As part of our advocacy, #OneAccesibility, we will share information about differently able and profile one location with accessible trails. Look out every week for this enlightening post.
World Sight Day is celebrated in the month of October and the theme for 2021 is “Love Your Eyes.” As we continue to create awareness around visual disability including blindness, this post would highlight tactile books.
Visually impaired children and students are usually excluded in learning because they do not have access to books and learning materials. Tactile books are helpful for blind students and persons with sight impairments as it improves literacy. Tactiles are touch sensitive materials which could be natural or synthetic; Grass, orange, sand, rocks are typical examples.
Caption: Tactile book showing shapes, animals & plants (Mittens, Pinterest)
Tactile books are books made of embossed or graphic materials in such a way that users can touch, feel and understand what it represents. Tactile books could comprise of text, images, pictures, drawings, real objects and any other meaningful material. Tactile materials may be raised, embossed and braille depending on the progression of the user. Children usually learn better with tactile materials before moving to braille.
Tactile books can be categorized into experience books, object books, theme books, shape books etc. For example, an experience tactile book is created following an experience the student had visiting a park, playground or zoo. If the experience is going to be repeated, a tactile book would help the child develop better understanding over time thereby improving sensory and language skills.
A shape book, on the other hand, may highlight different shapes like triangle, square, circle, octagon and more. These types of tactile books help the users learn from stage to stage without the complexities they may face with non tactile books.
In making tactile books or tactile learning aids, it is important to make the book with the students or an expert. The demography should also be taken into consideration, for example a tactile book for kindergarten should not be the same with high school users. Other than books students can learn with tactile maps, tactile atlas, tactile or braille globes. Although tactile books and aids may not be visually appealing, they are significantly helpful in learning for blind and visually impaired learners.
Tactile books and materials could be designed using word processors, 3D printers and other specialized tools. The most important information to be conveyed and age group are key factors to consider while making tactile books.
Caption: Topographic Map of Marina, Lagos (Google Maps)
Caption: Tactile Map of Marina, Lagos (Ulor, 2021). This map is ready to be embossed or printed using a tactile 3D machine.
Another way tactiles are used in our daily lives is for wayfinding. Persons with visual impairment can visit places or tour a park with minimal assistance. Just like plans or maps, tactile maps help visitors tour a location using directions and signs. Unsighted visitors can touch, feel and understand tactile maps in order to have a similar experience as sighted visitors. Wayfinding maps make this possible using tactile or braille features.
Inclusive learning and accessible books are gradually being integrated into the educational system including in schools where the teachers employ tactile books and educational aids. The world with a significant population of persons with disabilities can reduce the discrimination gap by making accessible books for all students.
You can read more about tactile books and learning materials. Let us know if you have seen or used a tactile book.
If you have a question, suggestion, or contribution, feel free to comment below. You can read last week’s roundup article here and check the list of our other articles under “Accessibility Uncovered”.