Accessible Test

Tactile Book Builder

(New)
Purpose

To develop a blank book kit and accompanying guidebook that will encourage/facilitate the creation of individualized books for children; materials will support inclusion of text in an appropriate medium as well as various types of tactile illustrations, including real objects, collaged illustrations, raised line illustrations, and tactiles from the child’s own environment.

Project staff

Suzette Wright, Project Leader

Wendy Sapp, Ph.D., COMS, Project Consultant

Dana Fox, M.A., Project Consultant

Background

The request that APH create a kit of materials that would enable users to more easily create a variety of individualized, custom-made books has been expressed for some time. A 2004 online survey elicited this request, and various focus groups have remarked on the usefulness of such a tool. Individualized books offer a way to provide a range of audiences with books in an appropriate medium with related tactile components. Because a very young child’s concepts and language are limited, individualized books that address familiar topics and include things the child has experienced firsthand are more likely to be meaningful than many commercially produced books. And although many commercially available books are meaningful for an older child, preschoolers as well as older children often show great interest in reading from custom-made books they have helped to write, perhaps based on a recent personal experience. If the child helps to produce the written text, the adult can use this opportunity to build important early literacy knowledge and skills. The child can also participate in illustrating the book with objects, other tactile items and illustrations, broadening his awareness of how tactile displays can be used to communicate meaning. Creating custom-made books, whether done by the adult or in collaboration with the child, can broaden the number of appropriate books available to the child and increase his/her interest in books.

Work completed in FY 2009

The idea for a blank book kit and accompanying guidebook was presented via a product submission form, received approval from the Product Evaluation Team (PET), and proceeded to the Product Advisory and Review Committee (PARC). The project was approved and released for work to begin in April 2009. The brainstorming session, which marked the first Product Development Committee meeting, yielded a number of useful suggestions for materials which might be part of the kit. The project leader examined a wide range of materials that could be used for book-making by looking online and in stores. At present, a “family” of products is envisioned. The basis for the kit would be a small, but thick binder with plastic rings and blank pages, 3-hole punched, for insertion into the binder. A number of different page types will be available: doubled braille paper pages, board stock pages, pocket pages, permabraille pages, magnetic pages, Velcro-able pages, and colorful polyblend pages. Labeling material will be included, as will “tools” such as Sticky Dots, adhesive-backed Velcro materials, adhesive-backed magnetized strips. Add-on “packs” are also proposed, including a version of the APH SoundPage sized for the small binders in the kit, a textured fabric and paper pack, a scented sticker pack, and a pack containing materials and fibers for creating raised lines. Dimensions for pages and the binders are being established. The first draft of the guidebook is underway and includes ideas for using the kit materials to construct a variety of types of books. It will include examples of custom-made books. The kit will also be accompanied by a hard copy version of the Guide to Designing Tactile Illustrations for Children’s Books. This is a document that was field evaluated at the same time as the new 2^nd edition of the On the Way to Literacy handbook; it is currently available at the APH Website as a free download. It supplies suggestions for designing meaningful tactile illustrations and indicates the limitations of tactile illustrations as it highlights good tactile graphic design principles.

Work planned for FY 2010

The project leader will continue to draft the guidebook. The list of kit components and how they will be grouped will be finalized. Dimensions and quantities for all materials will be selected, and prototype kits will begin to be assembled.

Tactile Graphics Research

(Continued)
Purpose

To study and develop techniques for making useful tactile graphics, to work toward standards in tactile graphic presentations, and to evaluate product submissions and ideas from the field related to tactile graphics.

Project Staff

Karen J. Poppe, Tactile Graphics Project Leader

Fred Otto, Project Leader

Tom Poppe, Pattern/Model Maker

Katherine Corcoran, Pattern/Model Maker
Background

APH has a variety of means for producing tactile graphics, including embossed paper, puff ink, capsule paper, thermography, and vacuumform. One goal of this research project is to learn which media are appropriate for which uses. Another goal is to identify and expand the available methods/tools useful for the production of tactile displays, whether by APH or by the individual teacher, transcriber, or student.

In addition, tactile graphic products are frequently submitted by teachers or other professionals who would like to collaborate with APH in producing their materials; project staff provides written reviews of these submissions. Yet another aspect of this research is to monitor developments in practice, technology, and philosophy as they evolve.
Work during FY 2009

Throughout the year, project staff conducted a variety of tactile graphic workshops and training sessions (both in-house and at national conferences), initiated contacts and gathered input from the field, and proposed new product ideas. Examples of these activities are listed below:

Continued graphic population of the Tactile Graphics Image Library.
Investigation of wide-format printing in combination with in-house thermoformed graphics to produce dual-format, accurately registered tactile/print components continued. The prototype development and production of Flip-Over Concept Books [see separate report] continued to serve as the test for this new process.
The project leaders provided product-development advice to other project leaders developing products with tactile graphic features/components, including the Building on Patterns project and Best for a Nest storybook.
The project leaders reviewed product ideas submitted from the field such as “Crossing Academy,” "Map of the World" and “Deciphering Graphics.” Also participated in an in-house review of “Adventure ECC: The Hatlen Center Guide” and gave product design ideas.
The project leaders provided a detailed written review of the graphics included in BANA’s Standards for Tactile Graphic Design document. This review was complemented by the input from a braille-reading adult/professional proofreader and a tooling designer of many tactile graphics included in APH’s educational materials
Occasional tactile graphic workshops were conducted for visiting focus groups, in-house staff, visiting teachers, sighted parents and children, and so forth.

In November 2008, conducted tactile product demonstrations to teachers, teacher trainees and students during in-services at the NY Institute for Special Education, and visited classes where APH materials are being used to teach science and geography.

On April 15, project leaders, along with Yan Zhang from ATIC, conducted a tactile graphics workshop for braille transcribers and tactile designers at the Kentucky Correctional Institute. Participants were provided with topical handouts (e.g., Tactile Terminology, Tactile Graphic Methods, etc.) and conducted hands-on activities to demonstrate the challenges unique to tactile interpretation. The training concluded with a second session on May 28.
Conducted a tactile-book-building activity booth at Kentucky School for the Blind’s “Drop-Everything-And-Read (DEAR) Kick-Off Carnival.” Students were given the opportunity to build two types of tactile books—either a pumpkin-shaped book enhanced by student-composed text or a flip-style, Halloween-themed tactile counting book. The project leader prepared over 100 tactile template books for this event.
Offered tactile activity ideas and materials to the Museum staff for weekend workshops tailored for sighted children.
Reviewed and tested new tactile graphic methods as demonstrated by outside vendors.
Assisted with re-tooling efforts and decisions impacting updates of urethane products impacted by an outside vendor facility fire. Karen Poppe is responsible for keeping the Chang Diagramming Kit on the market despite a lost urethane part by coming up with a way to router-cut a new “gingerbread man” figure from ExCell material. This quick solution translated into a huge cost-savings for the product.
Met with Phil Hatlen, Executive in Residence at APH, on numerous occasions to discuss strategies for placing tactile graphics in the hands of young students, especially within their home environments.

Work planned for FY 2010

Project staff will continue to monitor advances in technology and practice as they relate to tactile design and teaching, conduct workshops and conference presentations, and work in-house to promote consistently good tactile design.