SCIENCE
Science is an important but often difficult and challenging subject for blind and visually impaired students to master. Ideally the best situation is one in which all students have access to the the same materials and participate in the same activities as their sighted peers. However, often visually handicapped students will need and benefit from adaptations in equipment, teaching procedures, lessons and activities. Such adaptations will ensure that visually impaired students will acquire the skills necessary to complete assignments and gain scientific knowledge. Often specialized tools and materials are needed to provide access such as talking scales, compass, and voltmeters.
VISUALLY IMPAIRED STUDENTS
Visually impaired and blind students have individual needs. They may be print, braille, or audio users. Their vision may fluctuate due to many factors or may be influenced by factors such as lighting, glare, fatigue, or health issues.
Teaching this population requires unique and individual strategies based on the students’ needs, the project at hand, and the skills they possess (such as computer or braille skills and speed listening) that will allow them to participant and gain understanding of the material.
There is an overwhelming amount of visual material in an educational environment. To complicate matters science courses often require the reading of charts, measurements, observations, and other tasks that are made more difficult without the benefit of sight. Also, blind and visually impaired students often have have limited access to materials. Translations of books and other materials into braille, large print, or audio tapes are often difficult or impossible to obtain. The materials that are of concern include: textbooks, class notes, chalkboard lectures, videotapes, computers, journal articles, supplementary reading materials, and handouts.
CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
Understanding science concepts depends on: observation, data collection, recording, and analysis. The challenge of science is not just learning the facts or content but it is the process. For the visually impaired to understand science the process must utilize direct sensory experience with a variety of hands-on activities. Students need to touch objects, materials, and organisms in order to observe size, shape, texture, patterns and change. They should not limit their experiences to reading from texts or lectures on science facts but instead must be encouraged to find things out for themselves by exploring, manipulating, investigating , and experiment.
The most effective science activities are those that include numerous tactile and auditory interactions, and extensive manipulation of equipment, materials, and organisms. Students need to explore concepts via tactile methods whenever possible and encouraged to relate to acquired skills and knowledge to her own sensory environment
MULTI-SENSORY APPROACH
Students with normal vision learn a great deal through incidental and planned observation of activities. For the visually handicapped, instruction in science should be based on a multisensory approach directed toward the acquisition of information from other sources of sensory input. This multisensory approach will help to compensate for the reduced visual functioning.
Understanding science depends on the ability of the students to make observations and to quantify those observations. Visually handicapped do not learn effectively from distance visual observations. Instead they must have direct access to objects, materials, organism, procedures, and operations. This multi-sensory approach which integrates input from auditory, tactile, and olfactory, as well as, visual sources allows students to gain knowledge and integrate information into concepts.
To derive maximum benefit from the science visually impaired students must be presented with a multisensory approach that is diverse and active to compensate for reduced vision. This approach can help to open new avenues for expression and creativity and serve to motive students by helping to stimulate interest and realize potential.
STRUCTURED ENVIRONMENTS
It is imperative to have a very structured and controlled work space. It is essential to label all materials, supplies, and equipment in regular or large print or Braille. Labels need to be prepared a print size that is appropriate for the visual acuity and perception of the individual. Some use standard size print while others benefit from enlarged print. Blind students may be braille or audio users or use a computer with adaptations to translate the written text to speech and produce a braille translator with a braille embosser.
Familiarize the student with the classroom, laboratory, equipment supplies, materials, field sites by allowing the student to explore these areas factually. A verbal description is also helpful.
Science lessons should be taught under uniform, diffuse lighting, with no glare, no shadows, and no strong back lighting. Contrast between objects and backgrounds should be bright rather than being pastel shades.
Each student should be encouraged to be involved in every step of lesson. It is important to that the visually impaired student to play an active not passive role in the team. For instance, they should not merely act as the recorder in experiments with sighted partners but should be encouraged to take part in each part of the activity.
TEACHER OF THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED / BLIND
The teacher of visually impaired serves as consultant to the science teacher and helps to select appropriate methods and materials and deal with instructional problems related to the teaching of specific lessons and concepts.
The teacher of the visually impaired should assist the science teacher by explaining the types of objects and actions students are able to see and under what conditions. This vision specialist should provide specific examples relative to the individual, rather than merely interpret the clinical information about the degree of vision. In addition, other sensory losses should be noted such as reduced tactile sense in diabetic children. Teachers should be sensitive to each student’s cognitive learning style and provide science experiences that match that style.
