Accessible Test

Feel n’ Peel Sheets: Carousel of Textures

(New)
Purpose

To provide an assortment of textured and brightly colored sheets which can be used by teachers, transcribers, students, parents, and adults with blindness and visual impairments for a variety of purposes including adapting/creating storybooks, classroom worksheets, or commercial game boards; preparing collage tactile displays; labeling purposes; coloring activities; arts and crafts; etc.

Project Staff

Karen J. Poppe, Tactile Graphics Project Leader

Tom Poppe, Pattern/Model Maker

Katherine Corcoran, Pattern/Model Maker

Terri Gilmore, Print Layout of Suggested Uses Sheet
Background

In November 2008, the Project Leader submitted a Product Submission Form that detailed the purpose and expected components of the product. The product was presented as an extension of the existing Feel n’ Peel products that would offer teachers, parents, students, and transcribers tactually discriminable, colorful, and adhesive-backed sheets using the same material (.005 translucent rigid vinyl) used in previous packages. The textures created by the project leader and Tom Poppe for other tactile products (e.g., Web Chase, Periodic Table, Textured Sorting Circles and Shapes, etc.) were expected to be incorporated. By doing so, the product would utilize popular textures applied to APH products, thus allowing cross-over to products adapted in school and in the home. Possible applications outlined included the following:

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  Adapting tactile collage displays
  
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  Enhancing commercial storybooks and/or self-created tactile books
  
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  Providing open-ended art activities
  
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  Affixing to acrylic puzzle pieces/manipulatives (as used with the APH light boxes)
  
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  Extending tactile possibilities for existing APH products. For example, teachers can apply the textures to Hundred Chart pieces; create their own Flip-Over Concept Books for tactile discrimination purposes; construct additional pieces for Picture Maker; etc.
  
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  Providing tactile rubbing mats—bumpy and rough—for coloring activities
  
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  Using as stand-alone sheets to reinforce color concepts and overlapping of textures/colors
  

Work during FY 2009

The project leader’s product submission form was reviewed by the Product Evaluation Team (PET) in November 2008 and approved for development by the Product Advisory and Review Committee (PARC) in December 2008. In March 2009, the project leader conducted a combined “Brainstorming” and “Timeline” meeting with the Product Development Committee (PDC). Expected components and planned production processes were reviewed. A product timeline was established.

The second and third quarters of FY 2009 were devoted to the following product activities:

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  Ordering needed quantities of the .005 rigid vinyl in assorted colors.
  
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  Thermoforming and die-cutting the rough and bumpy textured sheets.
  
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  Identifying and ordering additional textured material from outside sources to provide an expanded inventory of textures, particularly soft and striped textures. These textures were satisfied by the provision of commercially-available velour, Vivelle, and corrugated sheets, most of which had adhesive backing already applied.
  
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  Ordering multiple packages of StickyDots Adhesive™ and double-sided adhesive sheets for inclusion in the package.
  
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  Authoring of a Suggested Uses Sheet complemented by photos illustrating possible applications.
  
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  Readying of box label artwork, as well as final layout of the Suggested Uses Sheet.
  
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  Investigating options for applying adhesive liner to in-house produced thermoformed sheets.
  

In July 2009, field test prototypes were readied. Each contained the following components:

Prototype Component	Quantity
Translucent “rough” sheets (blue, red, yellow, green, clear)	2 sheets per color
Translucent “bumpy” sheets (blue, red, yellow, green, clear)	2 sheets per color
Corrugated (red, blue, purple, dark green, light green, orange, yellow, pink)	1 sheet per color
Velour (red, dark blue, dark green, white, black)	1 sheet per color
Vivelle (red, green, blue, yellow)	1 sheet per color
Package of StickyDots Adhesive™	1 package/8 sheets
Double-sided adhesive sheets	10 sheets
Suggested Uses Sheet
Housing Envelope for Textured Sheets
Housing Box (for all components)

In August 2009, the project leader identified a total of 14 field test sites. These sites were selected from over 50 interested teachers and blind adults who had responded to a request for evaluators posted in the July issue of the APH Newsletter. The sites represented the states of Alabama, California (2), Florida (2), Iowa, Missouri (2), North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Both residential and itinerant settings were represented in the sample.

By mid-September, each field test site received a complete prototype. Ideas for potential uses, complemented by photos, were documented in the accompanying “Suggested Uses” sheet. However, evaluators were encouraged to use the textured sheets in self-defined ways that met the needs of their students and/or their own personal uses. A deadline of November 2009 was set for the return of the evaluation form. Feedback specific to the following was requested:

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  Identified uses (e.g., adaptations to storybooks, creation of tactile displays, tactile marking mat, light box activities, etc.)
  
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  Tactile quality of each sheet
  
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  Visual quality of each sheet
  
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  Additional requests for textures and/or colors
  
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  Student/client preference or dislike of any specific texture(s)
  
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  Appropriateness and ease of use of provided adhesive options, notably double-sided adhesive sheets and Sticky Dots Adhesive™
  
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  Desired/recommended quantities of each type of texture and/or color
  
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  Helpfulness of the provided “Suggested Uses” sheet
  
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  Specific advantages of provided textured sheets compared to others available elsewhere
  
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  Overall strengths and weaknesses of the textured sheets
  
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  Recommended target populations
  
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  Suitability of product name
  
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  Final recommendation of the production the product
  

Work planned for FY 2010

Product modifications prior to production will be determined by field evaluator feedback. Needed adjustments in textures and colors, if any, as well as quantities, will be incorporated. The project leader will host a PDC meeting to acquaint members with the final design and components of the final product and to update the existing timeline. Final tooling for in-house production of the .005 rigid colored vinyl will be prepared, cutting dies designed, and final documentation updates made. The project leader plans to feature additional uses of the textured sheets, as identified by the field evaluators, in the accompanying “Suggested Uses” sheet. In addition, the project leader will work with the Purchasing Department to identify vendors and sources for complementary textured sheets and adhesive materials. The project leader will work with Technical Research staff to prepare final specifications. Initial pilot and production runs of the kit are anticipated by the end of FY 2010.