Assistive Technology

Tactile Graphics
 Tactile graphics
Tactile graphics convey non textual information to those who are blind,or visually
impaired.This includes maps,graphs,diagrams and other images.

Tactile graphics are raised surfaces so that a visually impaired individual can feel
them. Its essentially braille,but with images instead of the raised dots

Tactile graphs help those who are visually impaired to feel and visualize to make
sense out of what is being discussed within the classroom

Ndahafa, a teacher with visual impairment states, “Our hands are our eyes”
 How it used in the classroom,

Tactile can be used in the classroom in many ways. It allows those who are visually

Imapaired to be able to follow along in class depending on the lesson

for example a student is in history class learning about a historical fight.

However, most history books have pictures to help us understand the the event better.

A student who is visually impaired would use the tactile graph. Like figure A Figure A

More examples

Tactile graphs for history class

Tactile graphs for science

Tactile graphs for anatomy

Tactile graphs for math

Tactile Diagram of a yeast cell.
There are also many tactile graphs equipped for every subject A topic in secondary school
basic science

Bar graph
 cons

● Errors cannot be erased ● Tactile graphs has begun to decline

as more people are beginning to turn
to technology and audio recordings
as a substitution

● the process of learning how to use

tactile graphs can be lengthy and ● teachers in regular schools are not
cumbersome trained to effectively use tactile
graphics.

● Has to already be familiar with braille ● Not as accessible due to new assistive
technology being pushed into society
 Pros
● opens the door to literacy for visually impaired ● Enhances the value to read using the sense of
individuals touch instead of solely relying on audio

● Helps many visually impaired students to pursue ● Effective in teaching multiple Concepts
STEM subjects

(Science,Technology, Engineering,and Math)

● A guide for understanding what is being taught
within the lesson.
● It is effective for presenting objects that may
come into contact with and use in their everyday
lives
 More information
https://www.pathstoliteracy.org/tactile-graphics
 Work cited

enjam, Suraj Singh. "Assistive Technology for People with Visual Loss." The Official Scientific Journal of Delhi Ophthalmological Society 30.2 (2020): 7-
12.uarte, Thiago Ribeiro, et al. "Braille Material Production for Special Education Teachers." Creative Education 11.05 (2020): 652.

Karastoyanov, D., N. Stoimenov, and S. Gyoshev. "Methods and Means for Education of People with Visual Impairments." IFAC-PapersOnLine 52.25
(2019): 539-542.

obias, Elina I., Sourav Mukhopadhyay, and Rebeca N. Lekoko. "MY HANDS ARE MY EYES: THE USE OF TACTILE AND MODEL REPRESENTATIONS."