Creating Tactile Graphs for Students With Visual Impairments

Educational technologists are often asked to provide assistance in the identification or creation of assistive technologies for students. Individuals with visual impairments attending graduate schools are expected to be able to work with data sets, including reading, interpreting, and sharing findings with others in their field, but due to their impairments may not be able to work with standard displays. The cost and time involved in preparing adapted graphs based on student research data for individuals with visual impairments can be prohibitive. This chapter introduces a method for the rapid prototyping of tactile graphs for students to use in data analysis through the use of spreadsheets, internet-based conversion tools, and a 3D printer.