Improved access to museum collections without vision: How museum visitors with very low or no vision perceive and process tactile–auditory pictures

Tactile material

A picture of the original visual painting, in the A4 format, was placed on top of a light box and the clearly defined outlines were traced using a felt pen. The drawn picture was scanned into the jpg, pdf, or tif format, edited in Photoshop, and embossed in the A4 format (cf. Rowell & Ungar, 2003) using the Zy-Fuse heater and Zy-Tex2 swell paper (cf. Cryer, Jones, & Gunn, 2011; Jehoel, McCallum, Rowell, & Ungar, 2006; Picard & Lebaz, 2012). All embossed elements were black in colour and the background (swell paper) was cream, so the contrast between them should be appropriate for exploring up close with some residual vision (cf. Hayhoe, 2013; Levent et al., 2013; Mesquita & Carneiro, 2016). Finally, the A4 format (of Allori’s Portrait of a Young Man) was scaled down to fit on the 10.1-in tablet touch screen, which was set to respond to an area of 12.7 cm by 17.6 cm (Emsley et al., 2019). More specifically, the tablet and the swell paper both measured 17 × 24 cm, and the responsive touch screen area and the tactile picture 12.7 × 17.6 cm, leaving a nonresponsive frame on the touch screen and a frame with no embossing on the swell paper (measuring 0.9 × 4.1 cm). The swell paper was secured on the tablet touch screen by a little piece of Blu Tack in each corner of the (0.9 × 4.1 cm) frame, on the reverse side of the tactile picture, and later slotted into a frame, together with the tablet, on top of a stand (Emsley et al., 2019).

Auditory material

The auditory information was recorded in short segments, using a microphone headset connected to a PC, in a professionally soundproofed booth for recording audio-books, and saved in the MP3 format. These recordings were later played using the Android application (Emsley et al., 2019).

Audio-description trigger points

Audio-description trigger points were placed on the tactile picture. The audio-description trigger points were 1.5 cm in diameter – to fit comfortably under the average width of an adult’s fingertip (Dandekar, Raju, & Srinivasan, 2003; cf. Nolan & Morris, 1971). Their (x–y coordinate) position was measured on the tactile picture and later programmed into the Android application (Emsley et al., 2019).

One-on-one sessions 1–6: Amount of details and texture

Turner’s High Street, Oxford was presented: one outlined picture – detailed, no texture (Figure 2(a)), and one textured picture – detailed, three types of texture (completely filled, small dots, and medium squares; Figure 2(b)), in counterbalanced order across participants. The participants were asked to describe how they explored each tactile picture, what attracted their attention and to describe each thing, what they found the most important and why, what they did not find interesting – just ‘scanned over’ – and why; to comment on the amount of details, and to explain where they would have wanted the audio-description and what they would have used the audio-description for (Supplemental Appendix 1; cf. Argyropoulos & Kanari, 2015; Berlá, 1981; Berlá & Butterfield, 1977; Berlá, Butterfield, & Murr, 1976; Berlá & Murr, 1975; Candin, 2003; Cornoldi, Tinti, Mammarella, Re, & Varotto, 2009; Graven, 2018; Heller, 1989; Heller, Kennedy, & Joyner, 1995; Holmes, Hughes, & Jansson, 1998; Jehoel et al., 2006; Millar, 1994, 2008; Millar & Al-Attar, 2003, 2004; Postma, Zuidhoek, Noordzij, & Kappers, 2007; Rowell & Ungar, 2003; Tompson & Cronicle, 2006; Tompson, Cronicle, & Collins, 2003; Ungar, Blades, & Spencer, 1995; Wijntjes & Kappers, 2007).

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Figure 2.

Amount of details and texture: Turner’s High Street, Oxford: (a) outlined picture – detailed, no texture, and (b) textured picture – detailed, three types of texture.

