According to the European Blind Union, only 5 per cent of the global book production meets the needs of visually impaired people. Tactile books have not been widely available because of a complicated and expensive production process. There is only one tactile book rental library in Poland. It is located in Lublin and contains a small collection of only 271 books. With their embossed illustrations and diverse texture, tactile books are vital for personal development for visually impaired and blind children and youth. They help educate and exercise and improve cognition, dexterity, spatial orientation and emotional management.
Learning by Touching was a project designed to facilitate access to tactile books for visually impaired children and to encourage children and youth in Tarnobrzeg to engage in activities for disabled peers.
Over 120 students in local schools identified and understood issues that are important to visually impaired peers and got involved in activities for visually impaired individuals (developed tactile books, applied 3D print technology and put together an exhibition that portrayed the world of the blind).
Project participants attended workshops learning about the principles and techniques of developing tactile books; they received training on 3D graphics; 60 tactile books with Braille text were produced. Some of them were donated to the National Tactile Books Library in Lublin and the others are given to parents and teachers of visually impaired and blind children.
Project beneficiaries included children and youth in primary, middle and high schools in the Tarnobrzeg area as well as visually impaired and blind children and youth.