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Tips for One (Teacher)-on-One (Student) Tactiles by Tami Lenhoff Certified Literary/Nemeth Transcriber, and Tactilist Probably the most difficult step in the print-to-braille
process is the creation of practical, braille-reader-friendly tactiles.
This involves all academic subjects, and all transcription projects.
An experienced transcriber uses the "Eye of Feel,” instead of
physical eyesight to bring life to a tactile picture. How is this done? Sensitivity to “Eye of Feel” The first requirement is a heightened sensitivity to “Eye
of Feel.” This is the invisible
eye in the very tips of the braille reader’s fingers.
This is what should be relied on when creating tactiles.
Also, knowing how braille readers overcome obstacles encountered in
reading tactiles is important. The last several years have given me many opportunities to
work directly with vision teachers and braille readers.
This was my opportunity to figure out ways to replicate print
illustrations into readable tools for braille readers.
Input from teachers and braille readers helped me to see/feel things from
the perspective of both the instructor and the student.
Clarity of texture/feel in a tactile is what makes a raised-line drawing
meaningful to the braille reader. Once
realizing these things, my goal became to pursue ways to create tactiles
meaningful to both braille reader and teacher—people working together in the
one-on-one situation. Feedback
Comments: “It’s too small. I
can’t read it.” The “Eye of Feel” is
approximately ½ inch in diameter—the braille reader’s finger.
Therefore, increasing the size of a print illustration accommodates
fingers. How a finger will “see”
the drawing is a major consideration when planning and adapting any print
illustration. If it is not enlarged
to clarify the design, the braille reader “sees” the drawing as one blob. “What are these braille dots?” a.
“Do not use braille dots to create tactiles.”
Braille dots used for design are confusing.
Since dots are primarily known as braille words, codes, or labels, the
use of dots for design introduces another category of information and can be
confusing in tactual reading. It
takes added time to decipher CADs (Computer Assisted Diagrams) if they are not
carefully explained and produced. Be
careful when combining braille as word and design in one tactile.
The braille reader needs additional help or warning as to how to deal
with the CAD. b.
The full cell (123456) is widely used in CAD graphics
in literary braille. However, in
Nemeth, the full cell already has a meaning; introducing a second use/meaning in
the CAD can be confusing to the braille reader. c.
“A mass of dots on a page making a cute picture does
not mean we will recognize what the illustration or diagram is.” My comment is: Beware of a “sightism,”
the trap of liking pretty tactiles likely to be useful to the tactual reader.
This sightism is exemplified when by the expression: “What a beautiful
tactile!” If the “Eye of Feel”
can’t decipher the tactile, the time and hard work expended to create it is
wasted! “My teacher said this drawing is pretty, but I can’t feel
what it is!” Especially in the heated
raised-line drawings, braille readers experience difficulty, because the whole
surface is one texture, including the braille labels!
It’s difficult to discern lines, etc.
Additional study is needed to improve this production technique to the
satisfaction of younger braille readers. “When several lines, etc. are too similar, I can’t tell
the difference!” When several embossing tools are
used on the same drawing, be careful to use tools that can produce very
different textures for the lines, points, etc. Color is helpful if you are a
teacher, or a student with low-vision. Production
Procedures Step
1: Color-photocopy the print illustration.
Color has become the key source in maximizing the use of one-on-one
tactiles. With color, you can create
a duplicate picture of the textbook illustration.
Therefore, the sighted user is able to read the raised-line drawing
easily, along with the class and the braille reader.
While applying the print copy’s color to the draft of the raised-line
drawing, (in Step 2), I begin to see the different layers and textures that will
be necessary to bring the tactile to life for the braille reader. In
graphs, the color tracing reveals which line needs to be above the grid
information. I
lace glue along it; then I place crochet thread (#10 or #30) on it and snip at
the end. As the
glue and thread dry, they create a firm line.
