Creating Atom Representations Using Open-Source, Stackable 3D Printed Interlocking Pieces with Tactile Features to Support Chemical Equation Writing for Sighted and Visually Impaired Students

Singhal, Ishu; Balaji, B. S.

doi:10.1021/acs.jchemed.9b00255

Cited by 17 publications

(27 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…Students with blindness or low vision (BLV) face challenges in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) (3)(4)(5). Besides barriers imposed by limited assistive technology (6), students with blindness face bias by educators and peers (7,8). This bias can erode a student's sense of belonging (9,10), make science appear too challenging to pursue (11), and inhibit social groups that promote interest (12).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Visualizing 3D imagery by mouth using candy-like models

et al. 2021

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Handheld models help students visualize three-dimensional (3D) objects, especially students with blindness who use large 3D models to visualize imagery by hand. The mouth has finer tactile sensors than hand, which could improve visualization using microscopic models that are portable, inexpensive, and disposable. The mouth remains unused in tactile learning. Here, we created bite-size 3D models of protein molecules from “gummy bear” gelatin or nontoxic resin. Models were made as small as rice grain and could be coded with flavor and packaged like candy. Mouth, hands, and eyesight were tested at identifying specific structures. Students recognized structures by mouth at 85.59% accuracy, similar to recognition by eyesight using computer animation. Recall accuracy of structures was higher by mouth than hand for 40.91% of students, equal for 31.82%, and lower for 27.27%. The convenient use of entire packs of tiny, cheap, portable models can make 3D imagery more accessible to students.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Visualizing 3D imagery by mouth using candy-like models

et al. 2021

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“…Prior work on tactile materials has largely focussed on specific subject areas, such as mathematics [21,26,33], computer science [16,25], and the natural sciences [24,54], while our participants covered topics that ranged well beyond these subjects, as outlined in the Expanded Core Curriculum (Section 2.3). TVIs were tasked with creating tactile materials that not only imparted academic knowledge, but also encouraged independent life skills, developed spatial reasoning skills, and instilled values of self-determination and self-confidence within students.…”

Section: Design Tactile Materials For the Expanded Core Curriculummentioning

confidence: 99%

Tactile Materials in Practice: Understanding the Experiences of Teachers of the Visually Impaired

Phutane

Wright

Castro

et al. 2022

ACM Trans. Access. Comput.

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Teachers of the visually impaired (TVIs) regularly present tactile materials (tactile graphics, 3D models, and real objects) to students with vision impairments. Researchers have been increasingly interested in designing tools to support the use of tactile materials, but we still lack an in-depth understanding of how tactile materials are created and used in practice today. To address this gap, we conducted interviews with 21 TVIs and a 3-week diary study with eight of them. We found that tactile materials were regularly used for academic as well as non-academic concepts like tactile literacy, motor ability, and spatial awareness. Real objects and 3D models served as “stepping stones” to tactile graphics and our participants preferred to teach with 3D models, despite finding them difficult to create, obtain, and modify. Use of certain materials also carried social implications; participants selected materials that fostered student independence and allow classroom inclusion. We contribute design considerations, encouraging future work on tactile materials to enable student and TVI co-creation, facilitate rapid prototyping, and promote movement and spatial awareness. To support future research in this area, our paper provides a fundamental understanding of current practices. We bridge these practices to established pedagogical approaches and highlight opportunities for growth regarding this important genre of educational materials.

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“…22,23 Raised line drawings can be supplemented with three-dimensional manipulatives to illustrate concepts and physical and chemical processes. 24…”

Section: Raised Line Drawingsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Accessible Teaching and Learning in the Undergraduate Chemistry Course and Laboratory for Blind and Low-Vision Students

D’Agostino

2021

J. Chem. Educ.

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Symbolic, spatial, and visual information, which is important for comprehending and learning physical and natural sciences, is not readily accessible to blind and low-vision (BLV) students in the undergraduate chemistry classroom, laboratory, and virtual environment via conventional means (through print and images), thus, creating a disadvantageous and inequitable situation. Appropriate instruction methods can be used to include these differently abled students in the learning process while also enhancing the learning outcomes of a diverse student population. By considering the teaching approach and universal design practices, and utilizing adapted methods, collaborative learning, and nonvisual assistive technologies and equipment, chemistry classroom/ laboratory work for BLV students can be transformed from a passive experience to an active one. By creating the least restrictive learning environment, BLV students are enabled to become independent workers. Nonvisual ways (i.e., auditory, and text-to-speech applications, speech-enabled equipment, tactile graphics, and physical artifacts) by which BLV students can conduct their work are described, and practical ways for faculty to enhance teaching are presented.

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Creating Atom Representations Using Open-Source, Stackable 3D Printed Interlocking Pieces with Tactile Features to Support Chemical Equation Writing for Sighted and Visually Impaired Students

Cited by 17 publications

References 31 publications

Visualizing 3D imagery by mouth using candy-like models

Visualizing 3D imagery by mouth using candy-like models

Tactile Materials in Practice: Understanding the Experiences of Teachers of the Visually Impaired

Accessible Teaching and Learning in the Undergraduate Chemistry Course and Laboratory for Blind and Low-Vision Students

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