[accessibleimage] Re: a question about a scanner

Hello Ike, a very prescient analysis of the advantages and difficulties of tactile graphics. However having begun to depend more and more on tactile graphics, I claim that most blind people who think they don't need tactile graphics are just wrong. Of course we've grown up in a world where we had to make do with verbal description, but complicated graphical information sure does get a lot easier to comprehend if you have the graphics. I assure you that if you have tactile graphics technology available, you'll make more and more use of it until you just cannot imagine how you could possibly have lived without it.

The mistake that many people make is in assuming that tactile graphics are enough. They seldom are, particularly for the average blind person who has had very little experience with tactile graphics. As you point out, most mainstream tactile graphics are cluttered. In truth, many are really hard to comprehend visually, but the difficulty is compounded if one has only one's fingers. Good access really requires both tactile graphics and verbal description. A blind teacher who has to judge graphical information made by her students would be extremely well served by a tactile copy overprinted in ink that can be seen by the teacher and student. Then questions by the teacher and answers by the student just get a whole lot easier.

Technology is cheap if it makes the blind person more effective.

John


At 06:38 AM 6/28/2005, Ike Presley wrote:

Hi Janet,

I've seen this sort of thing happen many times. A well meaning person not familiar with our field sees some new technology and assumes that it is the perfect answer for some problem. What your director probably saw was the Tiger embosser connected to a computer and a scanner. Indeed, you can scan an image and then have the image embossed on the Tiger. It's a relatively simple process. Unfortunately the results may not always be what you want or need.

One of the biggest problems with tactile graphics is "clutter." In many cases, elements of a graphic may be so close to each other that when they are embossed it will be difficult to distinguish between each of these items or elements. For example: an outline map of the US on 81/2 x 11 inch paper will show all the states. However, the smaller states of the northeast will be somewhat difficult to see visually but most people can make it out if detailed information is not needed. This image can easily be scanned into a computer using most commercial scanners. The file can be saved and then embossed on a Tiger embosser. The Tiger will produce a good reproduction of the image. However, when you try to distinguish the borders of the northeastern states you will find that it is almost impossible to determine the difference between Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. The dots representing the borders will be so close to each other that you will most likely not be able to distinguish them.

Depending on the complexity of the graphical information provided by your students you may be able to assist them. But as you can see from the example above it could be quite difficult to tactual perceive the minute difference that may exist in a student's work. I think that you will want to have someone create a tactile graphic of the "graphic organizers and story webs" so that you can learn how these graphics are displayed. I'm not exactly sure what the director means by "graphic organizers and story webs" but I'm thinking it might be something like the organizational schemes achieved with the computer programs Inspiration and Kidspiration. I think that once you understood how these organizational diagrams are constructed you will be able to discuss each student's work verbally and use a model of one of the diagrams to provide feedback to the student. I think it is doable, but it will take some training on your part with someone who is familiar with the graphical information and a good communicator.

Well, I've probably told you more than you ever wanted to know, but this is a tricky area of access. Timely access to graphical information is available with a scanner, computer, and Tiger embosser, but the usefulness of that information will vary from item to item.

Good luck and please feel free to contact me if I can be of any further assistance.
Ike

Ike Presley, Chair
AER Division  5 - Information and Technology

Ike Presley
American Foundation for the Blind
National Literacy Center
100 Peachtree St., Suite 620
Atlanta, GA 30303
404-525-2303
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From: accessibleimage-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:accessibleimage-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Janet
Sent: Monday, June 27, 2005 6:27 PM
To: accessibleimage@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [accessibleimage] a question about a scanner

Hi List,

I am a totally blind teacher intern majoring in elementary special education. I will begin my student teaching this fall.

the director of Special education at my university went to the CEC conference last April. She has had some concern whether or not I am capable of performing essential functions of the job as a teacher. One of her main issues of concern is my ability to assist sighted students with images such as graphic organizers and story webs. So when she discovered information on this "scanner" she was very excited.

She described it to me thus:

It is a scanner with the ability to scan images and print them out as exact images in a form of "Braille", something tactile that the blind person can identify through touch.
She gave me information on this scanner and other things she had discovered at the CEC conference. When I went to read the brochures and pamphlets she had given me, I found nothing on this scanner. I am thinking I have been the one to loose the information. It was a while before I finally had time to investigate all the materials she brought me.

So after the long explanation, Has anybody heard of a scanner similar to the one above described? I haven't but then I haven't been looking for anything like that.
Thanks for your information.


John A. Gardner
Professor and Director, Science Access Project
Department of Physics
Oregon State University
Corvallis, OR 97331
tel: (541) 737 3278
FAX: (541) 737 1683
        SAP URL: http://dots.physics.orst.edu/


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