Blind and Visually Impaired Learners’ Spatial Explorations and Imaginations with Haptic Technologies in STEM Education Co-Design

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Sunday 7:45 am - Gold 4
  In Roundtable Session: VR and Haptic Learning Experiences

Abstract

Current STEM education tools exhibit limitations in their capacity to offer blind and low vision (BLV) learners equitable access to spatial information and opportunities for spatial reasoning. We explore haptic technologies as a toolkit to address this limitation through [ProjectName]: a “digital twin” reconfigurable haptics sensing/actuating toolkit for inclusive, dynamic, and collaborative math and science learning. The present paper analyzes data from a first co-design round exploring haptic interactions for STEM learning with BLV youth. Our preliminary results reveal intra- and interpersonal affordances of haptic technologies for teaching complex spatial concepts. Our findings suggest haptic technologies offer a promising tool to leverage the embodied epistemic practices of BLV students to design more equitable learning technologies.

Authors

• Sofia Tancredi, University of Wisconsin - Madison

• Colton Doherty, Saint Louis University

• Jennifer Tennison, Saint Louis University

• Brett Fiedler, University of Colorado - Boulder

• Jenna Gorlewicz, Saint Louis University

• Dor Abrahamson, University of California - Berkeley