Mobile as Assistive Technology Brazil Project Report Summary

An accessible summary of evidence for policymakers, funders, mobile network operators, and mobile manufacturers

This document presents the summary of findings from research investigating the impact of Mobile as Assistive Technology conducted in Brazil between 2024 and 2025. The project explored whether smartphones can serve as assistive technology for people who are Blind or Partially Sighted (BPS) and people who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing (DHH).

The research was funded by the UK Department for International Development, Google, and ATScale – Global Partnership for Assistive Technology.

The research was led by Global Disability Innovation Hub (GDI Hub) and University College London in collaboration with University of Sao Paulo, Rio Branco Vocational Center and Educational Center for the Deaf (CES and CEPRO), Laramara — the Brazilian Association to Assist People with Visual Impairment, Support Centre for the Visually Impaired (CADEVI), Light for the Blind Institute, ENIAC — Guarulhos University Centre of Excellence (via a local BPS instructor). The mobile data plan was provided free of charge through an agreement between a local telecommunications provider (Claro S.A.) and the University of São Paulo Medical School General Hospital (HCFMUSP).

Background and Rationale

More than 84% of people in Brazil use the internet — yet this figure masks a persistent and significant gap for people with disabilities. Data collected between 2012 and 2016 indicate that internet use, computer use, and mobile phone ownership are consistently lower among people with disabilities across all social classes in Brazil. Only 36.8% of people with disabilities use the internet, and 64.9% own a mobile phone, compared to higher rates in the non-disabled population.

Globally, people with disabilities in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) face a mobile ownership gap ranging from 11% to 55% compared to the general population. Brazil reflects these patterns: while approximately 84.4% of Brazilians owned a mobile phone for personal use before this study, access was far from universal, with economic constraints and limited digital literacy cited as the primary barriers.

Smartphones have significant potential as assistive tools. Built-in accessibility features and specialised applications can replicate or complement many traditional assistive products. When accessible and properly used, they can increase independence, facilitate participation in the digital economy, and expand access to information and services. Despite this, there is limited evidence on the impact of providing smartphones or data plans to assistive technology (AT) users in LMICs, or on how such programmes can be implemented effectively.

This study, therefore, aimed to examine the feasibility and impact of providing smartphones to AT users in Brazil, with a specific focus on two groups: Blind and Partially Sighted (BPS) individuals and Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) individuals. The core objective was to generate evidence to inform the design of future, larger-scale programmes that leverage mobile technology for empowerment.

Research Questions

The study was structured around four primary research questions:

• How do people with disabilities use mobile phones in their daily lives?
• How does mobile phone use affect the quality of life of people with disabilities?
• To what extent can mobile phones complement or replace conventional assistive products?
• What types of support enable people with disabilities to develop the digital skills needed to benefit fully from mobile technology?