MATERIALS
Real objects, organisms, and materials for classroom and experiments need to be provided and should include sturdy objects and organisms of appropriate size for tactile examination.
Descriptions of visual activities and an alternative to chalkboard work, printed diagrams, photographs will allow the visually impaired to have the information they need to be a part of the class. For the low vision student clear, high contrast printed materials are necessary.
It may be necessary to acquire specialized tools, data recording materials and other materials such as braille rulers, thermometers, and talking calculators, and scales. In addition, teacher-made materials such as organizational containers include common objects such as muffin tins or egg cartons to help structure the activity for the student. Often equipment and materials can be easily modified to assist the student in their work. For example, a physical stop fixed to a syringe so the plunger can be pulled out at preset measurements or tactile notches cut in the edges of the plunger of a syringe to determine a variety of volumes.
ADAPTATIONS
Some of the strategies suggested will assist some but not all visually impaired students.The student’s background and training and the degree of the visual impairment are all factors in whether these strategies and suggestions will be helpful to any one individual with a visual impairment.
Students with vision impairments will need assistance in areas such as accessing instructional materials, taking notes, and tests. A means for the acquisition and recording of data must be provided in the mode most familiar and appropriate to the student. It is necessary to provide accessible description for pictures, graphics, or displays. Verbal descriptions of diagrams and photographs,demonstrations and visual observations of experimental outcomes are also required. Low vision students should be encouraged to incorporate the use of their vision whenever possible.
There is a wide selection of magnifying devices available including stand mounted and hand held models. These may be helpful of some students to assist them in reading or working with items or equipment that need to be observed
GUIDELINES FOR MODIFICATIONS
There are many adaptations in equipment and teaching procedures that are helpful in teaching science to blind and visually impaired. In addition, computers are playing an important role in enabling visually handicapped to study and work in science. The following guide may be helpful.
-
1. Spell new or technical words
-
2. Use enlarged directions or a 3D models
-
3. An overhead projector or closed circuit television can be used to show step-by-step instructions or to enlarge a text or manual. It is helpful to mask tall the items except the one you are stressing at the moment
-
4. Provide braille labels for colored objects used for identification in a lesson or experiment
-
5. Describe visual occurrences, visual media and directions of pertinent aspects that involve sight in detail
-
6. Use a sighted narrator or descriptive video to describe aspects of videos or laser disks
-
7. All pertinent visual occurrences or chalkboard writing should be described in detail even when a note taker is available
-
8. Lessons, class handouts or directions should be provided in Braille, enlarged print, or on tape
-
9. Tactile 3D models, raised line drawings or thermoforms should be made available to supplement drawings or graphic
-
10. Use actual objects for three dimensional representations whenever possible
-
11. Raised line drawings can be used for temporary tactile presentations
-
12. Overhead projects, chalkboard talks, graphs or slides should not be avoided but must include more detailed in the oral descriptions, supplemented with themoforms where appropriate
-
13. The student should be allowed to use a tape recorder to record lectures and class presentations
-
14. Handouts and assignments must be available in appropriate form: regular print, large print, Braille, cassette this will depend on students optimal mode of communication and training
-
15. A monocular may be useful for long range observations of chalkboard or demonstrations
-
16. Call student by name to gain attention
-
17. Use descriptive words. Provide specific directions. Avoid vague terms and unusable information.
-
18. Describe pertinent visual occurrences of the the learning activities in detail
-
19. Changes in assignments and meeting sites should be given verbally.
-
20.It is helpful to offer to read information in some situations
-
21. At times an auditory signal may be helpful where a visual signal normally is used
-
22. Use stable and non breakable materials
-
23.Containers and materials should be labeled in braille and large print.
-
24.Use high contrast between material and work surfaces whenever possible
-
25. Be certain written materials are accessible to student including textbooks, journal articles, teacher handouts
-
26. Make use of braille, audio tapes, large print and sighted readers
LABORATORY MODIFICATIONS
Laboratory exercises can be accessible to students if equipment is available that allows them to access, interpret and understand the results of laboratory exercise. Such devices include audible readout voltmeters, calculators, talking thermometers, talking compass and scales, and magnifiers.
Additions suggestions for laboratory exercises include:
-
1. Team the student with a sighted student or provide a tutor to describe the activities and outcomes as they are observed.
