Teaching geometry to visually impaired people: the dynamic environment Geometrix

Abstract

This paper shows an original research on the teaching of geometry for visually impaired people. Geometrix, a new dynamic environment specially designed and implemented for this purpose, is detailed as well as a field research conducted with a control group of sighted people and an experimental group of visually impaired people. The results of this research established the hypothesis that the use of dynamic computing environments in the education of visually impaired people can help the development, retention and application of abstract concepts. The commitment to develop an pragmatic and adequate environment in regard to the sui generis characteristics of its users supported the foremost purposes of providing peremptory and autonomous learning of geometric concepts, as well as providing adequate applications of these concepts in teaching and learning processes. The results also showed that Geometrix can help visually impaired people to improve their spatial positions. Comparative analyses on time of acquisition of geometric concepts by visually impaired people have concluded that the environment has a better performance than the traditional teaching in classrooms.