Hi everyone, Please see below or attached for a summary of activity on the
ANZAGG facebook group last month. cheers, Leona
Australia and New ZealandAccessible Graphics Group
Facebook Group Activity
June 2019
TheANZAGG facebook group is located at
https://www.facebook.com/groups/909719082474080/
Anyonewith an interest in accessible graphics is invited to join the group,
share theirnews and contribute to discussions. The group currently has 183
members (8 newthis month).
20July 2019
We have three newmembers today. A warm welcome to BreeScott, MarnIeand
KateGrogan.
Please feel free to share your news, ideas and questions.
Comment: Welcome also to MelissaJephcott.
18 July 2019
Claire Garret: My first post on thisforum so a little introduction. I'm a semi
retiree who needs projects to remainsane and by an interesting route and
several inspirational people I have becomeheavily involved in making teaching
aids for young VI kids using my beautifullaser cutter and more recently a less
beautiful homemade vacuum formingmachine. I want to make a series of relief
diagrams to see if I can helpstudents interpret diagrams in their curriculum
that they find difficult with PIAF or embossing. I'm usingthe laser to help
build the moulds that I then vacuum form in a sturdy whiteplastic (0.5mm HIPS).
I'm not limited to thin moulding like a Braillethermoform machine and can make
anything from Uluru to Japanese fabric design.The plastic is roughly A4 and it
is cheap so the sky's the limit withpossibilities.
So, the reason why I'm here? Canteachers, parents or students send me some
diagrams they would like help withand I will send them my interpretation in a
higher relief and if it includes atleast a header in Braille I can not only
make it for free but post it for freeas well, thanks to Aus Post. And while you
are thinking about that one, hasanyone bought and used one of the APH books of
relief diagrams along theselines (but also beautifully printed in colour as
well). I don't want toreinvent the wheel, but although the books are well worth
while they would beexpensive to import unless you wanted to make use of the 56
diagrams in eachmultiple times.
I look forward to hearing fromyou soon. And take a look at my website catalogue
at www.childsply.wixsite.com/catalogueif you are interested in laser cut
plywood tactile teaching aids, particularlyfor young mathematicians and
musicians! Any suggestions to add to my collectionmore than welcome.
Cheers, Claire
Comments:
· Welcome to the group, Claire Garrett. I am a big fan of your work!
The water cycle is one diagram that comes to mind - it is frequentlyrequested
and can be difficult to represent.
o Thanks. Do you know what year level to aimfor? I always err on the side of
too much info and detail so my ideal is tohave a diagram that is being used in
the classroom and adapting from that.
o The problem is that the classroom teachersuse a different print diagram
every time, and the print always needs to besimplified for the tactile.
I like this example. It is for sighted kids but because they have built itout
of lego they have already simplified it a lot -
https://www.pinterest.com.au/pin/181058847497743841/
o Thanks. I'm on to it. Will keep you posted
· Claire: Literally hot off the press! And I'm looking intosome possible
diagrams of traffic intersections with Guide Dogs Vic, have youmade any
progress along those lines with the 3D printer or should I see if thevacuum
forming can do the job?
[image description: wooden laser cut original and thermoform copy of the water
cycle]
Awesome!
o I took 4 different road crossing models tothe Round Table Conference but
need more feedback from users. Some people likedthe TGSIs to be included,
others did not. A tactile indicator for the whitelines is good. Shorter traffic
poles are better if you are using the map fornavigating but it would be nice to
have the tops on for general knowledge.Distortion of measurements is needed for
clarity. Simpler is better.
[Image description: 3Dprinted road crossing with street corners, traffic poles
with buttons, andmedian strips.]
24 July 2019
To make a tactile globe, you can buy a large globe cheaply (around $20 at
Lincraft or Officeworks) and use a glitter glue or fabric paint to make the
land tactile and markdotted lines with an engraving tool. Might be tricky
sticking on any Brailleexcept on the oceans.
Comments:
- There is a great but very old pamphlet (by APH?) on how to do this. Let me
see if I can find it ...
- I am not having much luck.
But I did find an interesting paper from Brazil about a handmade globe made of
styrofoam with velcro so that the continents, meridian lines, etc can be
attached as part of an interactive lesson.
https://icaci.org/.../_extendedAbstract/6_proceeding.pdf
24 July 2019
In celebration of thelunar landing 50th anniversary, NASA have released a
series of 3D printablemodels of the landing site and surrounds, with braille
labels included.Wonderful!
https://www.nasa.gov/specials/apollo50th/media.html
[image description: 3D model of the lunar surface with braille label]
Comments:
- Well that saves me a bit of work! But I now wish I had a 3D printer as
well as my laser and vacuum former.
- Which model(s) are of most interest to people?
- The model with the raised rim to indicate areas the astronauts covered is
particularly interesting!
24 July 2019
Some fantastic resourceson accessible mapping.
https://www.perkinselearning.org/scout/blog/tactile-maps-and-teaching-maps-skills
3 July 2019
Call for participants - We are exploringhow interactive 3D printed models can
be used in order to provide thevision-impaired with more understandable,
engaging and inclusive access tographical content. Your input will be valuable
in understanding how thesetechnologies can be used to improve access to
information.
Please contact Samuel Reinders at samuel.reinders@xxxxxxxxxx for more
information or toregister your interest. A full explanatory statement can be
accessed through the following link: https://bit.ly/2xmwZFQ
Comments:
- Sam has been printing lots of lovely high quality models.
- will follow this up next week
- Can’t wait to explore them
- Fantastic stuff!
18 July 2019
Urban Tactility: TheImmigration Museum in Melbourne is offering a series of
guided (blindfolded)tours and talks on the importance of inclusion in urban
planning.
https://museumsvictoria.com.au/immigrationmuseum/whats-on/urban-tactility/
4 July 2019
About Vital software tocreate interactive diagrams with voice, sonification and
vibration on androiddevices.
https://www.perkinselearning.org/technology/blog/vital-creating-accessible-digital-images
18 July 2019
Emojis designed foreasier use by people with low vision.
https://posabilitymagazine.co.uk/rnib-and-we-are-social-unveil-emojis-for-partially-sighted-people/
16 July 2019
The Biomedicine SensoryScientific Day is on again in December at Monash
University, Clayton VIC.Expressions of interest for attendance are now open.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeM9Kz1pXxlpEe5NepMpzLDyqcUn1sZRg_w4AjUgGJlQxI5MA/viewform
15 July 2019
More info and videos nowavailable on the Motorised Drawing Arm (MDA) for
creating tactile graphics.
https://www.thinkable.nl/
12July 2019
Yay for Yuma Decaux, oneof three Holman Prize winners this year.
http://lighthouse-sf.org/2019/07/11/announcing-the-2019-holman-prizewinners/
[image description: Yuma Decaux]
7Jul 2019
Accessibilityimprovements coming for Apple Maps?
https://www.appleworld.today/blog/2019/6/26/apple-wants-to-make-its-maps-app-more-accessible-for-visually-impaired-users
5 July 2019
Free accessible book onDesign Beyond Vision, with chapters on accessible art,
tactile graphics andtactile sound.
https://www.cooperhewitt.org/publications/the-senses-design-beyond-vision/
[image description: Book cover for "The senses: Design Beyond Vision"]
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ANZAGG facebook digest 2019-07.doc
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