Jaime Hilditch (she/her)

Pre Braille Implementation into Early Education: Tactile Activities to Introduce Braille Concepts to Kindergarteners

Obtaining a strong understanding of what braille is and how to use it can help an individual excel in school, work and their personal life. With rapid technological advancements, students are now turning to audio books and assistive technology to learn and complete assignments. This does not assist the retention and comprehension of braille reading and writing. Given the importance of braille writing skills for blind and partially sighted individuals (BPSI), and the connection of pre braille to kindergarten classroom learning, this research aims to introduce braille concepts and emphasize pre braille learning in the kindergarten classroom, regardless of whether students have sight or sight loss. Pre braille: activities that work to develop fine motor skills and concept development. Motor skills such as two-handed coordination, finger mobility, dexterity and sensitivity, are explored naturally while discussing concepts such as physical weight, i.e., heavy and light.Through co-creation with teacher participants, we created a pouch with multiple modes of tactile engagement and an activity prompt system. The system can be used alone or in conjunction with the tactile pouch. Both outputs foster inclusive teachings, engage early tactile strategies, and allow for collaboration and communication between students with sight and students with sight loss.