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Several devices currently exist that enable the automatic production
of tactile graphic material using a heat sensitive paper, known
as capsule paper. These devices are known generically as Tactile
Image Makers, and in this publication we refer to PIAF - Pictures
in a Flash, a leading example of a Tactile Image Maker. PIAF enables
high quality tactile graphics, suitable for blind and visually impaired
people, to be made quickly and easily. A full list of PIAF's features,
including important safety considerations can be found on page 15.
PIAF is being used in a wide range of applications including;

Education: All areas of education have a need to be able to produce
tactile graphics for blind and VI children. Traditional methods
are time consuming, and often don't allow the production of multiple
copies. In early education, PIAF can be used to introduce basic
concepts and assist in the development of an expanded tactile vocabulary.
In secondary and tertiary education, blind and VI children are faced
with an accelerating challenge to access graphical information in
just about all subject areas. Additionally, PIAF enables the production
of high quality, localised area maps for orientation and mobility
training, and for campus or building maps for new students.

Employment: Knowing what a Windows layout on a computer screen
looks like, can be the first step in understanding how it works.
Understanding the organisational structure of a business can help
a new employee see "the big picture". Sharing ideas and concepts,
be it a marketing strategy or a programmer's flow chart, can be
done in one or two diagrams instead of thousands of words. The applications
are as varied as the employment situations of all blind people.

At Home: And just about everyone has a special interest in a particular
subject. Having accessible graphics can add a whole new dimension
to those interests. Parents of a blind child know what those special
interests are and with PIAF can quickly produce relevant pictures
and graphics. Spouses and siblings can all share in filling the
information needs of their blind companions. Want to make an accessible
chess board? Want to see the difference between a killer whale and
a humpback whale? Want to see which part of Sweden your great grandparents
came from? PIAF can help answer the questions of everyday life.

And above all, PIAF is being used BY blind people. From learning
about handwriting and signature writing, to drawing and taking the
first tentative steps to expressing themselves graphically, blind
people now have a tool to start breaking down the barrier of graphics.

WHAT IS CAPSULE PAPER

The Name?: Capsule paper has many names.
Sometimes it is known as swell paper, puff paper, pop-up paper,
or even Minolta paper. It is basically all the same material with
a few variations.

How's it Made?:To manufacture capsule paper,
a suspension of very tiny polypropylene beads is painted onto a
sheet of paper. These beads are measured in microns, so don't try
looking for them.

How's it Work?: Capsule paper works on the
principal that the color black absorbs more heat. Hence, when a
black line or image or dot is on a piece of capsule paper, it gets
hotter than the area around it. At a certain temperature, these
little beads explode, and increase their volume rather dramatically
(just like making popcorn!). The result is that any black area on
the paper is raised - and hey presto, you have a tactile image.
Always feed the capsule paper into the photocopier in the "pass
through" or "single copy" mode to avoid the capsule paper becoming
stuck in the photocopier.

Please Note: The black ink used on capsule paper,
must be carbon based ink. Toner in photocopiers is carbon, many
felt tip pens use carbon ink (try one and keep it with your PIAF).

TECHNIQUES

The process of making raised line graphics using capsule paper
is very straightforward. However, simply converting an image into
a tactile form doesn't necessarily mean that it is going to be a
good tactile graphic or useful to a blind or vision impaired person.
Careful consideration has to be given to the design of the graphic
and the selection of information you wish to make accessible.

There are some simple design considerations which are listed below.
There are also comprehensive guidelines published, and references
to these are listed at the end of this section.

1. Keep It Simple!

The old saying "Less is more" is the golden rule of making tactile
graphics. When converting a printed image from a text book or magazine,
the most common activity is removing information that is not meaningful
once made tactile. This includes printed text, symbols or anything
that is not needed to convey the required information. In the following
sections we describe how to 'clean up' a printed image so that it
is ready to be made tactile.

2. Contrast

Images that are black and white can be made tactile more easily
than colour images. For example a picture of a mountain against
a blue sky may appear to have good contrast but once it is photocopied,
both the mountain and the sky become shades of grey. And when this
image is made tactile there is nothing to distinguish the mountain
from the sky. Techniques are discussed in following sections on
how to convert a full colour image into a good tactile image.

3. Add meaningful labels

Add braille labels where appropriate and remove text labels (in
most instances). In following sections we describe how to add print
or large print labels that are not tactile, and how to make braille
labels.

