Introduction: Informational graphics and data representations (e.g., charts and figures) are critical for accessing educational content. Novel technologies, such as the multimodal touchscreen which displays audio, haptic, and visual information, are promising for being platforms of diverse means to access digital content. This work evaluated educational graphics rendered on a touchscreen compared to the current standard for accessing graphical content. Method: Three bar charts and geometry figures were evaluated on student ( N = 20) ability to orient to and extract information from the touchscreen and print. Participants explored the graphics and then were administered a set of questions (11–12 depending on graphic group). In addition, participants’ attitudes using the mediums were assessed. Results: Participants performed statistically significantly better on questions assessing information orientation using the touchscreen than print for both bar chart and geometry figures. No statistically significant difference in information extraction ability was found between mediums on either graphic type. Participants responded significantly more favorably to the touchscreen than the print graphics, indicating them as more helpful, interesting, fun, and less confusing. Discussion: Accessing and orienting to information was highly successful by participants using the touchscreen, and was the preferred means of accessing graphical information when compared to the print image for both geometry figures and bar charts. This study highlights challenges in presenting graphics both on touchscreens and in print. Implications for Practitioners: This study offers preliminary support for the use of multimodal, touchscreen tablets as educational tools. Student ability using touchscreen-based graphics seems to be comparable to traditional types of graphics (large print and embossed, tactile graphics), although further investigation may be necessary for tactile graphic users. In summary, educators of students with blindness and visual impairments should consider ways to utilize new technologies, such as touchscreens, to provide more diverse access to graphical information.

中文翻译：

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通过多模式触摸屏缩小盲人和低视力学生在教育中图形信息可访问性的差距

简介：信息图形和数据表示（例如图表和图形）对于访问教育内容至关重要。显示音频、触觉和视觉信息的多模式触摸屏等新技术有望成为访问数字内容的多种方式的平台。这项工作评估了触摸屏上呈现的教育图形与当前访问图形内容的标准相比。方法：使用三个条形图和几何图形来评估学生（N = 20）定位触摸屏和打印并从中提取信息的能力。参与者探索图形，然后提出一组问题（11-12，取决于图形组）。此外，还评估了参与者使用媒介的态度。结果：在统计上，参与者在使用触摸屏评估信息导向的问题上的表现明显优于打印的条形图和几何图形。在两种图形类型的媒体之间，没有发现信息提取能力存在统计上的显着差异。与印刷图形相比，参与者对触摸屏的反应明显更有利，表明它们更有帮助、有趣、有趣且不那么混乱。讨论：使用触摸屏的参与者访问和定位信息非常成功，与几何图形和条形图的打印图像相比，触摸屏是访问图形信息的首选方式。这项研究强调了在触摸屏和印刷上呈现图形的挑战。对从业者的启示：这项研究为使用多模式触摸屏平板电脑作为教育工具提供了初步支持。学生使用基于触摸屏的图形的能力似乎与传统类型的图形（大字体和浮雕、触觉图形）相当，尽管对于触觉图形用户可能需要进一步调查。总之，失明和视力障碍学生的教育工作者应该考虑如何利用新技术（例如触摸屏）来提供对图形信息的更多样化的访问。