UNICEF and OpenAI built an AI pipeline that turns print textbooks into accessible formats for blind, low-vision and print-disabled students, cutting production from 6-9 months and $20-50k per title to days; piloted in Uruguay since 2024.
6-9 months
Traditional production time per accessible textbook (pre-AI baseline) (baseline)
20,000-50,000 USD
Traditional cost per accessible textbook (pre-AI baseline) (baseline)
UNICEF and OpenAI piloted, from 2024, an AI pipeline in Uruguay that converts print textbooks into accessible formats (text-to-speech, image descriptions, screen-reader compatibility) for students with visual impairments or print disabilities, implemented with Plan Ceibal and co-designed with organisations of persons with disabilities.
Objectives
The pilot aims to close a longstanding accessibility gap: producing a single accessible textbook traditionally required 6-9 months and $20,000-50,000, a cost that left students with print disabilities in lower-income countries underserved.
Activities
The AI pipeline automates conversion directly from print sources; Uruguay was selected for its established education-technology infrastructure (Plan Ceibal) and capable local teams, and UNICEF and OpenAI have committed to releasing the tool as open-source and LLM-agnostic by the end of 2025.
Results
The pilot reports major gains in production efficiency compared with the traditional process, though no independent data on resulting reading comprehension or academic outcomes for students has yet been published.
Implementation
Indicative cost
Medium (€50k–€500k)
Time to results
Short (< 1 year)
Staffing & skills
UNICEF, OpenAI, Plan Ceibal (national education-technology programme)
Conditions for success
Existing education-technology infrastructure (e.g. Plan Ceibal) and capable local implementation teams
Co-design with organisations of persons with disabilities to ensure accessibility standards are met
Where it fits
Governance type
public-private/NGO partnership
Scale
national pilot
Income level
upper-middle-income
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Data sources
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