graphics for early literacy students

[Chris Clemens]

I find myself not knowing what to do with the 1st Grade Tactiles. See attachment.
The teacher has requested the following:

1) Uncontracted Braille
2) Double-Spaced
3) Single-Sided
4) Leave space to write in answers (consumable format)
5) NIMAS files sent to ABC 5/30/12
6) Include tactiles
7) Attach print to Braille
8) Put Braille/Print in 3-hole punch binder
9) Complete at least Units 1 & 2 by August 1, 2012: Remainder in installments

I have read the new Guidelines and Standards for Tactile Graphics, Unit 11. Even after reading this material I find that there is still some ambiguity.
Unit 11.1.1 instructs the transcriber to create graphics for early literacy students.
Unit 11.1.2 instructs the transcriber to not create graphics.

Activities that require the reader to perform the tasks below should not be produced as tactile graphics:

• match pictures to sounds, letters, words, or sentences (e.g., phonics activities that ask the student to circle all of the pictures starting with "b")
• utilize visual discrimination or visual perception
• draw a shape configuration to identify words
• "read" the story presented entirely in pictures
• perform handwriting tasks

I would like to know (based on the attachment):

1. How do I determine what graphics should be produced?
2. Should the first set of graphics be made into tactiles?
3. Should the first set of graphics be completely omitted and a Transcriber’s Note, “Ask your teacher for help,” be inserted?
4. Should the first set of graphics be completely omitted with the “word(s)” of the objects put in their place?
5. Should I complete the graphics with the word(s) as well? And, if I do this, will this not also give the student the answer?
6. Can you cite any Guidelines and/or Rules in which I can use to make these decisions?

[betty.marshall]

You have certainly done your homework before posting your question. Well done! You are on the right track! The guideline do encourage the use of graphics in early grades so that a student has the opportunity to explore and learn how to read graphics. Having said that, they must be simplified and only used under specific circumstances.

Examples where you would use tactile graphics are counting exercies in math. In these situations you would substitute the print shape (such as a car, dog, or apple), which would "utilize visual discrimination or visual perception" for a simple shape, such as a circle, thus allowing the reader to explore the shape and texture of the circle, and count how many of them are shown.

The example that you have included in your question falls under the following catagory (which you have cited).

Unit 11.1.2 instructs the transcriber to not create graphics.
Activities that require the reader to perform the tasks below should not be produced as tactile graphics:
- match pictures to sounds, letters, words, or sentences (e.g., phonics activities)

None of the pictures in your example should be done as tactile graphics, nor should words be substituted. You will need to insert a transcriber's note instead.

Hope this helps to clarify the thought process of when it is appropriate to include a tactile graphic for early grades.

Betty Marshall
Committee Member

[Author]

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