Exhibit Design Relating to Low Vision and Blindness Summary Report

Tactile Models with Audio Description

The use of tactile models in tactile exhibits serves all people. “Generally, tactile exhibits are used to represent objects that are “out of touch” because they are too big, too small, too delicate, too dangerous, too precious, too far away, or, as with aquariums, from an alien environment” (Fuller & Watkins, 2010, p. 6). Tactile exhibits may have original artifacts, but are often replicas of objects that are fabricated. Visitors with visual impairments desire the opportunities for tactile exploration of objects that are meaningful to the interpretive experience. The addition of audio description of the features of the object or exhibit assists the visitor in their conceptual interpretation and provides a more meaningful experience.

Tactile models or objects should provide sufficient detail to be meaningful. The results reported from the “Tactile Talking Fish Project” showed that participants were able to correctly answer fact based questions about the types of fish, etc. when presented with full round models than with bas-relief and with greater accuracy than raised line models. The full round model also allowed participants to form a better “mental image” of the fish than the bas-relief or raised line models.

Audio Elements

Tactile exhibit elements should have carefully scripted audio information, description, or interpretation that is explicitly connected to the tactile experience of the tactile element. When possible, the audio information should be accessible on a hands free basis allowing tactile exploration with both hands. Users seem to prefer devices that they can carry with them as opposed to audio embedded in the exhibit. Pure sound quality, ambient noise, and overlapping or competing audio from exhibits in close proximity detract from the benefit of the audio description.

Audio elements built into exhibits may be touch activated. If users are not aware that touch activated audio is part of an exhibit, they may be startled when they begin exploring a piece. Users expressed desire to either have the ability to control when the audio would play, allowing initial exploration. Users also would like to have the ability to control the speed and volume of the audio.

Waysides may have audio content delivered via an audio post with a speaker. A preferred alternative would be to add an earphone jack (or two) to the wayside much like systems used to use of ATMs at banks where a headset could be plugged into receive the audio. Care should be taken that visitors don’t get entangled when there are many people moving around a wayside. Use of an infrared signal to trigger wireless headphones could also an alternative.

In general, when utilizing headphones to receive audio description/content, users preferred to have their headsets cover only one ear so they could hear the environment around them.

Visitors with visual impairments, like all visitors, want layered information so they can move on if the site is not interesting or “drill” for more information if desired. Audio programs and other media alternatives should allow for the same kind of a quick concise message (typical of most wayside exhibits) to peak the visitors’ interest and not try to tell the whole story.