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An evaluation of tactile directional symbols

Geography Department, Anglia Polytechnic University, Cambridge, CB1 1PT, UK d.j.mccallum{at}apu.ac.uk

Simon Ungar

Department of Psychology, University of Surrey, Guildford, GU2 7XH, UK s.ungar{at}surrey.ac.uk

Sandra Jehoel

Department of Psychology, University of Surrey, Guildford, GU2 7XH, UK s.jehoel{at}surrey.ac.uk

Symbols that could effectively designate direction have the potential to show routes, geographic phenomena, aid scientific explanation and generally enhance understanding of tactile maps and diagrams. In this study, 41 tactile symbols, including subsets of arrow symbols and stair symbols, were investigated for effectiveness at indicating direction. The symbols were presented to blind or blindfolded participants, and qualitative and quantitative responses regarding the symbol orientation and meaning were recorded. The arrow symbols with the greatest agreement across participants as to which direction the symbol intended to convey were basic arrows and the arrowhead. In the case of a line with a saw-tooth surface profile that felt rough when traced by the finger in one direction and smooth in the opposite, participants were split between those intuitively thinking the rough or the smooth was the direction being indicated. Stair symbols with a greater degree of threedimensionality gave marginally increased agreement as to which way was up.

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