Texture and Tactility: Exploring Perception through Touch for Blind and Visually Impaired Students in Creating Visual Arts

Abstract

This research project focuses on making art accessible to blind and visually impaired students by exploring the beauty of nature and manmade objects through the concepts of texture and tactility. Although it is usually assumed that blind and visually impaired people would have little interest or talent in creating images, they can be created in a variety of different ways and methods. The research project emphasizes the exploration of the creative process, which is designed to provide exposure, experience, and additional skills to nurture self-confidence, optimism, enthusiasm, and talent development. This qualitative research project used the case study method. The research employed creative studio and content analysis approaches by using the elements and principles of art and design. The research project significantly reviews how blind and visually impaired students are able to reinterpret texture and imply patterns in a variety of visual artworks inspired by design in nature and design by man. Thus, these special students have the potential to show an exceptional level of skill and talent that establishes the sense of touch as a method of mental representation between imagination and the realization of the creative process. Furthermore, this research project would inspire a new perception of interactivity in the learning activities of blind and visually impaired students towards improving the quality of special education.