Alstom Foundation starting VR railway education in Brazil
- Pinnacle Team
- Sep 4
- 2 min read
The Alstom Foundation has launched an innovative virtual reality (VR) training program for people with developmental disabilities in São Paulo, Brazil. The program, a partnership called "Virtual Reality for Inclusion", is a collaboration with the disability service and support organization Instituto Jô Clemente (IJC). This initiative aims to help people with learning, cognitive, and autism spectrum disorders navigate railway and subway services more easily.
Enhancing Resilience and Confidence with VR Training
The program focuses on building resilience and confidence by allowing participants to explore a railway environment through a virtual reality simulation, where they learn to overcome physical or social challenges. This gives participants the opportunity to "develop skills to navigate a world not always designed for them."
Daniela Mendes, CEO of IJC, explained, "This project enhances safety by allowing people with intellectual disabilities and autism to familiarize themselves with complex urban environments in a controlled virtual setting. The main objective is to empower the people we support through our professional inclusion services. This will allow 900 people to be prepared for the real world, empowering them to feel comfortable and confident in exploring the city."
Support and Collaboration with the University of São Paulo
The program is supported by the University of São Paulo's Interdisciplinary Centre for Interactive Technologies and the Alstom Foundation and its regional institutes. The VR course consists of modules that include train routes and maps, getting on and off trains, visual and auditory communication tools, and supported VR sessions.
A Commitment to Inclusion and Accessibility
Anne-Cecile Barbier, Director of Corporate Social Responsibility and Secretary-General of the Alstom Foundation, emphasized, "Access to mobility is one of the four pillars of work that the Alstom Foundation addresses. We are proud to support this project because it not only aligns with this goal but also with one of Alstom's core values: inclusion."
This effort is a significant step toward helping people with developmental disabilities live more independently and freely explore urban environments.
May 16, 2024
