TACTILE MAPS AND GOLDEN MATERIAL FOR LEARNING AND UNDERSTANDING MUNICIPAL GEOGRAPHIC SPACE AND SCALES: AN APPROACH FOR STUDENTS WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENT

AN APPROACH FOR STUDENTS WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENT

Abstract

Vision is one of the most important senses an individual has as reference to the outside world, however, millions of people throughout the world have lost completely or partially the sense of sight. The social inclusion of those people, especially through education with differentiated methodologies is ensured by law and this work has been based on these premises. The present research was carried out in a qualitative perspective, using a case study as methodology, the subject of study were students of Primary and Secondary Schools and from University with visual impairment. For this purpose, tactile maps of Ponta Grossa city were constructed in different scales, in which the borders of the city were presented, as well as the neighborhoods and stations of public transport. The golden material was also used as a resource for teaching the scales. The building process of the tactile maps included materials of easy access, with low cost and of easy confection. We conclude that the prepared material obtained good results, because it was possible to apply it satisfactorily, since the students confirmed that they could handle it easily, pointing out they would like to have this kind of activity developed in schools for the applied method helped them to better understand the municipal geographic space. In this sense, this research is characterized as relevant in the field of Teaching Geography, mainly important in the educational context for people with visual impairment, so the tactile maps and the golden material are forms of inclusive learning to these students, as a way of developing the cartographic learning.