Silence is not the absence of sound—it is a language of its own, rich with expression yet too often unheard. For many deaf individuals, the world isn’t just quiet; it’s filled with closed doors, conversations they can’t enter, and opportunities just out of reach. The struggle isn’t about hearing—it’s about being seen, understood, and truly included. While technology and awareness have made strides, real integration remains a battle against systems built for those who speak and listen in ways they cannot. The question isn’t whether they can adapt to the world—it’s whether the world is willing to meet them halfway.

Edukanetis answering that call, not by demanding that deaf individuals fit into a system never designed for them, but by reshaping the system itself. At the heart of this transformation is its Founder Cristiano Batista dos Santos, a relentless advocate who refuses to accept exclusion as the norm. His vision for Edukanet goes beyond education—it is about dismantling barriers, creating spaces where the deaf community is not just accommodated but empowered.

Pioneering True Educational Equity

Cristiano was inspired to create an inclusive educational platform by personal experiences within his family. His deaf uncle faced communication barriers, which became evident when he was excluded from a family WhatsApp group. This realization sparked Cristiano’s awareness of broader accessibility challenges.

In discussions with partner Giuliano Santos, Co-founder of Edukanet—whose father was also partially deaf—they recognized the struggles deaf individuals face in fully integrating into society. They were later joined by Josias Junior, an expert in audiovisual content with over a decade of experience in accessibility media

Understanding that Brazil has around 10 million deaf individuals, including 1.5 million children with severe challenges in education, they saw an urgent need for inclusion. They focused on creating a LIBRAS-accessible platform to help deaf students prepare for Brazil’s national high school exam (ENEM), an area where accessibility was severely lacking.

Initially, they explored blending popular media characters into educational content but found it impractical for accurate LIBRAS interpretation. This led to a pivotal realization: instead of adapting general content, they needed to build an education system designed specifically for deaf students. Their groundbreaking approach resulted in a comprehensive set of textbooks tailored for deaf learners, ensuring they received the same quality education as their hearing peers.

Through Edukanet, Cristiano and his team are pioneering true educational equity, transforming accessibility for deaf students across Brazil.

A unique aspect of Edukanet is its commitment to ensuring that its audiovisual content and teaching materials meet the specific needs of deaf individuals. To achieve this, Edukanet has assembled a specialized production team made up of experts from various fields, including video production, animation, education, special education, interpreters of LIBRAS (Brazilian Sign Language), and psychologists. The inclusion of deaf individuals in the development process is key—through their active participation, the platform incorporates the real-world experiences, needs, and challenges faced by the deaf community, ensuring that the content is relevant and impactful.

Through its dedication to providing accessible and inclusive education, Edukanet is transforming the way society approaches education for the deaf community. The platform fosters true accessibility and belonging by providing a space where deaf students can thrive academically while ensuring educators are well-equipped to support them in their learning journey. Edukanet's holistic approach not only provides educational content but also works toward shifting societal perspectives on how to create an inclusive, supportive environment for the deaf community.

Scripted for Inclusion, Designed for Empowerment

By understanding the barriers that deaf people face in education and daily life, Edukanet carefully scripts its audiovisual materials to align seamlessly with printed content. This comprehensive approach ensures that the didactic materials provide deaf students with the necessary tools to develop independence and acquire knowledge that fosters their full inclusion in society.

The content creation process follows a structured methodology, with various stages often occurring in parallel. The focus remains on maintaining a unified understanding of the material’s objectives while ensuring high-quality delivery. Key elements such as illustrations, class activities, video scripting, and editing are meticulously adapted to enhance clarity and accessibility. Given the significant responsibility of developing educational materials for schools specializing in special education, every detail is approached with precision. Any modification in the study plan must be carefully considered to prevent disruptions in student progress.

Carving Paths Where None Existed

Edukanet faced significant challenges in gaining recognition within Brazil’s educational community, particularly due to the recent official recognition of Brazilian Sign Language (LIBRAS) and the limited number of qualified professionals in the field. The introduction of bilingual education for deaf individuals as an official teaching modality only came with the 2021 amendment to the Law of Guidelines and Bases of National Education (LDB), further complicating the adoption of Edukanet’s materials.

In its early stages, the platform struggled with legal barriers that prevented city halls and education departments from purchasing its materials, despite their strong interest. With no external funding, Cristiano and his team traveled across Brazil for two years, promoting the project and building credibility.

A breakthrough came in the third year when Edukanet was set to be included in a national textbook program. However, political and budgetary issues led to the program’s cancellation, causing a major setback. Determined to move forward, the team launched pilot programs to demonstrate the platform’s impact. These proof-of-concept initiatives opened new doors, ultimately helping Edukanet overcome initial obstacles and establish itself as a valuable educational resource.

Tech-Driven Revolution in Deaf Education

Over the past decade, advancements in video production and graphic resources have significantly enhanced the quality of educational materials. While book creation remains largely unchanged, these innovations have allowed Edukanet to develop high-quality audiovisual content tailored to the needs of the deaf community.

The platform leverages technology not only to enhance learning but also to expand its reach to remote areas in Brazil and beyond. Currently, Edukanet is testing a process that enables videos to be available in multiple sign languages, allowing content originally created in LIBRAS to be adapted for ASL, LSQ, LSF, and more.

Additionally, the organization is developing an AI-driven model for the automatic generation of the Individualized Teaching Plan (ITP), expected to be approved in Brazil by 2025. This system will help educators create personalized study plans and recommend tailored video content and book excerpts, optimizing learning outcomes for deaf students. Cristiano believes this innovation has the potential to transform special education both in Brazil and internationally.

