[Blindmath] Tactile Diagram Production

[Roni Mathew]

Hello all, and thank you everyone who provided input on my question about
producing tactile geometric diagrams.

Essentially, one of my totally blind students has an in-class support
teacher, who believes it is her role to ensure that the student has every
last diagram on hand that will be used on every given class session. The
class goes through approximately fifteen diagrams in a 45-minute period,
which come from supplemental resource book and other handout material that
was not given to us with sufficient time to have it all produced and ready
for her. Therefore, this teacher has been laboriously consumed much of her
own time/life before/after school with wicki sticks, glue and puffy-paint in
creating every diagram for this student. I have, on numerous occasions,
explained that with the extensive number of diagrams to be used, it is more
beneficial to take a concept-centered approach and present a fair fraction
of diagrams to illustrate each addressed concept; however, the teacher
insists every single diagram illustrates a different concept, without which,
the student would not be adequately learning her material. O yes, this is a
10th grade Geometry course.

 

I am interested, as well, in one of the aforementioned ideas: methods for
instructing students in reading/understanding tactile diagrams. I don't know
how far off-topic this inquiry is for the list, however, I ask, is anyone
aware of methods/guidebook resources on effective approaches to reading and
interpreting tactile diagrams, as well as assessment kits to gauge a
students skill level in this area?

 

Thank you very much again,

Sincerely,

Roni Mathew