The new academic year has begun, bringing with it a series of Safe Internet Lessons. Organized by the Coordination Center for TLD .RU/.РФ in collaboration with industry partners, these lessons are held in schools, vocational colleges, universities, and other educational and cultural institutions.
On September 2 and 3, residents of the Deaf-Blind House Foundation participated in lessons on safe internet use. The first session took place at the central rehabilitation center in Puchkovo, New Moscow, which has been supporting adults who are deaf, blind, or have combined hearing and vision loss, since 2014. The center teaches the Braille alphabet, self-care and spatial orientation skills, crafts, computer use, and also provides targeted financial assistance. The second class was held at the Puchkovo branch of the House of the Deaf-Blind, which opened a year ago near the Shchyolkovskaya metro station in Moscow.
The classes were held to coincide with the latest “humanitarian landing,” a regular initiative in which all employees of the Coordination Center participate. Funds raised were used to purchase food, essentials, and treats for cozy tea parties for the foundation’s residents.
Both sessions were led by Viktoria Bunchuk, Head of Social Projects at the Coordination Center, who specially adapted the traditional Safe Internet Lesson into a Digital Literacy Lesson tailored for users with visual and hearing impairments. Maria Zelenina, Head of the specialized department at the House of the Deaf-Blind, assisted by providing constructive feedback on the lesson’s content, pacing, and key points for the audience.
“Despite communication challenges, we were able to establish contact and engage in a meaningful dialogue with the class participants. We were greatly assisted by the sign language interpreter, affectionately called ‘mother’ at the House. She not only conveyed my words through gestures but also explained complex concepts in simpler terms,” Viktoria commented. “The foundation’s residents proved to be attentive and appreciative listeners. I believe that, now equipped with knowledge of internet safety, they will navigate the internet with greater confidence.”
During the lessons, Viktoria covered topics such as using antivirus software, creating strong passwords, and protecting sensitive data. She also discussed the risks associated with spam and torrent sites, the importance of regularly updating applications and programs, and the ethical aspects of online behavior, including trolling, bullying, digital footprints, and copyright violations. Additionally, Viktoria guided participants through common “traps for the unsuspecting,” explaining tactics used by phone scammers and phishing schemes.
Both lessons concluded on a positive note.
“The internet can be risky, but like any technology, it becomes safe when a few simple rules are followed. Digital tools can be invaluable for users with different abilities,” Viktoria remarked, highlighting the numerous inclusive technologies currently available for free.
These include Yandex services that range from audio descriptions in Kinopoisk and automatic browser subtitles to a smart camera that can recognize and describe texts and objects, digital literacy lessons and webinars on inclusive technologies from Beeline, and the For the Blind educational module on the Coordination Center’s project website, Explore the Internet & Govern It.