Group session 7: Tactile audio-description trigger points

Turner’s High Street, Oxford was presented: one outlined picture (detailed, no texture; Figure 2(a)) and one textured picture (detailed, three types of texture; Figure 2(b)), with tactile symbols for the audio-description trigger points on them (Figure 3). The order of tactile pictures (outlined; textured) was randomly assigned, and the outlined picture was presented first. There were three types of tactile symbols for the audio-description trigger points per tactile picture: play symbol, three dots/braille S [in the RNIB braille font (cf. Pharmaceutical Braille, 2018; RNIB, 2018)], and Orange Tacti-Mark (i.e., an orange-coloured liquid plastic that sets hard), in a circle or square when placed on anything textured (Figure 3). All symbols were presented next to each other in the same order to all participants, allowing the participants to compare the symbols against one another. The participants were asked for each type of tactile picture (outlined; textured) which symbol (play symbol; three dots/braille S; Orange Tacti-Mark) they preferred and why, including whether and why this symbol did not work well on certain elements, and also to point out all audio-description trigger points in the picture (Supplemental Appendix 1). Finally, the participants were invited to suggest other tactile symbols for the audio-description trigger points (Supplemental Appendix 1; cf. One-on-one sessions 1–6 and Cryer et al., 2011; Graven, 2015, 2016a, 2016b; Hayhoe, 2013; Levent et al., 2013; Mesquita & Carneiro, 2016; Millar, 1977, 1985, 1987a, 1997; Nolan & Kederis, 1969; Nolan & Morris, 1971; Rowell & Ungar, 2003; Watanabe & Oouchi, 2003).

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Figure 3.

Examples of symbols for the audio-description trigger points and the placing of them – Turner’s High Street, Oxford: (a) play symbol on the element, (b) play symbol on the element and in a circle, and (c) three dots/braille S to the left of the element and in a square.

Group session 8: Audio-description ↔ haptic touch ↔ vision

A series of four voices were presented, reading the same text: a soprano, an alto, a tenor, and a bass. Upon their arrival, the participants were randomly assigned to two groups: one group listened to all four voices in a quiet room and the other group listened to them in a busy room. The participants were first asked to describe the four voices and whether they would accept a synthetic voice instead, including why or why not, and second how they would use the audio-description, including whether and how the audio-description would affect what they explored by haptic touch and/or vision (Supplemental Appendix 1; cf. One-on-one sessions 1–6; Group session 7).

Group session 9: Overview audio-description

The participants were first asked whether they would prefer the tactile symbol for the overview audio-description to be the same or different than that for all element audio-descriptions, and to explain why or why not (Supplemental Appendix 1). They were also invited to suggest a tactile symbol for the overview audio-description (Supplemental Appendix 1). Next, Turner’s High Street, Oxford was presented: outlined picture – detailed, no texture (Figure 2(a)), with a tactile symbol for the overview audio-description trigger point on it for the overview audio-description on it (i.e., three dots/braille O [in the RNIB braille font; cf. Pharmaceutical Braille, 2018; RNIB, 2018]), placed in the upper left corner of the tactile picture. The participants were asked to comment on this suggestion (Supplemental Appendix 1). Finally, the participants were asked about all audio-description trigger points whether consistency in where they are placed in relation to each element is important (or not, for example, because they would recognise them anyway from one tactile picture and/or element to another), and to explain why (Supplemental Appendix 1; cf. One-on-one sessions 1–6; Group session 7-8, and Berlá, 1981; Berlá & Butterfield, 1977; Berlá et al., 1976; Berlá & Murr, 1975; Cornoldi et al., 2009; Cryer et al., 2011; Graven, 2015, 2016a, 2016b, 2018; Millar, 1977, 1984, 1985, 1987a, 1987b, 1997, 2008; Millar & Al-Attar, 2003, 2004; Nolan & Kederis, 1969; Nolan & Morris, 1971; Postma et al., 2007; Rowell & Ungar, 2003; Ungar et al., 1995; Watanabe & Oouchi, 2003).

Group session 10: Shape features, textures, and elements

Allori’s Portrait of a Young Man was presented, in three different versions, all in a fine line (width: 1.2 mm; height: 0.6 mm): one picture had no texture (Figure 4(a)); one had eight types of texture: big dots, completely filled, diagonal lines in fishbone pattern, diagonal lines (long and short), dots, mini-dots, small circles, and small dots (Figure 4(b)), and one picture had straightened out lines ([no texture] so that, for example, the curves in the young man’s jacket skirt became more angular; Figure 4(c)). All three tactile pictures were presented next to each other in the same order to all participants, with the order of presentation assigned randomly, allowing the participants to compare them against one another. The participants were first asked to describe/show what attracted their attention and to describe each thing, what had too much or too little details, and to explain what they would have wanted differently (i.e., across the three tactile pictures; Supplemental Appendix 1). They were then asked to focus on the young man (their hands guided onto the young man on the left picture by the interviewer if needed) and to point out which one picture they preferred and disliked the most and to explain why (Supplemental Appendix 1; cf. Supplemental Appendix 2; One-on-one sessions 1–6; Group session 7-9, and Argyropoulos & Kanari, 2015; Berlá & Murr, 1975; Candin, 2003; Crewdson & Zangwill, 1940; Davidson, 1972; Gordon & Morison, 1982; Graven, 2015, 2016a; Heller, 1989; Heller & Gentaz, 2014; Heller et al., 1995; Holmes et al., 1998; Hunter, 1954; Jehoel et al., 2006; Kennedy & Bai, 2002; Millar, 2008; Pring, 1989; Rowell & Ungar, 2003; Rubin, 1936; Tompson & Cronicle, 2006; Tompson et al., 2003; Voisin, Benoit, & Chapman, 2002; Wijntjes & Kappers, 2007).

