Abstract for Tactile Graphics 2005

Title: Improving the provision of tactile books for young visually-impaired children

Presenter: Marion Ripley

ClearVision children’s library, UK

Abstract:

Note: read the full paper of this presentation.

Children with little or no sight desperately need access to a wide variety of suitably stimulating tactile books, yet very few are available commercially in this or any other country. Hardly any tactile books are available for older children, with or without additional learning difficulties. This presentation will look at various initiatives to help and encourage people to make suitable books for individual children, including the activities of the European Typhlo and Tactus organisation. It will consider how best to assist teachers and parents in the use of tactile resources to develop a child’s tactile literacy. Based on experience at ClearVision it will show how it is possible to involve the wider community - including craft groups, students and prisons - in setting up a lending library of tactile books.

Objectives of presentation:

To raise the issue of the need for tactile books for children and to identify areas where work needs to be done.
To outline the progress of the ClearVision tactile books collection.
To publicise the Force publication on setting up a tactile book library
To outline the work of the Tactile Book Advancement Group in the UK
To describe how workshops can help teachers produce and use tactile resources
To publicise the activities of the Typhlo and Tactus organisation.

Outcomes for audience:

Increased awareness of the need for tactile books and current gaps in provision
Ideas for how to address this need
Updating on UK and European initiatives to increase the quality and quantity of tactile books available.

Prior knowledge of topic assumed: Low

Contains advanced technical content: No

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