CARTOGRAPHIC LITERACY FOR VISUALLY IMPAIRED PEOPLE

Abstract

Without maps blind people are limited to receive information about the geographic space through words and/or need to memorize long descriptive information in order to have access to places. Maps may offer access to spatial information for this group of users to organize their internal spatial images (estimating distances, locating places and objects). As a consequence, this might revert in a greater independence and autonomy in the orientation, mobility and self-assurance of these people. Such facts demonstrate the importance of cartographic education of people with visual impairment (VI), a theme that has been the object of study of the authors of this article. The fi rst part of the text demonstrates how the tactile maps were standardized in the Laboratory of Tactile and School Cartography of Federal University of Santa Catarina and how they are produced. The following section describes the Tactile Model System - Mapavox developed in partnership with São Paulo State University - UNESP, |Rio Claro Campus and Tércio Pacitti Institute of Computer Applications and Research of Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ). One last item is dedicated to demonstrate experiences of the authors in the cartographic initiation of blind students, where the importance of pedagogic mediation of tactile pedagogical material in this process is discussed.