Journal Article

Empowering Learning through Touch by Designing a Tactile Fabric Alphabet for Visually Impaired Learners

Yassin, Marwa, Goda, Eman Zaher

2024

Overview

The blind and visually impaired are among the groups with the greatest needs for care and assistance, especially in the fields of education and rehabilitation. This study emphasizes the need to bridge the gap between visual and tactile education because conventional educational materials often lack the tactile clarity and durability that the blind need to learn effectively. The goal of this research is to improve multimodal learning for visually impaired people by using the Jacquard technique to create an innovative tactile textile alphabet that features raised letters, Braille dots, and corresponding images. The research aims to improve educational outcomes and literacy for the blind community by creating a durable and easily accessible alphabet learning aid. The objective of the present work is to create a tactile educational textile with easily identifiable components that allow students utilizing touch to investigate both abstract and tangible symbols. To gather feedback and ensure the fabric's effectiveness, the method involves creating digital designs, choosing suitable decorative yarns, weaving the fabric on a Jacquard loom, and testing it on blind individuals. The assessment concentrates on user feedback, tactile usability, and durability. The results show how a highly effective teaching tool can be developed to improve tactile learning and engagement for blind learners. This endeavor aims to create a novel and beneficial teaching tool that fosters inclusivity and participation, ultimately enhancing educational outcomes for the blind community by utilizing tactile features and Jacquard technique.

• Publisher: الجمعية العربية للحضارة والفنون الإسلامية
• Subject: التعليم البصري / الطلبة المكفوفين / العملية التعليمية / ذوي الإعاقات