Drawing Connections: Enhancing Drawing Expression with 3D‐Printed Tactile Graphics and 3D‐Printing Pens for Students With Visual Impairments

Abstract

Vision is vital for daily activities, aiding the interpretation of graphics. Visual impairments poses unique challenges to knowledge acquisition from visual data. Empowering students with visual impairments through diverse auxiliary assistive resources is essential for their educational and professional growth. In a study involving nine students with visual impairments, a novel approach combined 3D‐printed tactile graphics and 3D‐printing pens for a learning task. The study assessed their impact through pretest and post‐test, drawing percentage parts. Participants' order and time for locating and tracing trajectories during drawing were recorded to examine their conversion of tactile graphics from 2D to 2.5D. Pretest data indicated an average completion of 17.5%, significantly increasing to 96.8% in the post‐test. The paired sample t‐test confirmed a substantial difference (t = −16.419, df = 8, p < 0.01), indicating higher post‐test cognition. ARCS scores were Attention = 4.08, Relevance = 4.02, Confidence = 3.88, and Satisfaction = 4.22, with SD ranging from 0.43 to 0.48. Kendall's W test coefficient fell between 0.38 and 0.53. Students' drawing analysis revealed progression to the advanced ‘connected feature’ stage, showing deeper understanding and practical application. Efficiency and proficiency in locating anchor points for drawing improved. Original 3D‐printed tactile graphics and drawn features allowed for assessing part characteristics before finalising the drawing area, facilitating efficient anchor point exploration and reducing drawing times. This teaching mode enables real‐time trajectory creation, integrating them with tactile materials and enhancing cognitive learning for students with visual impairments.