Innovative and Affordable Options for Adapting Geographic Materials for Students with Blindness

By Gaylen Kapperman and Steven Maloney

Gaylen Kapperman is a professor emeritus of Northern Illinois University where he has been the director of the Visual Disabilities program for over three decades. Kapperman is blind and is a member of the National Federation of the Blind. He holds a doctorate from the University of Northern Colorado. In addition, he had been awarded a Fulbright Fellowship for study at the University of Heidelberg, Germany.

Steven Maloney, COMS, holds an M.S.Ed. from Northern Illinois University, where he studied blind rehabilitation.

Abstract

The authors developed inexpensive and easily employed methods to make a commonly available talking globe and a puzzle map of the United States accessible for use by individuals who are blind.

Keywords

Accessible, blindness, education, geography, globe, low-tech, map

Introduction

In an attempt to discover already developed methods for adapting geographical material, which can be easily adapted for use by students who are blind, the authors conducted a thorough search of the extant literature. The reader’s attention is drawn to the list of references at the conclusion of this piece. After reviewing the literature thoroughly, no methods were discovered which met the authors’ goal. Consequently, they conducted trials to develop the methods which would enable a teacher of students with visual impairments (TVI) with the wherewithal to adapt existing geographical materials, which were originally meant to be used by sighted students. The following paragraphs describe the methods, which the authors developed.

In their search, the authors found a talking globe (Oregon Scientific Smart Globe), which is available for use by sighted individuals. Direct purchase from the manufacturer is not currently available.  However, it can be purchased at: https://www.amazon.com/Oregon-Scientific-SG268R-Adventure-Educational/dp/B073XBXH28/ref=sr_1_1.

At the time of writing, the price was slightly more than $90. In addition, the authors discovered a talking map of the United States, which was also developed for use by sighted individuals. It is “Melissa & Doug USA Map Sound Puzzle - Wooden Puzzle with Sound Effects.” The price was slightly more than $20, with free shipping. Direct purchase from the manufacturer is not currently available; however, it can be purchased at: https://www.amazon.com/Melissa-Doug-USA-Sound-Puzzle/dp/B0007WIZF8/. In their original form, both the globe and map are inaccessible to persons with blindness, even though the models are equipped with speech.

Talking Globe

The globe is equipped with a stylus and a control panel. The control panel contains 15 different settings, which the user can select to hear different types of information, which will be spoken when the stylus is pressed against the globe and the user presses the actuating button. The information that is spoken is relevant to the country which the stylus is touching. For example, one setting will speak the name of the country. Another setting can be used to cause the globe to speak the name of the capital of the country. The major barrier for individuals with blindness in using the globe is that the outlines of the various countries, islands, bodies of water, and continents are not tactually perceivable. The outlines of the various geographical units are easily perceived by individuals with sight, but their locations are completely inaccessible to individuals who cannot see. In order to make the globe accessible for persons with blindness, the authors used an etching tool: a Dremel rotary tool. Various models of this tool are available for approximately $50-$100 from commonly found hardware stores, and can be used to outline the borders of the various countries and islands shown on the globe. The authors chose to use Tulip Puffy dimensional fabric paint to outline the continents, in order to differentiate those raised rubberized outlines from those produced by the etching tool. To clarify, the small, tactual line the Dremel tool produces is good for smaller areas defining outlines of countries. Conversely, the larger areas of continents benefit from a thicker line produced by the puff paint. In this way, the user has a very clear distinction between micro and macro areas via the feel of an etched versus rubberized surface. Such distinction may prove especially important if the user has neuropathy in the hands.

It goes without saying that it requires relatively useable vision on the part of the individual who outlines the countries and continents with tactually perceivable lines. We recommend wearing safety goggles or some type of eye protection during the etching process. Additional suggestions are described below.

Once the outlining procedures were completed and the Tulip Puffy dimensional fabric paint dried, we tested the viability of the adaptation to determine if the lead author, who is totally blind, could recognize various countries, continents, and other landmarks to determine their locations relative to other countries and continents, including their locations on the globe. That task was easily accomplished with little training. The panel housing the various settings was labeled in braille abbreviations, enabling the person to select various types of information that were desired by the user. We found this approach for adapting the globe to be very easily accomplished. In addition, the etching tools were readily used.

The use of the etching tools and the application of the Tulip Puffy dimensional fabric paint required approximately 2 hours for completion. The Tulip Puffy dimensional fabric paint, which was used to outline the continents, required approximately 24 hours to solidify.

The training of the adult with blindness to use the globe independently was easily accomplished, requiring only minutes. The reader should note that the time required for training is dependent, of course, on the abilities of the person with blindness. In a second test case, a globe was adapted for use by a 10-year-old student, who is totally blind. The teacher reported to the authors that the method for adapting the globe was easily accomplished and the training of the student was achieved with little difficulty. Once students become adept at using the globe, they can explore it independently with little direction from the teacher.

The Talking Puzzle Map of the United States

With relative ease, the authors were able to find a talking puzzle map of the United States. It measures 18 inches by 36 inches. Except for four of the New England states, all are separate pieces shaped in the outline of the states. When a piece representing a state is removed, a small button embedded in the underlying board can be found. Pressing the button causes the speaker in the map to speak the name of the state. A second press of the button will cause the name of the capital to be spoken.

