Tactile Graphic WebcastQuestions and Answers

  1. [Flakes J.] Will there be examples of productions for the college level student? It's seems to me the examples you are describing now are for the k-12 grade level.
  2. [Flakes J.] I work @ CSULong Beach with college students am I the only one that fell this webcast is for the k-12 level?

Yan: As Shawl K. pointed out, the principles are the same no matter what the grade level. Comparing to K-12 level, a college textbook is usually more structured, has fewer graphics, and has less decorative information in the graphics. This will ease the editing and planning process of the creation of tactile graphics. The graphics are also often given figure numbers, which makes the placement of graphics easier in the correlation with braille transcription. College students may also have better understanding of the subject and more experience at reading tactile graphics; however this is not always the case.

Betsy: No additional comment necessary, please see comments regarding perspective and Algebra (question 7).

  1. [Demaris M] I'm missing some of what he is saying... Can't understand what he used for the textures...

Yan: Materials and tools used in the sample:

Collage / Foil
Seed coat / Hemp cord (not recommended, hard to glue) / Coarse spur wheel
Seed center / Textured cardboard (available at Michaels) / Fine dotted texture
Leaf / Heavy cardboard / Solid raised edge
Vein / Crochet thread / Fine spur wheel
Leaf stem / Cotton string / Thick solid line
Lead line / Thinner crochet thread / Fine spur wheel

Webcast Questions and Answers

  1. [Demaris M] HOw big do you make the venting holes?

Yan: Venting holes can be pricked with a push pin or a sewing needle.

  1. [Flakes J.] I'm interested in using Adobe Photo Shop with the Tiger Embosser and suggestions?
  1. [vonsees] J. Flakes, check out the National Braille Association site to see if there are workshop materials available about computer graphics. We us Adobe and the Tiger up here.
  1. [mudd b.] Sorry---if the Tiger relies on a sharp line, Photoshop probably won't give you the sharp line that a vector programs will give you

Yan: Photoshop is a bitmap based graphic software. It won’t work well with Tiger or any other methods. The labels will be recognized not as text but graphics because of the bitmap nature of the file. We should use vector based graphic software such as CorelDraw and Adobe Illustrator.

  1. [yocom c] how much room is needed around an object to measure
  1. [yocom c] When measuring a line, how much space is needed above and below the object to be measured? Also, when measuring an angle, what size should the angle be and space around it?

Yan: If the student is to measure the length of an object, design it in a way that a braille ruler can be used. The object should have high and sharp edges for the student to lean the ruler against. To measure an angle, the rays of the angle should be longer than 3 inches for the use of braille protractor.

Betsy: The space needed for a braille ruler would need to be 2 inches. Most braille rulers are 1 1/2 inches in height

Webcast Questions and Answers

  1. [nousanen d] is there a tactile graphics list serv?

Yan: There are a few of them:

Accessible Image listserv:

It is used to be called Adapted Graphics listserv. The Access Image list's purpose is to discuss graphics, images designed for visually impaired.

Subscribe to the list by sending email to: with 'subscribe' in the Subject line.
To post on the list, simply send email to: .

Tactilegraphic.org:

Lucia Hasty created this listserv as a discussion group about tactile graphics.

Tactile Graphic Committee List Server and Archives:

The International Council on English Braille (ICEB) Tactile Graphic Committee works through a list server that anyone may join as an observer.

Webcast Questions and Answers

  1. [Lampert J] As 3 dimensional examples become more and more prevalent, when and how are they to be omitted, and what wording is appropriate?
  2. [Lampert J] Hands are not eyes; how to decide how to render a 3 dimensional illustration into a 2 dimensional medium?

Yan: Many print diagrams are shown as 3-D view from an angle or perspective where the information conveyed is not necessarily to be 3-D, such as the room on slide 29 and the seeds and leaves on slide 31. We should present the information as a 2-D side view or cross section.
The 3-D figures in Math seem to be exceptions. They can’t be easily simplified to 2-D because the information is in 3-D. However, the 3-D coordinate systems and solid figures are very hard to make sense to Braille readers. They may need models to fully understand them.

Betsy: Currently, the Guidelines for Mathematical Diagrams are used to set the standard for tactile graphics. These guidelines suggest that 3-D diagrams such as cubes, spheres etc. be replicated as they are in print. (Solid line for outside edges and dotted line for inside lines) One suggestion I have heard discussed would be that the tactile contain different textures for different surfaces with an appropriate key. This idea seems very interesting and worth pursuing.
I do not know if any other suggestions will be made in the BANA guidelines, but I do feel the best solution has not yet been found. As most of us are using the method suggested in Guidelines to Mathematical Diagrams, we can only hope the presentation we are using is being taught by the VI teacher.
The current Promising Practices for the Transcription of Materials for grade K-3 require the insertion of a transcriber's note prior to each graphic. The Teacher's Reference Page contains a listing of each transcriber's note and the reason for it. In this case the reason stated would

Webcast Questions and Answers

be: The student may need assistance reading and interpreting the tactile graphic. (For more information of the Promising Practices for the Transcription of Materials for grade K-3 see the document available on the APH website.)

  1. [mciver l] i'd still like to know BANA's tentative release date for the guidelines

Yan: We are not sure either. It should be released for review before the end of the year.