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Figure 4.

Shape features, textures, and elements – Allori’s Portrait of a Young Man: (a) traced outlined shapes – fine line; (b) traced outlined shapes – fine line, eight types of texture; and (c) traced outlined shapes – fine line, exaggerated straight lines (in the young man’s jacket skirt).

Group session 11: Textures and elements

Allori’s Portrait of a Young Man (line width: 1.2 mm; line height: 0.6 mm; exaggerated shape features [more straightened out lines]) was presented (Figure 5). Some elements were textured in accordance with the curator’s text (e.g., the medal) and some detailed elements remained unaltered to keep them appear as a ‘textured something’ (e.g., the Apollo; Figure 5). Thus, the presented tactile picture included three types of texture: ‘open’ (with some distance between the lines, for example, the figure in classic dress), ‘rough’ (with limited distance between the lines, for example, the Apollo), and ‘completely filled’ (e.g., the medal; Figure 5). Some elements were represented by a more defined global outline, for example, the pedestal (Figure 5). In accordance with the curator’s text, the gap between Apollo’s stand and the table, between the frame surrounding the imaginary view and the feet of the figure in classic dress, and between the young man’s hand showing the medal and the chair was removed (Figure 5). The participants were asked what attracted their attention and to describe each thing, what had too much or too little details and to explain what they would have wanted differently, to point out all the textured elements in the tactile picture, to explain their thinking – their rationale – when discovering a textured element, and to point out which texture(s) they preferred and explain why (Supplemental Appendix 1; cf. Supplemental Appendix 2; One-on-one sessions 1–6; Group session 7–10, and Argyropoulos & Kanari, 2015; Candin, 2003; Crewdson & Zangwill, 1940; Cryer et al., 2011; Davidson, 1972; Gordon & Morison, 1982; Graven, 2015, 2016a; Heller, McCarthy, & Clark, 2005; Hunter, 1954; Kennedy & Bai, 2002; Millar, 1977, 1985, 1987a, 1994, 1997; Nolan & Kederis, 1969; Nolan & Morris, 1971; Pring, 1989; Rowell & Ungar, 2003; Rubin, 1936; Tompson & Cronicle, 2006; Tompson et al., 2003; Voisin et al., 2002; Watanabe & Oouchi, 2003).

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Figure 5.

Textures and elements: Allori’s Portrait of a Young Man.

Group session 12: Audio-description

The third revision of the audio-description for Allori’s Portrait of a Young Man was presented (Supplemental Appendix 3). This audio-description included the curator’s label in the university museum (Supplemental Appendix 2) and some descriptions of visual elements, for example, the imaginary view ‘[. . .] consists of a plain with a few distant buildings, then some low hills, and higher hills further away. Pinkish clouds suggest dawn or dusk’. (Supplemental Appendix 3, twenty-third paragraph, second and third sentence.) The participants were asked what and how much information they would like in the overview and each element audio-description, and whether they would like the audio-description to be structured in layers and to explain why or why not (Supplemental Appendix 1; cf. Supplemental Appendix 2-3; One-on-one sessions 1–6; Group session 7-8, 10-11, and Berlá, 1981; Berlá & Butterfield, 1977; Berlá et al., 1976; Berlá & Murr, 1975; Cornoldi et al., 2009; Graven, 2018; Millar, 1994, 2008; Millar & Al-Attar, 2003, 2004; Postma et al., 2007; Ungar et al., 1995).

Group session 13: Audio-description and tactile references

Allori’s Portrait of a Young Man (line width: 1.2 mm; line height: 0.6 mm; exaggerated shape features [more straightened out lines]; targeted textures [in accordance with the curator’s text, for tactile references, and/or for ensuring repeated finger movement]; removed gaps) was presented (Figure 5). The participants were asked where in the tactile picture they would have wanted some audio-description and to explain why, whether they would like the audio-description to include tactile references and/or information about elements that they could just ‘scan over’, and whether they would like the audio-description to include a description of any tactile representations of visual elements, for example, the pedestal (Supplemental Appendix 1).

