This article discusses how the industrial arts teacher can help foster growth and independence by anticipating and being sensitive to the needs of visually handicapped students in the following areas: equipment operation, orientation, and mobility in the shop; material aids; and devices for adaptation. (BM)

This paper discusses the education of people with blindness in China and India prior to the establishment of formal schools for the blind. Key people who advanced the education of people with blindness are highlighted, such as missionary teacher Mary Gutzlaff, who integrated Chinese orphan girls with blindness into her school at Macau. One of the…

This article explores how tactile experience books can be used to ensure that young children with visual impairments learn to read. It discusses making tactile experience books by collecting artifacts and gluing them to cardboard pages, and the benefits of tactile books. Descriptions of two tactile books are provided. (Contains references.) (CR)

The paper describes a current longitudinal study to examine the speech perception abilities of profoundly hearing-impaired children who use either a cochlear implant or tactile aid. Initial findings indicate large individual differences among subjects with implants and uniformly poor performance by the three subjects with tactile aids. (Author/DB)

Three short articles about tactile illustrating are presented for braille transcribers and teachers of the visually handicapped. Some transcribers have been making tactile maps with water areas textured and land masses smooth; the first article reports on the confusion these "reversed maps" cause braille readers and gives additional tips…

Designed for braille transcribers and teachers of the visually handicapped, this document consists of three short articles about literary braille. The first article discusses the changes in the official literary braille code which became effective on October 1, 1980. The second article describes problems commonly encountered by students and…

The goal of this project was to devise new methods of producing tactile facsimiles of microscopic images for the blind and visually impaired biology students at the secondary and college level. The numerous raised-line images that were produced were assembled along with brailled and large print student instructions, audio cassette tapes describing…

A hypothesized hierarchy of tasks in the development of tactual discrimination (an essential skill for reading) was tested in 60 blind primary level children. For five braille and five Optacon (optical to tactile converter) sequences, Ss were asked to identify the different stimulus from the four presented. Scalogram analysis was used to examine…

This document summarizes the activities conducted by Telesensory Systems, Inc. (TSI) from July 1974 to July 1975. During this time, TSI worked on maintenance and updating of the Optacon (Optical-to-Tactile Converter) and Optacon peripheral equipment. The Optacon is a direct-translation device which allows the blind to read normal printed…

Reviewed is an American Institutes for Research (AIR) study to identify predictors of Optacon success and to develop and field test appropriate Optacon training materials for use by 112 blind elementary and secondary students in 15 U.S. public and residential schools. Potential use of the Optacon (an optical to tactile conversion device that…

Stresses the fact that science activities can be styled to the visually handicapped students' levels and degrees of independence. Use of extensive hands-on, concrete experiences as emphasized by Adapting Science Materials for the Blind (ASMB) is encouraged. (EB)

Describes earth science activities for the visually impaired student. Includes soil type identification, stream table erosion, and relief map activities. Recommends a multisensory approach to the teaching of earth science and hands-on activities. (MA)

Provided in the second of two articles is further evidence of the validity of the author's sequence of tactual discrimination tasks for partial development of Optacon use readiness in young blind children. (IM)