[Athen] Tactile Graphics

[Gaeir Dietrich]

Probably the reason you are not getting more responses is that few colleges
actually do tactiles. So, here is more info.

 

Just as a rule of thumb, graphics that show relationships are often
presented best as tactile graphics include the following:

* mathematical charts and graphs

* maps 

* scientific diagrams 

 

Ironically, it often works out that the more technical a subject is, the
more the tactile graphics are necessary. 

 

Teresa is absolutely right that other than those situations, the best
solution is most often a good description.

 

Also be aware that if a student has not had experience with tactile
graphics, s/he may not be particularly comfortable with them. You can help
with the learning curve by creating more three-dimensional tactiles, using
collage techniques.

 

As an example of what I mean, one of our alt media specialists was working
with a blind student who was taking anatomy and physiology. The student was
not used to using tactile graphics and found the PIAF versions too hard to
understand. What they ended up doing is working first with the 3-D models
the campus owned, then creating representative collage graphics (gluing
things on paper-for the female reproductive system, for instance, they used
narrow rubber tubing for the fallopian tubes and cotton balls for the
ovaries, etc.), and then transitioning to the PIAF versions. The student was
able to "grok" how the graphics worked and was fine with the PIAF versions
after that.

 

BANA now has guidelines (thanks to my hero, Lucia!!! ;-) for tactile
graphics:

http://www.brailleauthority.org/tg/index.html 

 

Also be aware that American Printing House for the Blind (APH) has an image
library for tactile graphics:

http://www.aph.org/tgil/ 

 

They also sell premade tactile graphics. The anatomy tactiles are
particularly useful for college-level work. 

 

A great product that they sell allows you to create quick tactile graphics
on the fly, as well as being suitable for students to use. APH calls it the
Draftsman Tactile Drawing Board. I have used a similar product for years
called the Sewell Raised Line Drawing Kit.

 

Finally, APH has a two-video set called the "Good Tactile Graphic" that is a
very useful primer on creating tactile graphics. When I was doing tactile
graphics trainings, I would actually use the videos because they gave such a
great overview of how one needs to think in order to create tactiles.

 

Hope this helps!

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Gaeir (rhymes with "fire") Dietrich
High Tech Center Training Unit of the
California Community Colleges
De Anza College, Cupertino, CA
 <http://www.htctu.net/> www.htctu.net 
408-996-6043

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

  _____  

From: athen-list-bounces at mailman1.u.washington.edu
[mailto:athen-list-bounces at mailman1.u.washington.edu] On Behalf Of Julie
Balassa
Sent: Thursday, January 05, 2012 10:37 AM
To: 'Access Technology Higher Education Network'
Subject: RE: [Athen] Tactile Graphics

 

We use Adobe Illustrator to create the graphics and PIAF to output them
(thanks for the tip some years back Gaeir, that system has worked really
well!) Whether you give the student TG or a description really depends on
the complexity of the graphics and the preference and skill set of the
student.

 

jkb

 

Julie K. Balassa

Assistant Director, Office for Students with Disabilities
Valencia College
Mail Code 3-31

701 N Econlockhatchee Trail

Orlando, FL 32825

office: building 5 suite 216
east: 407.582.2039

west: 407.582.1603
vp east: 407.374.1562

vp west: 407-992-8941
fax: 407.582.8908

jbalassa at valenciacollege.edu

http://valenciacc.edu/osd

 

Please note that Valencia's name changed to Valencia College on July 1,
2011. Therefore, all college email addresses have changed. My new email
address is  <mailto:jbalassa at valenciacollege.edu>
jbalassa at valenciacollege.edu. Please send all email to me at this new
address. As of September 2011, all email sent to
<mailto:jbalassa at valenciacc.edu> jbalassa at valenciacc.edu will be returned as
undeliverable. 

 

From: athen-list-bounces at mailman1.u.washington.edu
[mailto:athen-list-bounces at mailman1.u.washington.edu] On Behalf Of Teresa
Haven
Sent: Thursday, January 05, 2012 1:24 PM
To: 'Access Technology Higher Education Network'
Subject: RE: [Athen] Tactile Graphics

 

Hi, Karen and all.  We use a couple of different technologies: a PIAF and
swell paper, or a Tiger embosser, both used by people trained in producing
tactile graphics.  For many graphics tactiles are not necessary; the content
in the image can be appropriately described in text by trained personnel.

Hope this helps,

Teresa

 

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Teresa LW Haven, Ph.D.

Supervisor, Alternative Format Services

Disability Resource Center

Arizona State University

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

 

 

 

From: athen-list-bounces at mailman1.u.washington.edu
[mailto:athen-list-bounces at mailman1.u.washington.edu]
<mailto:%5bmailto:athen-list-bounces at mailman1.u.washington.edu%5d>  On
Behalf Of Karen Sorensen
Sent: Thursday, January 05, 2012 11:14 AM
To: athen-list at u.washington.edu
Subject: [Athen] Tactile Graphics

 

Hi -
Thanks to Gaeir for the reply. What do others do to make graphics accessible
to blind and low-vision students? 
Wink - Gaeir is the only person who replied. What have you used in the past?
Are there services that people outsource graphics to? 
Thanks,
Karen
-- 
Karen M. Sorensen
Instructional Technology Specialist 
Accessibility Advocate for Online Courses
Portland Community College
971-722-4720


Date: Wed, 04 Jan 2012 14:49:46 -0700 (MST)
From: "Wink Harner" <winkharner at mesacc.edu>
Subject: RE: [Athen] tactile graphics
To: "'Access Technology Higher Education Network'"
       <athen-list at u.washington.edu>
Message-ID: <008801cccb2a$c688c9a0$

539a5ce0$@edu>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Did you find anyone to answer your questions yet, Karen?



Wink


Date: Wed, 4 Jan 2012 14:24:11 -0800
From: "Gaeir Dietrich" <gdietrich at htctu.net>
Subject: RE: [Athen] tactile graphics
To: "'Access Technology Higher Education Network'"
       <athen-list at u.washington.edu>
Message-ID: <6AE2716D4AE64AD79AE0CD4443907AC4 at htctu.fhda.edu>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

I do like the IVEO system for creating talking tactile graphics for
students. One of my favorite features is the fact that you can add text to
your graphic that will then be read as text-to-speech. Some of the competing
products only allow recorded audio in the talking graphic, which I find much
more cumbersome.



^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Gaeir (rhymes with "fire") Dietrich
High Tech Center Training Unit of the
California Community Colleges
De Anza College, Cupertino, CA
 <http://www.htctu.net/> www.htctu.net <http://www.htctu.net/> 
408-996-6043

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

 

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