Since 2004 the Brazilian Chamber of Deputies has been making efforts to become a more accesible institution. The Accessibility Office was created as part of the structure of the Lower House to work together with other internal departments on planning and executing actions to ensure accessibility of persons with disabilities at the Chamber of Deputies´s premises, as well as to its products, services and information., be them employees, members of parliament, visitors, TV viewers or Internet users.

Based on Brazilian laws and on national and international principles and recommendations, many adaptations have implemented to attend the specific needs of people with physical, visual, hearing and ou intelectual limitations and overcome behavioral, architectural and communicational barriers. The staff  is also enabled to attend this public. Several other projects are being planned or are presently under development.

Through these efforts, the Chamber of Deputies hopes to reduce prejudice and social inequality, enhance respect to diversity and therefore become a reference in social responsibility among public institutions in Brazil.

Lines of Actions

• Physical accessibility: urban and architectural adaptations; furniture; assistive technology; car fleet; circulation and mobility.
• Accessibility of communication: pages at the Chamber of Deputies´ website; IT systems; Brazilian Sign Language interpretation; audiodescription; real time closed captioning; hearing loop systems and audio outputs for bluetooth and FM; legislation in accessible formats; scale models and tactile maps; visual, tactile and sound signaling; assistive technology equipment and software.
• Awareness raising and training: courses, seminars and lectures; fairs and exhibitions; artistic events; technical visits; Exchange of Information and experience with both public and private institutions; varied communication and promotion actions.
• External Interaction: technical cooperation with other institutions; research, prospection and analysis of market-available accessibility solutions; assistance, support and consulting.
• Social inclusion: inspection of quotas for persons with disabilities in public tenders; hiring of services provided by persons with disabilities; adaptations in the work environment.