Tactile Symbol Library
Tactile symbols help students who are blind or visually impaired communicate quickly and successfully. They go beyond the pictures and graphics of traditional communication systems, so students can communicate by touch. This set combines 3D Blissymbols with fringe words shaped more like the real objects they stand for. Blissymbols are a symbol language with a long history, first used for AAC (augmentative and alternative communication) in the early 1970s. Some of the symbols come from the Volksswitch organization, and all were developed together with Visual Impairment Specialists and Speech-Language Pathologists.
BlissTactile System
Each tactile symbol has three parts: a raised symbol in the center, the word printed in a contrasting color and set into the surface, and braille along the side. The braille is printed upside down on purpose. When the symbol is mounted on a communication device, the braille reads left to right, so there is no need to remove the symbol and flip it over.
The shape of each symbol's top also shows its word type. For example, as shown above, verbs have a triangular top. Symbols can be color coded to match the color systems used in many AAC programs. Check with your VI support staff first, since some students see certain colors, such as yellow, better than others.
The collection includes a robust set of core words and a growing library of fringe words. If this seems like a system that may be useful for your client or student, email contact@creatorscreatingchange.com.
-
APE
-
art
-
bathroom
-
breakfast
-
desk
-
event
-
home
-
library
-
lunch
-
music
-
OT
-
PT
-
reading
-
recess
-
snack
-
speech
-
tablet
-
VI
-
water
-
all
-
all done
-
bad
-
big
-
can
-
different
-
do
-
down
-
drink
-
eat
-
get
-
give
-
go
-
good
-
happy
-
has
-
he
- help
-
I
-
in
-
it
-
like
-
make
-
more
-
no / not
-
now
-
off
-
on
-
open
-
out
-
play
-
put
-
sad
-
same
- see
-
she
-
small
-
some
-
stop
-
that
-
there
-
they
-
turn
-
up
- verbs
-
want
-
what
-
when
-
where
-
who
-
why
-
yes
-
you