One-on-one sessions 14-15: Placing the audio-description trigger points

Allori’s Portrait of a Young Man was presented (line width: 1.2 mm; line height: 0.6 mm; exaggerated shape features [more straightened out lines]; targeted textures [in accordance with the curator’s text, for tactile references, and/or for ensuring repeated finger movement]; element representations; removed gaps; eight audio-description trigger points, including one for the overview audio-description; Figure 6). The overview audio-description trigger point was placed in the upper left corner of the tactile picture, and the element audio-description trigger points to the left of or above each element and on straight horizontal lines as much as possible (Figure 6). First, the participants were asked to point out audio-description trigger points and then about what information they would like from the audio-description as well as what they were doing when listening to the actual audio-description, and finally to use the audio-description trigger points, that is, to activate the intended audio-description, pause, and stop the information (Supplemental Appendix 1). In addition, the interviewer observed what the participants were doing when the audio-description was presented (Supplemental Appendix 1; cf. Supplemental Appendix 2; One-on-one sessions 1-6; Group session 7-11, 13 and Berlá, 1981; Berlá & Butterfield, 1977; Berlá et al., 1976; Berlá & Murr, 1975; Cornoldi et al., 2009; Graven, 2018; Millar, 1984, 1987b, 1994, 1997, 2008; Millar & Al-Attar, 2003, 2004; Postma et al., 2007; Ungar et al., 1995; Watanabe & Oouchi, 2003).

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Figure 6.

Placing the audio-description trigger points: Allori’s Portrait of a Young Man.

Group session 16: Audio-description focus and structure

The sixth revision of the audio-description for Allori’s Portrait of a Young Man was presented, starting at the trigger point and with two layers of information (brief description and detailed description; Supplemental Appendix 4). The participants were asked to comment on the amount and type of information in each layer, the length of the audio-description in each layer, and whether the audio-description was in an easy or difficult language (Supplemental Appendix 1; cf. Supplemental Appendix 4; One-on-one sessions 1-6, 14-15 and Group session 7-8, 10–13, and Berlá, 1981; Berlá & Butterfield, 1977; Berlá et al., 1976; Berlá & Murr, 1975; Cornoldi et al., 2009; Graven, 2018; Millar, 1994, 2008; Millar & Al-Attar, 2003, 2004; Postma et al., 2007; Ungar et al., 1995).

How?

‘I’d probably feel it first – feel it over to get an overview, then put the machine on (with the audio-description) and then listen to it as I was feeling again to . . ., so that I knew then what I was happen to feel out for. [. . .] From left to right. I would have to have the overlay, then the left to right the description’ (Group session 8). I ‘[. . .] use audio-visual [. . .] to get an overview, and then focus in (on the tactile picture) and get more detail’ (Group session 8). ‘I’m the opposite, [. . .], so I actually would prefer the little tiny details (described) rather than just an overview’ (Group session 8). ‘Whereas [. . .] I need the overview’ (Group session 8). With the audio-description ‘[. . .] you’d have an idea and then feeling it (i.e., the tactile picture) would bring it (i.e., the visual painting) to life, you know, the two together – I think you have to have the two for it to work, you know, having the (audio-)description and the (tactile) picture’ (Group session 13).

‘For me, then, to have a (audio-)description and to know what it is you’re feeling . . . um . . . makes it even more . . ., because at the moment it’s just; just feeling shapes and that could be anything, so then to know what it is you’re actually feeling and the details to it . . . – so having the two together to then explain what it is. [. . .] Without the information of what (i.e., the cobbles), then it is harder to create that (mental) picture – to find what it is. [. . .], so if you’ve had a description of it to start with then you could relate parts of that description to the tactile picture and find those particular parts of interest, if there is a specific picture or decoration or something to it, you can then find that particular part on the tactile image. [. . .] So, if you’ve said there is like a specific part in the middle of the picture, you’d go to that part first to then find it and feel it’ (One-on-one session 2). ‘Listen and find, but you might find something (that attracts the attention) whilst you’re doing it’ (Group session 8).

