[accessibleimage] Re: Topographical maps and student who is blind

Philip,
I'm a professional photographer and a teaching artist on the Minnesota State arts board's artists' roster. during three residencies, I taught photography to both congenitally blind and visually-impaired students at Minnesota's State Academy for the Blind in Faribault. I won't claim to have definitive answers for you -- but I put quite a bit of time and research into different methods of "translating" photos into tactile graphics and testing the results with blind volunteers.
I finally chose two different media for my "faux-toe-graphs": Solarplate and Swelltouch paper.
Swelltouch (www.americanthermoform.com) is easier to print and cheaper to use. Solarplate (www.solarplate.com) is more durable and more hands-on for students. After scanning, cropping and sizing your images you need to change them into half-tones. This removes visual clutter and enhances the student's chance to read the image. This is relatively easy to do manually and pro-grade photo software packages all have this as a standard menu option.
Print your Swelltouch paper on a laser printer and then run it through their heat machine. A couple years ago it was $1/sheet.
Solarplate is a bit more tricky to use. (And at $5/sheet quite a bit more expensive.) I chose to use it was because it gave me a chance to simulate the darkroom experience with my students. We created digital negatives on overhead transparency film and made contact print exposures with UV lights. Process with a water wash-out and allow to harden.
In both cases, we did a lot of audio description but it was worthwhile. Each has pros and cons, but overall, I would suggest you try using the Swelltouch paper both for cost and for predictability. 

Barry Kleider
Minneapolis




Phillip M Minyard (pminyard) wrote:
We have a student enrolled in a environmental geology class. We have tried enlarging some of the topographical maps and embossing them on the Tiger Embosser, but the student is unable to use the embossed maps. The course also uses aerial photographs and the only thing we have been able to do is describe them. Has anybody had any experience with this type of presentation, and if so, would you please contact me? I would be happy to receive detailed information on my university email. 

Thanks, Phil


Phillip Minyard
Disability Services Coordinator

Student Disability Services <http://saweb.memphis.edu/sds/>

University of Memphis
110 Wilder Tower
Memphis, TN  38152-3520
Voice 678-2880 - fax 678-3070
"Education is what survives when what has been learned has been forgotten." 

B. F. Skinner
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