Tactile Maps and the Geographical Reasoning of Blind Youth and Adults in Sobral, Ceará, Brazil

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Tactile cartography and the use of tactile teaching resources play a fundamental role in building the geographical reasoning of blind and low-vision students. These resources provide a sensory representation of space, allowing students to explore and understand geographical elements through touch. In this context, this study addresses the complexity of blind students’ cognitive processes when they conceive of geographical space based on the principles of analogy, connection, differentiation, distribution, extension, location and order. In view of this, the aim of this article is to evaluate the challenges and strategies related to the application of tactile cartographic resources, through the use of spatial representations on a local scale with visually impaired students at the Professora Cecy Cialdini Youth and Adult Education Center (CEJA), in the municipality of Sobral, Ceará, Brazil. To this end, three tactile teaching aids depicting local spaces were made using craft techniques and applied in four stages through planned pedagogical practices. With regard to the principles, we concluded that those of location and extension were the most easily assimilated, while those of distribution and spatial order required more time and effort on the part of some students. We therefore conclude that adapting teaching resources to tactile cartography represents a significant step forward in promoting geography education for all, helping to build a more equal and inclusive society. Finally, it is hoped that this work will encourage the adoption of accessible methodologies, promoting a more inclusive, meaningful and transformative geographical education.