Geometry Resources for Students with Visual Impairment

Teachers often wonder what instructional materials are available to teach geometry to students who are blind or visually impaired.  These are some of my favorite resources.  Some are teacher-made and some are commercially available. (Editor's note:  The author is British, so many of these suppliers are in the UK.  Similar products are available in the United States and Canada.)

Resources to support:

• 2-D and 3-D shapes
• Position, Direction and Movement
• Patterns and Sequences
• Co-ordinates

2D and 3D Shapes Resources

	Montessori Shapes
	Shape Activity by 'Melissa and Doug' purchased from Seedlings Braille in the USA http://www.seedlings.org/
	Each shape word is written in large print and Braille.
	Magnetic Shape Activity Cut shapes in stiff card. Cut each in half and add a magnet to the back of each one. Child to match pairs on the magnetic board.
	Shapes Ice Cube Tray Create some activities with this shaped ice cube tray. E.g count all the hearts, clubs, diamonds. Place a diamond shape in the diamonds, heart shapes in the hearts and beads in the club.
	Matching 2-D shapes game with the Lazy Sue Felt shapes from the RNIB and a green circular mat from IKEA (optional.) Make word labels in Braille for each shape. Add Velcro to 6 spots around the circumference of the mat. Position one set of shapes on each Velcro spot. Roll a dice, take it in turns to spin the Lazy Sue. When it stops the child feels the shape and finds the matching shape and/or word label.
3-D shape/net set
3-D geometry shapes This set is from TTS and includes a set of large print shape labels to which sticky back braille can easily be added.
3-D shape set using wedding favour boxes Buy in sets of 10 from the internet, these make a useful resource across a number of activities and make a good practical investment. Fill the boxes with objects, match 3-D shapes, count sides
2-D- 3-D Shape Activity Using wedding favour boxes match each one to its 2-D partner. 2-D shapes made from foam board with raised line shape produced in zy-fuse paper glued to the top of each. 3-D shapes lined up on a tray with a strip of Velcro running down the centre, to hold them in position.
2-D to 3-D Activity Use the Lazy Sue to create a fun activity of matching 2-D – 3-D shapes. Roll the dice, take it in turns, spin the Lazy Sue, when it stops child feels the 3-D shape that has landed in front of them and finds its matching 2-D shape.
Tactile pattern game See sheet ‘Tactile pattern game’ for further ideas (Komplement Multipurpose hanger from IKEA £4.50)
Making 2-D shapes A bright coloured geo board which can also be used for coordinates.
Plastic Geometric Strip Material Sold by Absorbent Minds
Geometric Building Set Sold by Learning Resources

 

 

 

Position, Direction and Movement

	Geometry mat – sold by RNIB. Embossing film sold by RNIB. Spur wheels by Amazon (or, type in Overstitch-Leather-Perforating Roulette on Amazon)
	Protractors are sold by RNIB. The black and white print protractor is from a set of templates on a CD which is sold as part of the book Teaching Pupils with Visual Impairment: Making the school curriculum accessible – sold by Amazon   The black and white ruler on the bottom is from TTS Educational Supplies. Early Stage Ruler
	Tactile graph paper Sold by RNIB

 

 

 

 

 

Patterns and Sequences

Wooden discs with felt shapes glued to the top, use on a clip board, laid flat on the table. Add a Velcro strip to the back of each disk and a long strip across the clip board. You can then use for other pattern resources and it keeps everything in place whilst the child is accessing it.
Make patterns with beads
Make patterns with lego and symmetry designs
Use peg boards to make patterns
Use Numicon to make patterns
Make patterns with wooden shapes Add two long strips of velcro to a foam board positioned on a tray. Add velcro to the back of wooden shapes.
Matching pattern activity using felt squares (Hobbycraft)  Create tactile shape pattern strips on off-cuts of laminated pouches. Make two sets of each pattern strip. Child to match the pattern strips. Make two columns of velcro for the child to complete this activity on.
Position and direction IKEA black arrow notice board. Add velcro to each end of the arrow and make laminated labels with velcro spots added to the back of each. Use with or without the Lazy Sue – create activity for understanding position and direction.
Coordinates See Tactile graphs handout for coordinates suggestions.  (Available from TTS)