A tangible tool for visual impaired users to learn geometry

Abstract

This paper explores how an Android application used in combination with a tangible appcessory can facilitate learning for visually impaired students of geometry. This paper presents the status of this ongoing project. It describes the application, the physical appcessory as well as early stage user studies. The application enables visually impaired users to explore simple geometric forms displayed on a tablet through sound and vibrotactile feedback. A deformable physical appcessory that can be manipulated to adopt these forms and its shape sensed by the tablet adds an additional tactile layer to the application and experience. Three user engagements with visually impaired serve as early validations of our project and ideas and provide feedback that directs design and development of future work. Current avenues for the future work will include additional interaction modes in the application, e.g. the ability to digitize real world forms, and improving the robustness of the tangible appcessory.