The scope of this paper is to examine the potential capabilities of embossed printers under the lens of Information Technology (IT). One of the main principles of IT is to manage and deliver information into accessible formats to all users with and without disabilities. The present study investigates the discriminability of lines and squares by…

In the late nineteenth century, Protestant missionaries introduced modern education for the blind people in Taiwan and Korea. They developed various tactile reading systems to enhance literacy and provided handicraft training for self-sufficiency. When these regions came under Japanese colonial rule in the first half of the twentieth century, the…

As a symbol of the power and majesty of science, the periodic table has inspired many scientists-to-be to investigate the deep secrets of nature through the study of chemistry. In the spirit of inclusion, blind students too deserve and need to have their curiosity about the inner workings of nature stimulated through greater exposure to this…

Diagram describing texts are integral part of science and engineering subjects including geometry, physics, engineering drawing, etc. In order to understand such text, one, at first, tries to draw or perceive the underlying diagram. For perception of the blind students such diagrams need to be drawn in some non-visual accessible form like tactile…

The report describes the development and evaluation of an instructional program in tangible graph interpretation for braille readers. Because graphs frequently appear in textbooks and in other printed sources, lack of appropriate translation for blind persons can be a significant educational obstacle. Based on anlyses of typical graph reading…

Point and linear symbols that represent certain areas of building interiors are discussed in light of their reliability and discriminability if used on tactual maps. A set of "optimally sized" symbols were evaluated with 21 blind observers. (Author/DB)

The Tactile Diagrams Research Project at Loughborough University of Technology (England) developed 164 tactile diagrams for teaching 22 biological themes to blind students. Evaluation of the diagrams found most to be effective when properly introduced to students, and used with supporting text or tapes. (CB)

The question regarding visual imagery and visual perception remain an open issue. Many studies have tried to understand if the two processes share the same mechanisms or if they are independent, using different neural substrates. Most research has been directed towards the need of activation of primary visual areas during imagery. Here we review…

This article reviews recent research on perception of tangible pictures in sighted and blind people. Haptic picture naming accuracy is dependent upon familiarity and access to semantic memory, just as in visual recognition. Performance is high when haptic picture recognition tasks do not depend upon semantic memory. Viewpoint matters for the ease…

This project investigated the provision of a set of core tactile and large print diagrams and supporting materials for degree level psychology study, containing diagrams that are central to the majority of UK psychology courses, as an alternative to providing many different bespoke diagrams for individual students. Interviews with 12 blind and…

In 1977, Saint Mary's Junior College initiated a project to determine the feasibility of educating and placing blind persons as occupational therapy assistants and physical therapy assistants. Faculty and project staff worked together to develop tactile models and diagrams, enriched verbal descriptions, and supplementary audiotapes to be added to…