 
format. This unprecedented approach transformed accessibility itself into part of the 
public cultural experience.
Persons with disabilities participated in the development, testing and validation of all 
accessibility features, ensuring their effectiveness and usability. The book is 
available in nine accessible formats: a printed Wire-0 edition that facilitate handling 
by readers; audiobook; audiobook with audio description; accessible PDF, TXT and 
DOC files with image descriptions; video in Brazilian Sign Language (Libras) with 
captions; video in Easy Language; and an accessible e-book with descriptions of 
images and graphics. Digital master files for Braille printing are also provided free of 
charge.

A tactile QR Code in the printed edition provides direct access to all digital formats 
through Escola de Gente's digital platforms, including VEM CA, the EC's Zero 
Project Award-winning accessible platform. Tia Zilda demonstrates how 
accessibility can be embedded into publishing from the outset, creating a single 
cultural experience for everyone.

The main impact of this project is that persons who are blind, deaf, deafblind, have 
intellectual disabilities, with low literacy and other possible barriers to acquiring information 
when it is presented without accessibility measures gained access to the same literary work 
as everyone else through formats designed for their needs. This contributes to expanding 
the still limited selection of truly inclusive and accessible literature in Brazil.
But the impact goes further than that: the methodology created for Tia Zilda is highly 
replicable, which has the potential to multiply the impact of this project by a lot. In fact, the 
project’s methodology has already influenced subsequent accessible publishing initiatives 
developed by Escola de Gente, including a new book - “Tia Lila. Stories about inclusion” - 
planned in 12 accessible formats.
Furthermore, the project exposed 30 organizations all over Brazil, and thousands of people 
within them, to accessible reading in practice, demonstrating that accessible publishing, 
even at scale, is possible.

Tia Zilda - Stories of Inclusion improves the current situation in several ways. Although 
accessible books exist in Brazil, they remain scarce and are often offered in a limited number 
of formats, meaning that many persons with disabilities or communication barriers continue 
to face difficulties accessing literature and information. The project addresses this challenge 
by making the same literary work - the Tia Zilda book - available simultaneously in nine 
accessible formats - listed above in the Project Summary section -, allowing readers with 
different disabilities, literacy levels and communication preferences to access the same 
content according to their needs.
Not only that, but the author, Claudia Werneck, takes a step that few other authors do: all of 
her books are available online free of charge in Escola de Gente’s digital channels, and Tia 
Zilda is no exception, having been made available online from the very day it was launched. 
This is perhaps one of the biggest innovations with every single project made by Escola de 
Gente: it considers the lack of cost to be an accessibility measure, as according to the UN, 
over 80% of persons with disabilities live in poverty in countries such as Brazil.
The project also improves the traditional publishing process. Rather than treating 
accessibility as an adaptation introduced after publication, accessibility was incorporated 
from the outset and became a central element of the book’s design and production. This 
approach is fully aligned with Design for All principles and demonstrates how inclusive 
publishing can be planned from the beginning rather than implemented as a corrective 
measure.
Another important improvement is the participation of persons with disabilities in the 
development and validation of the accessibility resources, as often, even when 
organizations do apply accessibility to their products, it’s not tested - or at least, not as 
thoroughly as Tia Zilda’s accessibility measures were. Their involvement helped ensure that 
the accessible formats effectively met user requirements and preferences, strengthening 
both the quality and usability of the final product.