[Pibe-division] Tactile Pictures and braille reading

[Amanda Gough]

Hi Everyone

I am an RTV (same as a TVI) in Whanganui New Zealand.  I am also involved in post-graduate study, and am currently researching whether the acquisition of literacy skills for braille readers is enhanced by the presence of tactile images in emergent reading material.

I am looking for some experienced TVIs who wouldn’t mind sharing their beliefs and experiences in this feild with me to form the “professional” part of my evidence base.  If you feel you fit the bill, and have a few  minutes to answer the following questions, I would be most appreciative. You do not have to answer all the questions, just whatever you can.

1. How long have you been teaching in the Blindness / Low Vision field?

2. How many students have you taught to read using the braille medium?

3. Do you have any experience teaching early literacy skills with books/reading material that also contained tactile pictures?  If so, please elaborate on the types you have used (eg. Collage pictures, line-drawings, thermoform, piaf, ‘braille-dot’ pictures, tactile cues, etc.)

4. According to the accumulated research, SIGHTED emergent and early readers use VISUAL PICTURES for the following purposes:
To tell a story in themselves.
To help the reader predict what a story will be about.
To provide information to support the text – information which can be accessed easily and without the need to engage in complex cognitive tasks.
To provide information to enhance the text – often providing detail that is not contained in the text.
To support the decoding of vocabulary that is unfamiliar in its written form. 
To support retention of information. 
To provide interest and enjoyment, and often holding the key to engagement.

• Do you feel that tactile pictures are also able to fulfill any or all of these roles for blind children?  

5. Do you think there is any alternative or complimentary way we can fulfill the above list for braille readers (besides using tactile pictures)? 

6. Have you taught children with visual memory?  Do you think this makes any difference to their ability to decipher tactile pictures?

7. Do you find braille readers prefer (as in find it easier to interpret) any particular type of tactile pictures (eg. collage, thermoform, piaf, braille-dot images)?

8. What do you see as the strengths of including tactile pictures in emergent reading material?

9. What do you see as the weaknesses / drawbacks /challenges / problems?

10.  How do you think tactile pictures can BEST be created and used to support blind students in the acquisition of reading skills?
Thank you so much for taking the time to answer this for me.  By answering the above questions, you agree to your responses being included in my research.  No names or identifying information will be used in the research paper.  Any participant wishing to see the final paper will be given access on request.

Unless you wish to share your responses with this group, please email them directly to me at: amanda.gough at xtra.co.nz 

Kindest regards

Amanda Gough


 
 


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