The ICTs are an essential ally to foster the abilities of people with accessibility needs, giving them autonomy, independence and access to services and information. Precisely in this context we find the mobile app ‘Cultura Accesible’, developed by the Valencian enterprise ‘Feedback Cultural’, which provides inclusive audio-descriptions of the art works and rooms of the cultural entities participating in this project –among which we find the Cultural Centre La Nau–, making them accessible to blind of partially sighted people, as well as people with auditory functional diversity using subtitles and sign language. However, and unlike other similar apps, the content of this tool is thought for people with and without functional diversity, what means a qualitative advantage since it is not necessary to make adjustments later.

Download ‘Cultura Accesible’ 

‘Cultura Accesible’ is already available for free in Play Store and Apple Store. The visit offered by the Cultural Centre La Nau of the Universitat de València consists of 14 entries that include an introduction to the building, the cultural spaces, the heritage spaces (cloister, paraninfo, rectoral courtyard, Sapiencia Chapel, Office of the Principal rooms...) and some representative works, among which we can find the sculpture of Lluís Vives, the medallions of the cloister, the painting of the Virgen de la Sapiencia, the portrait of the principal Vicente Blasco or the ancient strongbox.

There are a Valencian and a Spanish version available for each of these 14 items. Each entry consists of a video with audio and sign language description and subtitles in the pertinent language. To access the contents, the user has to install the app on the mobile phone and connect the Bluetooth. It has been installed a system of beacons in La Nau that activates automatically the content of each information point at the moment the user is inside its radius of action. Also, the app allows the access to the content without relying on the beacons, which makes possible its usage out of the centre to access the information before or after the on-site visit. In addition to the Cultural Centre La Nau, ‘Cultura Accesible’ provides accessible guided visits to the Natural History Museum of the Universitat de València (MUVHN).

The app has the support of the University of Valencia General Foundation and the Councillorship of Innovation and Knowledge Management of Valencia City Council.