‘If you hadn’t had the (audio-)description, then no I wouldn’t know at all what it is, where to start – yes, what you’re feeling or anything as it could be anything. [. . .] then you’d use that (audio-)description to then explore it more (by haptic touch) to find where that particular point is on the (tactile) picture, so you’d use what you then learn in the (audio-)description and then go and – then I’d go and find it, you know, I’d be very inquisitive as to where is that then, where . . . yes . . . how does that feel and where is it, so then you’d be exploring the (tactile) picture’ (Group session 13). When listening to the brief audio-description, ‘I just stop (exploring the tactile picture) to listen to it’, whereas when listening to the detailed one ‘[. . .] you find yourself, you know, sort of looking for what she’s talking about . . . Um . . . finding everything and, yes, just taking it all in’ (One-on-one session 14).

‘I think it’s really important that thing about perspective, because we’re not used to 3D printers, so we’re looking at that as if it were a flat picture, which makes the bit in the middle . . . not work. Do you know what I mean? But as long as you know it’s going smaller, as it goes into the middle [. . .], in the audio-description just to make sure, because otherwise that could just be a flat wall that just has smaller houses and chops in the middle . . . that isn’t the perspective of looking down it (i.e., the Oxford High Street)’ (One-on-one session 4). In addition, reference to orientation in the audio-description ‘is good, because then you know you’ve hit that right place in it (i.e., in the tactile picture)’ (Group session 13), and references to the tactile texture ‘would probably make it easier to discuss (the tactile picture) – to make sure everybody was talking about the same part of the (tactile) picture, yes’ (Group session 13). The audio-description should ‘explain what they (i.e., the textures) are. [. . .] Because there is texture there, and so you’re intrigued as to . . . to what it is’ (Group session 13).

When?

‘I did touch across it (i.e., the tactile picture) first and then I pressed (the audio-description trigger points), because obviously you’ve got to find the S’ (One-on-one session 15), whereas ‘I’d like to knew what, you know, what I was meant to be looking at first’ (Group session 8). ‘I would tend to look at how much I can see first, so move around it to see what I can pick up, and then I tend to go for the audio-visual to fill in the blanks [. . .] Touch will come last in terms of process’ (One-on-one session 6).

‘If you got it (i.e., the audio-description) before you know what you’re feeling [. . .], but when you know what you’re feeling you’ve probably forgotten every bit so, you know, you might want maybe a little bit more (audio-description) while you’re doing it (i.e., exploring the tactile picture)’ (One-on-one session 3). ‘If you hear it all beforehand, you forget what’s been said by the time you look at it (i.e., the tactile picture); if you hear it at the end you . . . you’ve got lost in the (tactile) picture, so going through it but with the ability to stop and find the bits your being described’ (One-on-one session 4). With an audio-description both before and during the exploring of the tactile picture, ‘it then give me an understanding of what then the tactile picture is all about’ (One-on-one session 2).

‘I would need it (i.e., the visual painting) described from left to right. [. . .] I would be feeling across the paper. [. . .] So the description would have to start either from the left . . . tell you that the description is started from the left hand side of the page or the description is started from the right hand side of the picture, and then you – you would have to feel across to follow the description, because otherwise if it’s describing . . . I don’t know . . . something on this side of the (tactile) picture, but you’re thinking “what, this doesn’t make sense?” because it’s not what you’re feeling’ (Group session 8).

Summary

The participants used the tactile picture to:

They used the audio-description to:

Textures

The outlined picture is ‘Less busy (than the textured one), and so there is more detail. So I think I really like this one (i.e., the outlined picture) a bit more (than the textured one). In a way it’s less detailed, but there is more parts to feel because there is less of it. Does that make sense? On the last (textured) one, it was just like lots of lines altogether and you couldn’t really find the definitive parts [. . .], whereas because there’s more gaps and it’s more spaced out (in the outlined picture) it’s easier to feel details [. . .]. Does that make sense? [. . .] Less is more really, I think so . . ., but it’s having the key features within’ (One-on-one session 2). ‘There is SO much on here (on the textured picture): it’s almost like there is a little too much. [. . .] I’m really struggling to get the details. [. . .] Maybe . . ., I mean; if I had something like half an hour to spend with the (textured) picture, then I would start really slowly at one side and work it up and down – a bit like a printer itself. [. . .] See something like this bit here, I think there is individual lines there, but I’m not sure. [. . .] I can’t really feel if it is separate lines or if it’s a block (i.e., the windows on the second house from the left)’ (One-on-one session 4).

‘I can feel a line now (in the outlined picture), and that’s made me more interested to follow the line, whereas before (in the textured picture) it wasn’t so easy to find’ (One-on-one session 1). ‘I actually think I’d like to see this (outlined) one first to get an overview, then have the textured one afterwards. [. . .], so if you’ve actually looked at that (outlined) one you can then – any points of interest – you can then go and feel them in more detail on the other (textured) one’ (One-on-one session 4).