-
2. A hot plate can be used instead of a Bunsen burner
-
3. A micro projector can be used to help a visually impaired student examine images from a microscope
-
4. Allow more time for laboratory activities
-
5. Describe and factually and spatially familiarize student with lab and equipment
-
6. Location of materials, supplies, equipment and how it is used
-
____
____
They should be kept in the places and a braille or large print label should be used. Braille or large print tags can be used on containers
-
7. Overhead projector or opaque projector is helpful for some to show step-by-step instructions. A low vision closed circuit television can be use to magnify images up to 720 times.
-
8. Taking a trial run on the equipment will help the student to become familiar
-
9. Use tag shapes for showing relationships (such as distance comparison) buttons, or other markers on a “layout” board
-
10. Portable communication board can be used to provide auditory scanning of laboratory materials such as : pictographic symbols, letters or words
-
____
____
Obtain laboratory equipment that have adaptive outputs such as : a large screen, print materials, various audio output devices, Braille and large print translations of books prior to enrollment
11. Allow more time for laboratory activities
FIELD EXPERIENCE MODIFICATIONS
-
1. Provide handouts, safety information and assignments available in appropriate e form including regular or large print, Braille, audio cassette.
-
2. Provide a detailed description and narration of objects seen in science centers, museums and field activities
-
3. Ask a classmate to act as a sighted guide
-
4. A laser cane or Mowatt sensor are electronic travel aid that can be helpful in assisting the student in unfamiliar surroundings
-
5. Provide a tape recorder for use by the student.
RESEARCH MODIFICATIONS
-
1. Tape record, computer, various braille devices to assist in reading and note taking
-
2. Use of appropriate lab and field strategies according to the nature of the research
-
3. Make arrangements for tactile examination if allowed by the museum or research center
TESTING ADAPTATIONS
-
1. Allow addition time for testing.
-
2. Testing should be present in a form that will be unbiased for visually impaired
-
3. The student may be able to help you understand which method is most accessible
-
4. Talking and large print display calculators should be available.
-
5. Record test questions on tape and allow students to record their answers on tape
-
6. The activity script, directions or readings can be taped
-
7. 3D tactile models can be used
-
8. Modifications may be made or specialized equipment such as talking thermometers, talking scales, etc.
READING
There are a number of devices that can be used to assist vision impaired students when reading including closed circuit televisions which enlarge pages of written material. They can be very portable and provide the student with instant enlargement of pages.
Tutors or volunteer readers or writers can assist student with tests,materials, research by reading materials for students.
The teacher of the visually impaired should arrange with Talking Book Service or Recording for the Blind for audio books to be produced of textbooks or other reading materials.
THE SCIENCE ACCESS PROJECT
The Science Access Project at the University of Oregon was developed to ensure full accessibility of electronic information by individuals with visual difficulties. This project promotes the development of technologies that will allow full access of electronic information to individuals with print disabilities. Their philosophy is that information should be created and transmitted in a form that is display-independent as possible with the user having maximum freedom over how information is displayed. This, it is believed, will lead to maximum usability by everybody and will assure equal access. Ideally information should be made accessible by controlling the display, not the information itself.
Science Access Project concentrates on accessibility of non-textual information including:
-
1. new and improved paradigms for tactile and audio-/visual information display
-
2. hardware for tactile information display
-
3. software that utilizes display-independent information and multi-modal access (14)
TACTILE INFORMATION DISPLAY
Science Access Project ( SAP) actively promotes reforms in Braille and development of DotsPlus paradigm used to represent more general text and graphics. Braille is a tactile method of representing words by dot patterns. Fewer than 15% of American who are legally blind and read braille. Even few er of those readers can read the special braille codes needed to represent math, science, and computer programs. Therefore there is a movement to develop a more useful method of braille. This new unified braille code would allow readers to represent math and science in a more simple fashion. (15)
DOTSPLUS
Dotsplus is a tactile font set developed by SAP. Dotsplus permits straightforward tactile hard-copy representation with the same format used in print. Signs such as plus, equals, times, parentheses, fraction bar, etc. are represented by tactile images with the same shape as the print symbol. Although it is not easy to distinguish the shapes of letters and numbers factually. SAP developed the TIGER (Tactile Graphics EmbosseR) which is a high-resolution embosser that can print DotsPlus. In addition, to is a major improvement in making graphics accessible. (16)
AUDIO/VISUAL DISPLAYS
A wide range of software applications that utile audio display is being developed by SAP:
-
1. The TRIANGLE program is able to display x-y graphics and bar-charts through tone displays. To display formatted text, tables and math equations a variety of speech enhancements and non-speech audio are used in TRIANGLE.
