Orientation Maps for Visually Impaired Persons

Abstract

Copies of two tactile maps—a relatively simple map of the Boston rapid transit system and a detailed map of the Boston-Cambridge area—were given to each of 18 visually impaired travelers. These individuals agreed to plan and travel an unfamiliar route using the maps and to report back on their experiences to peripatologists and map makers. Both maps proved helpful in travel planning and in gaining a better understanding of the spatial relationships of the city and of the relationships of major transportation links.