3D printing makes virtual world more real for blind learners

• Authors: Kolitsky Michael A.
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

Transition of the real world into the virtual world has been ongoing in online and on-ground classrooms and labs for many years. But the more the world goes virtual, the more difficult it becomes for those who are blind or visually impaired to participate fully in the learning process. The main thrust of this report is to explore how 3D printing and the use of conductive filament can begin to reverse that process by making 3D printed talking tactile learning objects that can generate audio when touched after being placed on the surface of an iPad or other tablet computer. Examples of talking tactile learning objects from STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) disciplines will be presented with a focus on how the design of 3D printed STEAM learning objects can lead to a common learning object template model. The template can be designed to serve as a learning tool not only for a blind or visually impaired student but also can work as well for a sighted student or a teacher, aide or parent demonstrating how universal design principles can drive the learning object production process.

Keywords

EN

3D printing; virtual world; blind learners

• Publisher: Szkoła Główna Handlowa w Warszawie
• Journal: e-mentor
• Year: 2016
• Issue: 1 (63)
• Pages: 65-70

Contributors

author

Kolitsky Michael A.

• Michael A. Kolitsky received his Ph.D. from Temple University in Philadelphia, PA. and is now retired but teaching online for The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) and Atlantic Cape Community College (ACCC). Mike was a tenured professor of Biology at UTEP and also was appointed Associate Vice President for Instructional Technology overseeing the technology design and faculty training for a new Undergraduate Learning Center. He was the Principal Investigator for a 2.5 million dollar NASA grant to establish an instructional support and training center at UTEP for University and regional K-12 instructors. Mike also received a University of Texas Chancellor's Distinguished Teaching Award at UTEP and earlier was awarded a Distinguished Natural Sciences Curriculum Innovation award for his Embryology videodisc and HyperEmbryo courseware from EDUCOM. After leaving UTEP, he was appointed a founding board member for NJEDge.Net, the higher education network for New Jersey and served as Dean of Academic Computing and Distance Education at ACCC prior to retirement. Mike was a consultant for the Rutgers University Library FIPSE grant to establish the New Jersey Digital Highway and also assisted in the production of several shared content objects (SCO's) with The University of Wisconsin-Madison Academic ADL Co-Lab FIPSE-sponsored effort to support effective online teaching. Mike is interested in the future of mobile computing as seen in a conference presentation he made in May, 2008 when his iPhone was utilized in place of a laptop for presentation graphics.

References

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