-
2. The Audio System for Technical Reading (AsTeR) is a reader program that presents scientific expressions compactly in speech and other audio. Audio formatting use a higher pitch for superscripts and lower pitch for subscripts. They also group symbols by changing tone or rate and by using strategic pauses. Different words may also be used depending on context
-
3. EmacSpeak is a self-voicing system that has expanded the accessibility of blind users to the UNIX operating systems
TACTILE HARDWARE
Methods and hardware for making tactile graphics materials for blind users including:
-
1. Swell paper is the only practical methods for making tactile graphic materials from computer applications. To do this a black image is transferred to this special paper. It is then passed through an infrared heater that makes the black areas swell. The images however are soft and not very pleasant to read. The process is also expensive at a cost of dollar plus per sheet to produce. Also the process is cumbersome.
-
2. A new embossing technology has been developed and patented by Oregon State University that produces a high-resolution tactile graphics (20 dots per inch) to be embossed on standard braille paper and plastic media. It is able to produce smooth lines in vertical and horizontal directions. The company that purchased the license for this technique is working on a commercial embosser.
-
3. In 1997 a prototype personal embosser called TIGER was exhibited at the March of 1997 at the International Conference on Technology and Persons with Disabilities, in Los Angeles. TIGER automatically converts fonts to a user-selectable computer braille representation using Windows 95 and a printer driver. (17)
TRIANGLE
The Science Access Project wrote a computer program that permits blind people to read, write, and calculate math and science problems. Written in DOS it requires a DOS screen reader and includes a math/science word processor, graphing calculator, a viewer for y versus x plots, a table viewer. It also Touch-and-Tell, a computer-assisted reading program of tactile figures that uses an external digitizing pad.
Triangle allows a keyboard or any specialized device that emulate a keyboard to be used to provide input. The output is transmitted in several ways:
-
1. Visually—with text on the DOS screen
-
2. Audibly—with the assistance of a screen-reading program, external voice synthesizer and PC speaker
-
3. Factually—with use of a braille screen access program and external refreshable braille display
Triangle also can provide the user with visual, audible, and tactile output simultaneously. (18)
GRAPHIC ACCESS
Often graphical information is available only in printed hard copy or as electronic bit-mapped images and must be make accessible to blind or visually impaired individual.
Several programs including the Objectif and Boxer programs support access to graphical information.
They are designed to simplify the process for the sighted transcribed making tactile copes and the electronic label maps necessary for blind users to read complex figures.
These programs are available free of charge through SAP. They require use of the Nomad tablet (American Printing House for Blind), the TRIANGLE Touch and Tell view, and audio/tactile viewing programs. They are designed to assist sighted people in making tactile graphic materials for blind users. (19)
OBJECTIF
This is a programs that implies editing bit-mapping graphics. It prints using a braille graphics printer. Users are able to make an electronic label file for viewing with the Triangle. Objectif is a Windows program that intrinsically requires some sight for its use.
Boxer was designed to make trees and flow charts that can be printed on a standard braille text printer. Boxer can be used by a blind person. (20)
VRML VIEWER
It is important to assure that all electronic informational graphic is accessible. The VRML viewer is used in many world wide web applications and has been demonstrated to be fully accessible to graphics. For instance, the periodic table of chemical elements can be made accessible using a standard VRML browser that speaks object labels when you click either on-screen or on a tactile copy sitting on the external touch pad.
SCREEN
UNIX is an operating system originally used on mainframe computers. It now is also used on many stand-alone work stations. in companies and universities. UNIX was accessible only through DOS machines used as terminals. This lack of direct access prevented blind and visually impaired users from working with this system. Now, however, SAP has developed a direct braille access to UNIX text applications.
Screen is a full-screen window manager. It multiplexes a physical terminal between several processes such as interactive shells. Braille additions have been added to Screen to allow the user to view these directly with the display without having to log in through a DOS machine. (21)
TUTORS
Assistance from a paid tutor or volunteer can provide the following services:
l. Reading texts, lecture notes and other documents
2. Production of braille and tactile educational materials
3. Typing and proofreading of term papers and assignments
4. Assisting with laboratory work