The major aspect of the map, which makes it relatively inaccessible, is that the various puzzle pieces are formed in such a fashion that one cannot differentiate one piece from another while they are imbedded in the puzzle. That is, the pieces are designed to fit together without a tactually perceivable demarcation between them. Thus, in order to adapt the map for use by persons with blindness, we chose to use the etching tools to shave off a very small portion of the edge of each piece. When they are situated on the board, there is a very small indentation between each piece outlining the various pieces. If one wishes, one can add the two-letter abbreviations for each state on most of the larger pieces; some of the New England states are too small to accommodate a braille label. In the case of the pieces which represent two or more smaller states, one can use the etching tool to outline the individual states. Making the shape of the states tactually perceivable.

The process of adapting the map was easily accomplished. It required approximately 1 hour to shave the edges of all the pieces representing the various states. There is the additional time required to put braille labels on the larger states, if the teacher should choose to do so.

In summary, then, we estimate that the total cost of adapting the globe and map to be slightly more than $110. This does not include the cost of the etching tool. Instead of purchasing the etching tool, we suggest that perhaps it could be borrowed from a hobbyist. We estimate that the time required to adapt both the globe and map to be approximately 3 hours. Depending upon the age and maturity of the student, we believe that the time required to instruct the student can vary from a relatively short period of time to a reasonably extended period. We contend that many students with blindness will find the exploration of the globe and map to be rewarding activities which they may be able to carry out with minimal adult supervision.

At the conclusion of this paper, we offer a relatively complete list of references, which pertain to numerous aspects of the exploration of geographical concepts by individuals who have visual impairments. We would indicate that we believe the list to be the most complete, but there may be pieces available in languages other than English and Spanish to which we had no access.

Literature Describing Practical Approaches

The reader may find below certain useful resources, which the authors themselves found helpful and informative. These include articles where attempts to create prototypes have been described, though not necessarily with the same results as the authors have experienced. By reading these, the reader may gain insight into the subject of making the study of geography more accessible.

We especially recommend studying the work of Ghodke et al. (2019). The work these authors performed on the topic is noteworthy. They undertook significant efforts creating prototypes of globes suitable for geography study by persons with blindness, including creating polymerized shapes of the continents, which they then attached to the globe via spring-loaded lanyards that auto-retract. One point emanating from their paper is that such a massive effort conducted by an entire team of researchers over several months may prove impractical for the average TVI, who works on a very restricted schedule with an equally restricted budget. Our emphasis was to develop a simple solution, using easily obtainable materials to make a prototype that could be produced in a short period of time. Nevertheless, the Ghodke team did produce novel solutions, which, if they could be simplified somewhat, may eventually prove more practical for teachers.

The work of Szubielska et al. (2019) is relevant because it addresses the challenges experienced by persons who are congenitally, as opposed to adventitiously, blind. Congenitally blind students, whose visual status ranges from light perception to no light perception whatsoever, generally have little to no practical visual spatial memory and, thus, the concept of space, and objects within that space, requires a specialized approach to meet their needs. The instructional approach involves using other senses, such as tactual, auditory, kinesthetic, proprioceptive, and olfactory. While the vast majority of individuals with blindness have some usable vision in the form of low vision, it is important to address the entire spectrum of blindness.

Lastly, for readers fluent in Spanish, the work of Esparza (2019) provides insights into the important work being done in Mexico at the Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Geografía, notably with thermoform technology, resin molds, plaster, and latex.

Practical Suggestions

Although the purpose of this article is to provide an easily accomplished, elegant solution to making geography study more accessible, there are certain minor potential difficulties, which can be avoided given the following suggestions. For those teachers who may not have used a rotary device like the Dremel previously, it is suggested to use the device initially on the slowest speed setting, on a piece of wood or plastic that is secured to a table by using clamps or by simply being held in place by weights. It is highly recommended to have the piece being worked on as immobile as possible, making the task easier to carry out.

We assume that some TVIs will have already dealt with puff paint. It can be found in many craft shops. There are two minor points to consider with this material. Firstly, the size of the opening in the plastic container where the material flows out may be modified to produce a thinner or thicker line as needed. The outlines of larger areas, such as continents, are more easily differentiated using a heavier, thicker line of puff paint to distinguish them from the thinner etched lines, which the Dremel produces, to delineate countries. The authors also found that having a portable fan directed on the globe on a slow to medium setting significantly sped up the drying process of the puff paint. This is important because it is not possible to outline all the continents in one work session without the puff paint lines deteriorating. Thus, the authors recommend outlining, as an example, North and South America initially. Once those lines have dried, the outlining procedure can be focused on Europe and Africa. Finally, once those have been outlined, the remaining continents can be completed.

To summarize, the authors believe that the procedures which they have described can be carried out easily and inexpensively by individuals who wish to provide access to the globe and the map of the United States relatively easily and inexpensively. Through these efforts, students who are blind will benefit by increasing their knowledge of the map of the United States and of planet Earth.

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