[accessibleimage] Re: Picture Perception and Interpretation

Hi Lisa,

I agree that it could be very helpful to systematize the ideas behind
tactile drawings.

Your schema makes a lot of sense to me. As a teacher, I do have a few
suggestions for some small changes to your levels. See if the below fits in
with your ideas. And also see my short response/comment at the end.

Levels of difficulty

1. actual objects

2.  very realistic 3-d models / scaled models

3. simple 2d drawings

4. 3d drawings, perspective 2 dimensional representation, symbols

5. visual metaphors etc

6.......

Accompanying, addition, supplementary information to a tactile

1. exploration with individual help with orientation when necessary

2. description (is very important for setting context)

3. discussion

4. comparison

5......

Terms taken from other fields:

1. Generalization (cartography) see an earlier mail

2. Clutter

3. iconic / symbolic

4. ....


Resulting graphic

(The first two might be better reversed, especially for some people. Or,
maybe they should be combined as one.)

1. Interactive - where the individual reads self

2. lead - where the hand is guided

3. creating self - where the individual creates self

4. peer to peer - where a member of one group creates for the group

5......


What is used as "description" gives "nuance" in a graphic

1. line elements (line, point, polygon)

2. texture

3. height

4. movement

5. sound

6. smell
7......

User/audience

1. designed for one individual

2. lowest common denominator - (for want of a better term) understood by
all, perhaps also reproducible by all production means(?) embossers, swell
etc.

3. increased amount of information - fewer users

4.....




>>>In general, I have found that even fully sighted immigrants and refugees
>>who
>>come from other cultures, whether they are literate or not, sometimes find
>>the specific kinds of abstractions presented in instructional pictures and
>>graphics in U.S. culture to be ambiguous and even confusing.


>This is a general problem with graphics, it is always a challenge to make
>information graphics understandable. Making visual graphics is just as
>challenging as making tactile graphics, the difference is there are many
>more people making them and there is I think a longer history of debate
>around the issue. The developing environment for visual graphics is much
greater. So if one designer gets it wrong he/she will have 1000s of other
>designers coming with improvements and etc (perhaps a exaggeration) and too
>the supporting industries are much larger (printing houses, hardware
>manufacturers, etc) and also come up with new solutions.

>What do you think?

Lisa, all of what you say is highly relevant. But, you would be amazed by
the poor and confusing graphics that are currently presented in most
instructional materials for fully sighted immigrants and refugees in this
country. It is basically because very few producers, and actually fewer
teachers than you might imagine, are really paying attention to the problem.
The examples given in the article are, unfortunately far from outdated...

But, if one pays attention to what students give as feedback, I do believe
that it is possible to create more understandable and more meaningful
graphics for fully sighted new English learners, if one keeps in mind that
understanding visual graphics is not simply intuitive.

And, I am an enthusiast for tactile graphics  for blind children and adults,
once again, always keeping in mind that understanding them is not intuitive.
That is why your schema could be very helpful.

Best regards,

Sylvie

Sylvie Kashdan, M.A.
Instructor/Curriculum Coordinator
KAIZEN PROGRAM for New English Learners with Visual Limitations
810-A Hiawatha Place South
Seattle, WA  98144, U.S.A.
phone:  (206) 784-5619
email:  kaizen@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
web:  http://www.nwlincs.org/kaizen/


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Lisa Yayla" <lisa.yayla@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: <accessibleimage@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, October 17, 2007 4:28 AM
Subject: [accessibleimage] Re: Picture Perception and Interpretation



Hi,
I was thinking about systematizing the ideas behind tactile drawings.
Thought it would be helpful. I thought the article was useful in clarifying
part of the issue.
That way could be helpful in making the specifications for a drawing or set
of drawings. (When I had a number not followed by anything, I just meant
that the list could continue)

Good to get feedback, changes, suggestions etc.

Levels of difficulty/abstraction (?)
1. actual objects / very realistic 3-d models / scaled models
2. simple 2d drawings
3. 3d drawings, perspective 2 dimensional representation, symbols
4. visual metaphors etc
5.......

Accompanying, addition, supplementary information to a tactile
1. exploration
2. description
3. discussion
4. comparison
5......

Terms taken from other fields:

1. Generalization (cartography) see an earlier mail
2. Clutter
3. iconic / symbolic
4. ....


Resulting graphic
1. Interactive - where the individual reads self
2. creating self - where the individual creates self
3 lead - where the hand is guided
4. peer to peer - where a member of one group creates for the group
5......


What is used as "description" gives "nuance" in a graphic

1. line elements (line,point,polygon)
2. texture
3. height
4. movement
5. sound
6. smell
7......

User/audience
1 designed for one individual
2. lowest common denominator - (for want of a better term) understood by
all, perhaps also reproducible by all production means(?) embossers, swell
etc.
3.increased amount of information - fewer users
4.....




>>In general, I have found that even fully sighted immigrants and refugees
who
come from other cultures, whether they are literate or not, sometimes find
the specific kinds of abstractions presented in instructional pictures and
graphics in U.S. culture to be ambiguous and even confusing.


This is a general problem with graphics, it is always a challenge to make
information graphics understandable. Making visual graphics is just as
challenging as making tactile graphics, the difference is there are many
more people making them and there is I think a longer history of debate
around the issue. The developing environment for visual graphics is much
greater. So if one designer gets it wrong he/she will have 1000s of other
designers coming with improvements and etc (perhaps a exaggeration) and too
the supporting industries are much larger (printing houses, hardware
manufacturers, etc) and also come up with new solutions.

What do you think?

Regards,
Lisa



Lisa Yayla
Huseby Kompetansesenter
Oslo Norway
lisa.yayla@xxxxxxxxxx

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