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Activity and strategy

Using Textures to Adapt Simple Books

Guidelines to adapt simple books for children who are blind or visually impaired

Description:

Simple books, such as those available from Reading A-Z.com can be adapted for students who are blind or visually impaired, using textures or objects.  This photo shows a line drawing of a garden with colorful textured flowers attached to the page. 

Materials:

  • book at the child’s reading level
  • textures, objects, or anything to be used to modify the text
  • glue or some adhesive to attach textures and other materials
  • 3-ring binder or rings to hold book together
Example of adapted book with fabric flower shapes glued to page
Example of adapted book with fabric flower shapes glued to page

Procedure:

  • Begin with topics that are familiar to the student, such as “My Family” or “The Classroom” rather than more abstract topics or things that might be outside the realm of their experience, such as dinosaurs.
  • Discuss with the student how to modify the pages, so that the illustrations will have more meaning, e.g. “What should we use for the flowers?  We have felt or crepe paper.”
  • Because the pages will become quite thick with the textures attached, it may be easiest to separate the pages and laminate them (if glare is not an issue).  The pages can then be placed in a three-ring binder or attached with rings.

Variations:

  • Students may also enjoy adapting the text, by adding their names or familiar places.
  • They can copy it over in braille or print and share with classmates and family.

Alignment with Core Standards:

  • W.K.2. Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to compose informative/explanatory texts in which they name what they are writing about and supply some information about the topic.
  • RI.K.1  With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
  • RI.K.2  With prompting and support, identify the main topic and retell key details of a text.
  • RI.K.3  With prompting and support, describe the connection between two individuals, events, ideas, or pieces of information in a text.
  • RI.K.5  Identify the front cover, back cover, and title page of a book.
  • RI.K.7  With prompting and support, describe the relationship between illustrations and the text in which they appear (e.g., what person, place, thing, or idea in the text an illustration depicts).

For more ideas, see Leveled Books and The Garden.

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