Accessibility and Inclusion in Museums and Science Centers in Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

Access to scientific dissemination in museums and science centers for people with and without disabilities represents the social and cultural democratization of these spaces, therefore, it is necessary to broaden the discussion about accessibility and inclusion in these environments. The purpose of this article is to verify the target audience and accessibility strategies or resources in museums and science centers, in the context of research in the form of theses and dissertations defended between 2010 and 2019 and deposited in the CAPES Theses and Dissertations Catalog, as well as knowing the relationship between accessibility and inclusion established by the authors of the analyzed works. A qualitative research was carried out whose search in the referred catalog was based on the following descriptors: “Science Museum”, “Science Museums”, “Science Centers”, separately, and the terms “Accessibility” AND “Museum”, “Accessibility” AND “Museums” and “Accessibility” AND “Science Centers”. In all, 12 works were selected, being 8 dissertations and 4 theses. Through a content analysis, the treated data showed that deafness, visual and intellectual disabilities, as well as disability in general, were the focus of the work's approach. Several accessibility strategies were used, such as the use of multisensory resources that involved the visual, auditory, tactile, and taste senses, among others. It can be inferred that the concepts of accessibility and inclusion, despite having specificities between them, have a relationship of interdependence, as they arise from the political movement of people with disabilities, which demands the elimination of the various barriers that hinder access and participation of people with disabilities in all social spheres.

Keywords

• acessibilidade e inclusão
• museus e centros de ciências
• divulgação científica
• revisão