Information in workplaces regarding emergency exits, directory of businesses within the building and a floor layout are predominantly displayed through visual means. For people who are blind or vision impaired that rely on Braille, tactile maps and labels can greatly assist in orientation to and navigating around the workplace. Use of tactile drawings and pictures, such as charts and graphs, can also assist in improving communication within the workplace.
A range of methods are available to make tactile images for display in the workplace:
- tactile image markers can be used to make high-quality tactile pictures using a range of papers and equipment, such as capsule or heat sensitive paper. These cause any black lines or images to absorb more heat on the paper and swell, when using a heat source to create an instant tactile graphic
- software which translates text to Braille and can be used for a wide variety of means, including maps.
Workplace solutions and adjustments
In the workplace Braille maps allow a straightforward method of enabling people who are blind, or who have vision impairment, to safely navigate their way around and enter or exit the premises. For more information on products that may assist people who are blind or have vision impairment, please see the links below:
References
ADCET—Australian Disability Clearinghouse on Education and Training (no date specified), Information Access: Guidelines for the production of tactile maps, ADCET, Tasmania, viewed 26 February 2012, http://www.adcet.edu.au/View.aspx?id=4351.
HumanWare 2005-2012, Duxbury, HumanWare, Baulkham Hills, viewed 26 February 2012, http://www.humanware.com/en-australia/products/braille_and_speech/braille_translators/_details/id_37/duxbury.html.
Quantum 2011, Piaf—A Tactile Image Maker, Quantum Technology, Sydney, viewed 26 February 2012, http://www.quantech.com.au/piaf.
Quantum 2011, Tactile—The role of tactile images, Quantum Technology, Sydney, viewed 26 February 2012, http://www.quantumrlv.com.au/default.asp?PageNo=43.