4. Other Resources:

"Guidelines for Design of Tactile Graphics" by Fred Otto - fotto@aph.org

American Printing House for the Blind - www.aph.org

"Creating Good Tactile Graphics"

Two Video Set - (includes booklet and worksheets). Also available
from the American Printing House for the Blind

National Centre for Tactile Diagrams

University of Hertfordshire Hatfield AL10, Web: www.nctd.org.uk

"Tactile Graphics" - Book by Polly Edman

Available from the American Foundation for the Blind

11 Penn Plaza, Suite 300

New York, NY 10001

Tel: 212.502.7661

FAX: 212.502.7777

http://www.afb.org

Tactile Graphics, An Overview and Resource Guide

John A. Gardner

Science Access Project

Oregon State University

Tel: (541) 737 3278

FAX: (541) 737 1683

e-mail: gardner@physics.orst.edu

RVIB - Tactile Graphics Draft Standards. Guidelines and Procedures
for Production.

(Un-published)

Gillian Gale

Royal Victorian Institute for the Blind

www.rvib.org.au

Purdue University

http://www.taevisonline.purdue.edu/index.html

A sample of a Braille TAEVIS Online diagram is included below;

graphical cross section drawing of an eye

GETTING STARTED

1. Use regular or scratch paper first!

Always prepare your tactile graphic on a sheet of regular or scrap
paper. This enables you to make mistakes, change and improve the
graphic without using a clean sheet of capsule paper each time.
Once the image is prepared to your satisfaction then photocopy it
onto the capsule paper.

This enables the use of a wider variety of felt tip pens (with
or without carbon based ink), to 'cut and past' texture patterns
onto your image, and avoids wasting capsule paper which can be expensive.

This is especially true when drawing images freehand, where a trial
and error process is required.

2. Prepare your own Graphics Kit

Teachers and transcribers who have been making tactile graphics
for many years collect and use a wide range or tools and materials
that they have found to work well. Similarly it is recommended that
you develop your own kit of materials that have advantages for making
tactile graphics using capsule paper. Recommended items to include
in this kit are:

- Scissors

- Clear adhesive tape (sometimes called "invisible tape" as it doesn't
show - when photocopied)

- Masking tape

- Liquid paper such as White-Out

- Felt tip pens of varying thickness

- Glue stick

- Carbon paper

- Stickers (for example stars)

- Simple geometry drawing set (square, circle, protractor etc)

And whatever else you can find that helps make tactile graphics

3. Re-Use Capsule Paper

A single sheet of capsule paper can be run through the PIAF multiple
times. If working one-on-one with your student take this feature
into consideration. For example, with very young children it can
be very beneficial to start a diagram at a very simple level and
slowly build up the concept. An example of this may be to draw a
square, run it through PIAF and show the student the square. Then
draw a triangle on top of the square and run it through PIAF again.
Explain to the student that this is the roof of the house. Then
sequentially add new features one by one, running the sheet through
PIAF each time. In this way you can build up quite complex images,
but you are only adding simple elements at each step.

STEP 1. SELECT THE IMAGE

The most common source of images is from a textbook, and increasingly
these images are full colour graphics. Selecting an appropriate
image is usually done after answering these questions;

Is a tactile graphic needed? Can an audio description suffice or
are there better alternatives such as a 3D model.

Is the image able to be converted to a tactile form and still provide
the required information? There are some images that no matter how
much work you put into them, will never provide meaningful tactile
information.

Are there alternative images that will provide the same information?
There are some fantastic graphics available over the Web now, and
also in "off-the-shelf" graphics libraries. Starting with a good
clean line drawing and modifying is often easier than adapting a
complex full colour image.

The most common need in selecting an appropriate image is to magnify
or enlarge either the whole image or just those parts that will
have meaning once they are tactile.

map of the world with clear lines This
image is preferable to the one below. If you have access to a computer
you can select parts of the image and magnify. Or you can cut sections
manually and increase using a photocopier. Because of the shadow
effect, you might touch up this image by hand drawing thicker lines
where appropriate.

a map of the world with fine detail

This is an example of an image that would be very difficult to turn
into a meaningful tactile diagram. If presented with similar difficult
images it is better to find an alternative. Commercial packages
of clip art are available at reasonable prices and there are libraries
of clip art on the web, often as shareware.

STEP 2. PROCESS THE IMAGE

There are a growing range of alternatives for how you work with
the selected image, and involve both 'low tech' and 'high tech'
approaches.

'Low Tech'

Clean up the image by removing all unwanted information. For larger
areas cutting appropriate shapes out of scrap paper and sticking
over the unwanted objects is often quicker. For small areas and
text, use a liquid paper.

Often the important part of the image may need to be enlarged using
a photocopier, and the unwanted part of the image discarded. The
focus has to be on reducing the image to the minimum basic elements
that will impart meaningful tactile information.

Avoid having lines or textures that are too close together for
the intended users fingers to discriminate.

Avoid using arrows or leading lines unless absolutely necessary
(as they will be hard to distinguish from the lines of the image).
If they are used make sure they are sufficiently different to other
lines that they can be easily discriminated (for example - use dotted
lines where all of the image lines use continuous lines).

