Tactile GraphicsTouching on the Basics

September 2007

Fred Otto, Project Leader, Educational Researchfotto@aph.org

Karen Poppe, Project Leader, Educational Researchkpoppe@aph.org

Outline:• Introductions

Tactile vs. visual learningApproaches to adapting imagesGeneral practices

• Tactile terminology

• Tactile production methods

• Sample items

• Questions we face—small and large

Part I

Tactile vs. visual learning • systematic vs. instant• 2-D vs. 3-D• limited palette vs. range of colors,

shading, fonts

Success!

Approaches to adapting images

Giving necessary information

Understanding full intent of the graphic/task and how it "works"

Can we do it? If so…

General practices ("Things we do")

Spacing of elements & labels

Using lines & textures

Dealing with decorative elements

Changing 3-D perspectives

Omitting items

Part II

Tactile terminology

Lines, point symbols, areal patterns

Part III

Tactile Production Methods

embossed paper "swell paper" Tactile Vision / thermographycollage thermoformembosser graphics, e.g. Tiger

Comparison of Methods

Part IV Sample Items

Part V

Our Questions and Yours• What elements do we add in (key, labels)

and when?

How will the tactile reader experience this image?

• How to depict purely visual concepts for blind readers?

Wider Issues

• Testing students in a medium different from the one they studied

• Cultivating tactile reading skills early on

Further Discussion

Thank you!