{"id":5084,"date":"2021-08-25T19:31:37","date_gmt":"2021-08-25T19:31:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/volksswitch.org\/?page_id=5084"},"modified":"2022-05-09T13:33:38","modified_gmt":"2022-05-09T19:33:38","slug":"how-traditional-tactile-symbols-fall-short","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/volksswitch.org\/index.php\/volks-devices\/bliss-tactile-symbols\/how-traditional-tactile-symbols-fall-short\/","title":{"rendered":"How Traditional Tactile Symbols Fall Short"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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Traditional tactile symbols are typically constructed by gluing a physical object to a rigid backing.\u00a0 The physical object may be directly connected to the symbols referent.\u00a0 For example, many times, a plastic spoon glued to a piece of cardboard is used to represent the concept “eat”.\u00a0 You’ll often see different symbol sets utilizing this “spoon = eat” metaphor.\u00a0 It’s much more difficult to create effective symbols for concepts that are less tangible, larger in size, or structurally complex.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Less tangible concepts\u00a0 tend to be modeled very differently by different tactile symbol set designers. What tactile object should be used to represent “yesterday” or “after”?<\/p>\n

Large concepts tend to be modeled by selecting a small component of the concept even if that small component is unrepresentative of the overall concept. Should a tree be modeled as a leaf or a piece of bark?<\/p>\n

Structurally complex concepts, similarly, are modeled by a single aspect of the concept and different designers select different components producing unavoidable ambiguity.\u00a0 Gym class could be modeled by choosing a accessory used during class (a ball or rope) or a piece of the environment (a piece wood to represent the court).<\/p>\n

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Traditional tactile symbol sets rarely represent more than a hundred concepts.\u00a0 Anytime a symbol set is constructed for a limited number of concepts, there is little motivation to base the design choices on a set of rules.\u00a0 As a result, there’s rarely any conceptual carryover from one symbol to another.\u00a0 Unrelated representations must, by definition be learned through rote memorization.\u00a0 This is evidenced by the fact that therapists will tell you that the object mounted to the backing isn’t as important as simply being consistent.<\/p>\n

Probably the most telling aspect of traditional tactile symbols (just like popular graphic image sets) is the fact that they always include a text label.\u00a0 It’s a recognition that it’s unlikely that anyone would, a priori, connect the symbol to the concept.\u00a0 Only by first reading the label can someone “back into” the referent.<\/p>\n

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