To convert a full colour image into a usable tactile diagram place
the image over some regular black carbon paper and trace the important
elements onto regular scrap paper. This can be especially useful
for maps which are nearly always full colour and have little contrast.
Tracing outlines or particular routes means you can convert a complex
graphic to a tactile equivalent in minutes. Although old-fashioned,
carbon paper is still available in most large stationary and office
supply retail outlets.

'High Tech'

Use a document scanner to scan the image and then import the file
into a graphics program, such as Graphics Works from MicroGrafx
(or many other similar drawing programs).

All subsequent handling of the image (cleaning up, reducing or
enlarging, adding labels etc. can then be done on the computer).
The big advantage of using this approach is that the file can easily
be shared with others, and can be modified for different applications
without having to do all the preparation work over again.

A comprehensive step by step description of the process is included
in Appendix A. This example was kindly provided by the Vision Impairment
Services Low Incidence Unit of the Queensland Department of Education,
Australia.

STEP 3. ADDING LABELS

Add braille labels - 'Low Tech'

The simplest and easiest way to add braille labels to a diagram
is to use braille transfer sheets. These consist of rub-down black
dots laid out as complete braille cells. Place the sheet over the
diagram and simply rub the dots you need directly onto the paper.
Braille transfer sheets are produced by the Royal National Institute
for the Blind in England (product code LM44) and are available in
most countries. To find the distributor nearest you send and email
to exports@rnib.org.uk

The second low tech approach requires some practice to perfect
but it can work effectively. Use a fine tip felt pen and a regular
braille slate. Holding the slate still you use the felt tip pen
instead of a braille stylus and literally "write" the braille onto
the paper. Remember to always practice this on scrap paper and only
copy onto capsule paper once you are satisfied with the result.

Add braille labels - 'High Tech'

There are now a wide variety of braille fonts that can be installed
onto your computer. A very good reference to these is on the web
pages of the Texas School for the Blind www.tsvbi.edu

These fonts can be added to your word processor (install in Windows
Control Panel - Fonts) and when selected, braille dots appear on
your screen instead of regular letters. By simply typing, using
the braille font, you will produce computer braille. To add contractions
refer to the North American Computer Braille code which is attached
(Appendix B). For example, use the # key to make the Letter Sign
Dots 3456, or use the = key to make 'for' Dots 123456.

This is the RNIB braille font using 23 point and 1.3 X line spacing
(using WordPerfect 6.1)

This makes good readable braille

To make JUMBO braille, simply increase the font size to the desired
level (this is 35 point and 1.6 X line spacing)

Now this is what I call big
braille

Add braille and non-tactile print labels

Often there is a need to have both braille and print labels on
a diagram, particularly where the student has to work with the diagram
at a time when a vision teacher or teachers aide is not present.
However, a print label can be very confusing when it is made tactile,
and unless there is a specific reason such as learning to identify
print characters, they should never be made tactile.

To achieve labels where the braille is tactile and the print is
not, you first need to produce both the braille and print labels
on the draft copy of your diagram. Then photocopy the image and
labels onto the capsule paper. However, before running it through
the PIAF, use masking tape to cover all of the print labels.

Then run the page through the PIAF (with the masking tape in place).
Everything will be raised on the page except what is left under
the masking tape. Remove the masking tape, and you will be left
with a tactile diagram that also has print labels (that are not
tactile).

STEP 4. SPECIAL EFFECTS

Tactile graphics using capsule paper typically have a limited range
of textures and line heights. However, there are some 'tricks of
the trade' that enable some really excellent effects, and increase
the legibility and amount of information on each graphic.

Line Thickness

Using lines of different thicknesses will produce lines of different
heights. A thick line will tend to raise higher than a thin line.
If you introduce some standards your student will recognise certain
types of information without having to be told. For example, always
use a certain thickness for main roads, and a slimmer line for minor
roads.

Textures

It is quite easy to add textures to your diagrams. The easiest
way is to hand draw a pattern (crosses, wavy lines etc) onto the
scrap paper before you photocopy the image onto the capsule paper.
Experiment with this and you will find that there are a range of
textures that you can quickly create and that can be used to distinguish
one area of the image from another.

If a more precise and consistent pattern is required cut and paste
appropriate textures from magazines, newspapers etc. Or alternatively
use your computer to generate patterns (either graphics or repeated
letters - a page of hyphens, or underscores can make a good straight
line pattern). Incorporate these directly into your graphic if using
drawing software or print them out on regular paper and cut and
paste onto your diagram.

Reverse Printing

A very interesting effect can be obtained by printing on the reverse
side of the capsule paper. During the heating process when the capsule
paper is going through the PIAF heat is absorbed from the backside
of the paper causing the capsule paper to bubble to a much greater
height than regular lines on the paper.