The braille reader is easily able to move along this line; it appears
above the tooled grid lines, showing differentiation clearly. Step
2: Enlarge to the necessary scale:
This saves time, an important
element when tactiles are needed immediately! Accommodate
the scale to allow for inserting braille labels with proper spacing; use of
point symbols, lines and textures which do not converge or touch; and the
application of collage pieces. Step 3: Produce positive and
negative images: Place
the draft master on a light box. My
small, light, and mobile light box has accompanied me everywhere for five years
now. Its size and make-up lend
itself quite well to my itinerant style of teaching braille and producing
tactiles. There are no ledges of
plastic—it is a perfect square, and holds braille paper easily, with no
obstructions. Permanent Magic Markers, which do not smudge when braille readers
explore the tactiles with their fingers, work well to transfer the draft drawing
to the braille page. Another reason I use permanent
markers is because the color bleeds through the paper, and I have an instant
negative image! When I turn the page
to the mirror image, I can easily see the lines drawn, and can tool them
accordingly. The use of different
colors indicates the different textures necessary to portray the different
lines, etc., in the tactile; it is important to keep tool association and color
matched consistently! Step
4: Braille before tooling: Before
any tooling, I braille in the labels for any items needed in the tactile.
Also, when I turn to the negative image for tooling, I check the spacing.
Any lines, symbols or braille which appear too close are adjusted to make
sure at least 1/8” is around all items before
tooling. This assures easy
readability for the braille reader. Step 5: Finish the positive image:
After tooling on the back, I return to the front, or positive image, and
finish any areas requiring special treatment to distinguish the background from
other information. Then the master
is mounted onto cardboard, or collage pieces are cut out and glued. This step
preserves colors, etc. from the original color-photocopy.
Now the master (direct) tactile assumes its look of beauty and art to
both physical eye and the “Eye of Feel.”
Although these direct tactiles go
to the braille reader, they can also be thermoformed, since care is taken to use
material that can be thermoformed. This “one-on-one” technique
serves the following purposes: Color
and raised lines on the enlarged drawing allow a teacher to see the tactile; a
low vision student can finds increased readability with color and raised-line
enhancing the image; the student with total visual impairment has access to the
same information as his/her peers. Anyone,
even a teacher with limited knowledge of braille, can use these tactiles to work
with visually impaired students on a one-on-one basis. Tools and Materials: To the
beginner, creating tactiles is not only hard to imagine, but collecting material
to use in their construction can be even more difficult. Here are a few items
you will find in my “Mary Poppins Braille Bag of Goodies.”
These basic tools and materials travel with me, and are pulled out as
needed. You may find it helpful to
collect some of the following inexpensive items to get started in the adventure
of creating tactiles: APH Tactile Tools ·
Clear 12-inch ruler:
Easy to see through to line up drawings. ·
Clear 6- inch ruler:
Sometimes the smaller ruler is easier to work with when braille text is
also on the page. ·
Stylus-type tools from any art store:
These can provide different types of lines. There is also a tool with a
ball end which makes an excellent dot for tactiles.
It is easily discriminated tactually from the braille dot. ·
Compass: The
tip of the compass to emboss a line will create a different tactile feel. ·
A pizza cutter: Mine
has a dashed cutting edge which makes
a nice systematic dashed line with a distinct tactile feel. ·
Crochet Thread, #10 and #30:
A favorite of braille readers when using direct tactiles!
Use this in math graphs to show the
sine curves, straight lines, etc. in xy axes. Many items can be found around the house: in your sewing
room, kitchen, or in your desk. If
not, search an art, craft, hardware or stationary store.
Look for textures you can manipulate into your tactile creations. Instructional
Materials and One-on-One Tactiles: Recreational and additional reading is often used to amplify
textbook subjects. I have produced
twin-vision storybooks with relevant tactiles for the use of braille readers.
One example is “Little Cloud,” by Eric Carle.
Braille readers enjoy the tactual sensation along with the story as
they read and study with their sighted peers. In these twin-vision projects, color is again a primary tool
and a medium, helping to unify blind and sighted into one reading community.
To the best of my ability, I try to take into consideration what a
picture feels like, and find the best medium to create the raised-line
pictures with relevant associative colors. Feel
for the blind reader; color for the
sighted teacher or low-vision reader. Information,
communication and knowledge - our
students deserve the best! To summarize: To
create one-on-one “direct” tactiles, read the story, see the pictures,
choose the materials, and start the tactiles. Be consistent, defined,
uncluttered. Choose items in the picture to offer the best tactual experience
and “grab” the braille reader. Fascinate
the reader, draw out the content. Bring
“The Beauty of Braille” to life through the "Eye of Feel." Back to DVIQ Articles Home Page |