Bridging Gaps in Deaf Education

Edukanet has garnered significant positive feedback from the deaf community, educators, and national organizations focused on deaf education. The platform's commitment to providing accessible educational resources and fostering an inclusive learning environment has earned widespread recognition. Additionally, Edukanet has formed valuable partnerships with organizations such as a Sports Federation for the deaf, which has provided strong support despite legal restrictions that prevent third-sector entities from directly supporting private projects.

Edukanet also emphasizes the crucial role that families play in the education of deaf children. Recognizing that parents often face challenges due to a lack of knowledge on how to support their child’s development, the platform is dedicated to offering guidance and training. This empowers families to actively engage in their child’s education, providing the support needed for their academic and personal growth.

In countries like Brazil and the U.S., Edukanet acknowledges that disparities in access to specialized education remain a significant challenge, particularly in rural areas and smaller cities where resources are more limited. The platform is committed to bridging this gap by ensuring that deaf students, regardless of location, have access to high-quality educational materials and support. By focusing on equal opportunities for all deaf students, Edukanet is striving to make a positive impact on the education system, ensuring that no child is left behind due to geographic or societal barriers. Through its comprehensive approach, Edukanet is helping to level the playing field, providing both students and their families with the tools and resources needed to succeed.

Where Deaf Voices Lead and Shape the Future

Edukanet underscores the importance of truly representative inclusion to ensure equity in education. From its inception, Edukanet has established a Board of Trustees, allowing deaf individuals—whether students, professionals, or family members—to contribute their perspectives on the platform’s content and activities. This approach ensures that the platform remains aligned with the needs and experiences of the deaf community, making its educational resources more relevant and effective.

Edukanet also highlights the need for society to recognize and value the contributions of atypical individuals in education, work, and social spheres. According to INEP, Brazil has around 300 professionals with advanced degrees specializing in deaf education, and Edukanet serves as a bridge to amplify their expertise, positioning them as leaders in their field. This representation within the platform helps inspire others in the deaf community, reinforcing the belief that their condition does not limit their potential. By promoting independence, Edukanet is driving meaningful inclusion and ensuring equal opportunities for all.

As part of its commitment to supporting the deaf community while ensuring sustainable growth, Edukanet is expanding its educational materials to support children with other atypicalities. Through its work, Edukanet has also highlighted the connection between deafness and poverty in certain Brazilian regions, where poor sanitation and diseases like meningitis contribute to hearing loss. The platform is working to address these issues by providing comprehensive educational tools to those in need.

Looking ahead, Edukanet envisions evolving into a comprehensive ecosystem where atypical individuals can access education, professional training, and employment opportunities, while also enjoying entertainment. While legal mandates in many regions require companies to hire atypical professionals, Edukanet recognizes the challenges posed by a lack of trained candidates. To bridge this gap, the platform aims to develop a system that empowers users to create and monetize quality content, validated by AI, enabling them to showcase their talents and skills.

Though the project has been self-funded so far, Edukanet remains optimistic about securing future support to fully realize its mission of fostering education, work, and independence. The platform’s future goals are centered on expanding its educational offerings to better serve atypical students. Currently, Edukanet focuses on Portuguese language learning, with trials in Mathematics already underway. The long-term plan includes developing materials for adolescents and young adults, while carefully considering differing educational perspectives on whether specialized content is necessary throughout all academic stages.

Additionally, Edukanet is launching a podcast series in February, featuring experts, therapists, educators, and policymakers to discuss inclusive special education. This initiative aims to raise awareness and provide valuable insights for families and professionals, further solidifying Edukanet’s role in fostering an inclusive and supportive learning environment. Through these efforts, Edukanet continues to strengthen its commitment to creating opportunities and an inclusive society for the deaf and atypical communities.

Inclusive Education for Every Learner

Based on Edukanet’s experience, entrepreneurs aiming to create solutions for marginalized communities must prioritize close engagement with the people they seek to serve. Understanding their unique needs, perspectives, and challenges requires continuous listening, observation, and empathy. In the case of atypical individuals, recognizing and respecting their distinct ways of thinking is essential.

Applying Design Thinking principles ensures that solutions are truly aligned with the target audience. Equally important is collaboration with special education professionals, who play a key role in shaping inclusive educational approaches. Providing them with continuous training and maintaining open communication channels are vital for success.

Beyond technical expertise, entrepreneurs must be driven by a genuine purpose to transform lives, leveraging technology to enhance learning and development. This commitment requires daily dedication and resilience. Lastly, faith and perseverance can provide strength and guidance in overcoming challenges and achieving meaningful impact.

Edukanet is developing educational material designed to simultaneously support children who are deaf, blind, intellectually disabled, or autistic. In Espírito Santo, Brazil, where Edukanet is based, approximately 3,000 to 4,000 deaf students are currently enrolled in the public education system within a population of 3.8 million. When considering students with various disabilities, including blindness, autism, and intellectual disabilities, the number rises to around 40,000.

This innovative material will enable public schools to serve a broader range of students with a single resource, significantly simplifying teachers' work by eliminating the need for separate materials for each specific condition. Additionally, Edukanet is collaborating with the State Secretariat of Science and Technology, which has recognized the project's potential and is supporting efforts to accelerate the startup’s growth. This partnership will play a crucial role in scaling Edukanet’s business model and expanding its impact.