Regular height line Reverse printing - higher thicker and unusual
textures

The process for reverse printing is simple. Produce your regular
image on the front of the capsule paper, say a map of the US. Then
hold the capsule paper up to the light or over a light box and on
the reverse side draw in the mountain ranges you want to add to
the map. Fill in the areas selected with black ink.

Then run the capsule paper through the PIAF up-side down with
the temperature setting on high. You may have to do it a couple
of times to get enough heat, but you will certainly notice the results
when they happen. If you do not get a high raised and crinkly texture
form on the top side of the capsule paper then the ink in your felt
tip pen is not carbon based. This effect will only work with carbon
based inks. Of course, photocopying onto the reverse side of the
capsule paper will do the trick. And in case you were wondering,
like many great innovations this effect was discovered by accident,
when someone accidentally copied the image onto the wrong side of
the capsule paper!

And this proves the fact that you should never stop experimenting
and trying new things. Capsule paper and the PIAF make the production
of tactile graphics simple and easy and there are undoubtedly a
whole heap of tricks and techniques yet to be discovered. If you
find any make sure you let us know.

IDEAS FOR APPLICATIONS

In education, the list of applications is endless. Basically every
subject has some graphical components these days, and the trend
to use graphical images to condense information is increasing all
the time. The following are some suggestions for other applications
that may not be immediately obvious.

Use capsule paper for teaching signature or hand-writing!

A student can get a lot of practice on a single piece of capsule
paper - and get tactile feedback each time they do it!

Use capsule paper to show your student what is on the
computer screen.

Often when a student starts to learn to use a computer, many of
the concepts can be confusing because of the graphical nature of
computing these days. To obtain a tactile graphic of the computer
screen follow these simple instructions. In your Word Processor
(e.g. MS Word or WordPerfect) hit the Print Screen key (Prt Sc).
Then go to a new empty document and select the Paste function (Edit
Menu - Paste). The image of whatever was on the screen when you
pressed Print Screen is now a graphic, and you can change its size,
or select parts of it, and then print it. Then photocopy the image
onto capsule paper, run it through PIAF and there is your tactile
graphic. This is a very effective way of showing what drop down
menus are, where different toolbars are located, and what actually
happens on the screen when you do certain things.

Street Maps, Locality Maps, Guide to Buildings.

If you are in a location where blind or vision impaired visitors
come regularly, run off a map and send it to them to help them get
there, or to find their way around the building or campus once they
have arrived.

Spontaneous Graphics!

Often its quicker to hand draw a simple image than try and describe
it. What shape is the mosaic? There's an alleyway that comes off
the left side of the street just after the intersection, but it's
on a corner! What's the difference between an inter-lock and an
over-lock?

Flow Charts, Organisational Charts

Starting a new job? How do all the different departments work with
each other. Who reports to whom? What is the chain of command?

PIAF FEATURES

One of the key features to be considered with any Tactile Image
Maker is safety. Very high temperatures are required to properly
raise images on capsule paper. High temperatures and paper are not
natural bedfellows, so a great deal of engineering has to be put
into making a Tactile Image Maker a safe and reliable product for
children and adults, vision impaired or fully sighted. Purchasing
a unit that may be cheaper but without all the safety features may
prove a much more costly exercise!

Safety Features:

Paper Sensing.

Even when using new capsule paper there is always the potential
for paper to get jammed in the machine. To avoid jammed paper catching
fire, PIAF actually senses when the capsule paper enters PIAF as
well as when it leaves. If the paper has not started to come out
the exit side of PIAF within 6 seconds, then the power to the heating
element is turned off, and the cooling fan is left on. Without this
feature a dangerous situation can easily develop, so make sure your
Tactile Image Maker has this feature.

Overheating protection.

In addition, PIAF contains a temperature sensing circuit. If for
any other reason the unit becomes too hot, shut down occurs automatically
(once safety temperature is exceeded). This is a back up to the
paper sensing and ensures fail safe operation.

Operating Features

Handles paper sizes up to 11 X 17 inches (A3 size)

Only 10 seconds to process a single sheet of 8.5 X 11 inches (A4)
paper.

Audio indication. A beep lets you know when to start a new sheet.
This way you don't have to wait for a page to completely exit PIAF
before you start processing the next one.

A simple flip-down design enables easy paper removal and safety
inspection.

Energy efficient and quiet.

Easy Handling. Strong, easy-grip handle and fold down feed trays.

Power Requirements

Both 110V and 220-240V versions are available

CONTACT INFORMATION

Please give us your feedback on how you are using PIAF and capsule
paper. We are always keen to hear of new ideas and help disseminate
them to all other users. To purchase PIAF, please contact us at info@quantech.com.au.

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Piaf Tactile Workbook

INTRODUCTION