Impacting Children with Blindness or Low Vision at Home and Around the World
In recent years, Clovernook Center for the Blind & Visually Impaired has launched several initiatives aimed at breaking down barriers to make the world more accessible for people with visual impairment. This includes our global Tactile Literacy Program, which utilizes emerging technologies to provide low-cost accessible materials to educational partners around the world.
Worldwide Reach
The Tactile Literacy Program at Clovernook has an international reach and is impacting children with blindness or low vision in the United States and overseas. The program is focused on creating accessible books that can be read by sighted individuals and people with visual
impairments at the same time. These dual readers include both print and braille pages. Embossed braille pages are inserted between illustrated and print pages to create a shared reading experience. Dual-reader books are paired with 3D models depicting illustrations within the book to create an engaging experience for visually impaired learners. The program has expanded to include stand-alone STEM models, that provide students and teachers with tools to positively impact learning outcomes in science and math subjects.
Innovating to Meet Growing Demand
Since launching in 2020, Clovernook has partnered with more than a dozen schools in six countries to provide educational materials through the Tactile Literacy Initiative. The program has focused on schools and educational centers in East Africa where braille literacy rates are low. All tactile graphic models are developed on-site at one of two Clovernook 3D Makerspace printing locations: Cincinnati, Ohio, or Nairobi, Kenya. Clovernook’s blind and visually impaired staff members are included in comprehensive testing of new designs before materials are produced, to ensure effectiveness in the field.
Located in Nairobi, Project Coordinator Dominic Kiamba said, “Having this space available in Nairobi has been a game changer. 3D printed models have brought geography, math and biology to life, allowing students who are blind or visually impaired to explore concepts hands-
on.
“Students in East Africa can now fully engage with educational content, leading to a deeper understanding and greater academic success,” Kiamba continued. To learn more about Clovernook Center’s tactile literacy program and the newest books in its
collection, go to clovernook.org or contact Samuel Foulkes at sfoulkes@clovernook.org.
