The Haptic Deictic System-HDS: Bringing Blind Students to Mainstream Classrooms

Area of Science:

• Education
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Assistive Technology

Background:

• Mathematics instruction relies on synchronized speech and dynamic graphics.
• Sighted students use vision for graphical access and to perceive embodied gestures, maintaining situated communication.
• Students who are blind or visually impaired (SBVI) face challenges accessing these visual elements.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop assistive technology for SBVI students to access multimodal mathematics instruction.
• To enable SBVI students to perceive deictic gestures accompanying speech during mathematical discourse.
• To ensure situated and embodied awareness in remote learning environments for SBVI students.

Main Methods:

• Sensory replacement using haptic fingertip reading to access graphical material.
• Development and implementation of a haptic glove interface for embodiment awareness.
• Integration of the Haptic Deictic System (HDS) into inclusive classroom settings.

Main Results:

• The Haptic Deictic System (HDS) effectively replaces visual access to graphical materials.
• SBVI students gained awareness of deictic gestures through the haptic glove, enhancing situated learning.
• Successful implementation of the HDS in inclusive classrooms demonstrated its efficacy.

Conclusions:

• The Haptic Deictic System (HDS) significantly improves access to mathematics instruction for SBVI students.
• Haptic feedback is a viable method for conveying embodied cues in educational settings.
• The HDS promotes more inclusive and equitable learning experiences in mathematics.