A panorama on selection and use of bioinformatics tools in the Brazilian University context

Abstract

Bioinformatics is an interdisciplinary area that uses computational tools to process large amounts of biological data, such as sequence and structures of biological macromolecules, often derived from experimental methods. To manipulate these data and obtain meaningful results, bioinformatics employs a variety of databases and software tools based on complex interfaces, command line tools, task integration, abstract information, and jargons of a specific knowledge domain. Human-computer interaction issues, such as usability, ergonomics, satisfaction of use, and accessibility may hinder the efficient exploration of the multidimensional nature of biological information. In an educational context, these issues constitute barriers to the use of these tools, particularly by visually impaired users. In this artic, we investigate the technological/pedagogical resources used for teaching bioinformatics in the Brazilian context and the perceptions of educators about the inclusion of the visually impaired. A quantitative-qualitative methodology was used for data collection and analysis. The study shows the tools and procedures most commonly used to support the teaching of bioinformatics in Brazilian universities. Also, it reveals that most bioinformatics teachers are not prepared to work with visually impaired students, evidencing the lack of information on assistive/inclusive technologies and/or their use.