DESIGN PRINCIPLES FOR TACTILE GRAPHICS

Planning and Editing

Planning the Graphic

Before you begin your graphic, take a few minutes to "incubate" your ideas.  Try to synthesize the information that you are planning to illustrate.  Think about the meaning you are about to attach to these symbols.

Areas

• Is the area distinguishable from surrounding areas? If it's a map, how do you know when you are in the water or on the land?
• If it's a graph, will the student be able to tell if (s)he is in the bar, or in the space between the bars?
• How many distinct areas will you portray in the illustration?
• Are they each significantly different?
• Are they so busy that you have created tactual noise?
• How are different areas defined-- by a line (imaginary boundary)? by an abrupt change in textures? by differences in height?

Lines

• Does the line represent…
  • An imaginary boundary
  • Something to follow (river route, street, Oregon Trail)
  • A lead line to a label placed somewhere else?
• What tells the student what to do with the line?

Points

• Are they far enough from a line to distinguish?
• Are they distinguishable from the area?

Labels

• How much decoding is required of the student?
• If the label doesn't fit without covering most of the area, where does it go?

Keys/Legends

• Does the sample in the key match the illustration EXACTLY?
• Is it big enough to allow the student to perceive the texture?
• If the key takes more than a page, the illustration is probably too noisy!

Color

• Many students who read braille also have some visual acuity.  If color can help with discrimination, use it!
• Sighted students see the blind student using the materials.  Think about good Public Relations and projecting a more positive image of the student.