At the same time, texture ‘seems to bring it (i.e., the tactile picture) a bit more to life with the raised bits – the bobbly bits (i.e., the scholars), using the technical term. Yes, it seems to bring it more to life – yes’ (One-on-one session 5). ‘It (i.e., the texture) makes it (i.e., the tactile picture) feel a bit more . . . um . . . three dimensional’ (Group session 10). The texture ‘makes the picture more tactile. It creates more of a picture in my head, which I’m after. All this stuff is helping create a picture. What’s in my head might not exactly be what’s on the picture, but that doesn’t matter’ (One-on-one session 1).

‘It (i.e., the texture) makes you want to feel it more, I think; it makes it more sort of warm, and you know, it’s not just lines. [. . .] You’re inquisitive as to what’s that, because it feels different’ (Group session 10). ‘Because there’s texture there, and so you’re intrigued as to what it is’ (Group session 11).

Texture may also cause confusion, because it is ‘adding things in’ (Group session 10). For example, ‘You see, this is what I can’t understand: his coat goes right across (the tactile picture as a band). [. . .] It all (i.e., the different textures) feels the same, to me . . . more or less’ (Group session 10). The ‘tower-pattern (i.e., small dots) is better than the cobble-pattern (i.e., medium squares): it was smaller, but it felt nice to touch. [. . .] The cobble-pattern made my eyes go funny’ (One-on-one session 4). The participants treated the lines with some distance between them (cf. ‘open texture’ [the figure in classic dress]), lines with limited distance between them (cf. ‘rough texture’ [the Apollo]), solid shapes (cf. ‘completely filled’ [the medal]), zigzag lines (cf. the cloth outline), the table inlay, and the chair ornaments as textures (Group session 11).

Shapes

I am ‘Searching for shapes. [. . .] Separate shapes are easier to make out’ (One-on-one session 1). ‘Of course it’s easier when you’ve got just one object, you can feel the whole shape of it’ (Group session 11). For example, ‘I would say the outline of the windows rather than all the individual bar-things, because you get that it’s a window but I’m really struggling to feel the bars – because they’re so close together’ (One-on-one session 4). ‘I can feel the texture, but can’t really differentiate [. . .]: it could be a shape with texture or it could be a number of shapes (i.e., from the fourth building on the right to the end of the Oxford High Street). [. . .] If you can’t differentiate, it becomes a texture’ (One-on-one session 1). ‘When there are so many raised bits [. . .], it’s difficult to define the edges’ (One-on-one session 6).

As a case in point, ‘[. . .] these (scholars) were blobs (in the textured picture), but they’re no longer blobs (in the outlined picture): they’re outlines, which I think are more distinct. To my touch they actually feel more distinct. Having them not filled in, to me, actually I can feel the shape better because where they were sort of blobby I had more trouble feeling the shape, but being able to feel the inside and the outside of the line I can interpret the shape more easily. Still got a little problem down here with the archway on the right hand side where the blob (i.e., scholar) is running into the archway, but you can’t get away from that I presume when you’re depicting an original image: if that’s where the figure is, then that’s where the figure is, isn’t it’ (One-on-one session 6).

Shape features

The tactile picture with the straightened out lines and no texture ‘[. . .] is more raised. [. . .], but you’ve got a bit of tactile to it still as well, like in the skirt – if you can call it that? Out of them all, this is the easiest one. [. . .] It feels sharper. It’s maybe a bit more raised, and so the edges . . . what you’re feeling is easy to . . . – It’s more prominent’ (Group session 10). ‘This one (with the original shape outline and no texture) feels so much more busier and harder to pick out things, whereas that one (with the straightened out lines and no texture) is simp . . .; it feels simple and clear. Definitely, the last one (with the straightened out lines and no texture) is the most easiest and clear to feel. [. . .] The first one (with the original shape outline and no texture) feels so much more detailed, but harder to locate things because it feels like there is so much more. [. . .] It would be nice to have maybe a little bit of texture’ (Group session 10). ‘When I first had it (i.e., the textured picture) I quite liked it, but then when you gave me the third one (with the straightened out lines and no texture) I thought; “oh no I think I prefer the third one.” [. . .] It’s difficult . . . – The second (textured) one seemed really good to start off with, but then it seemed really busy and there was so much stuff on there to try and process . . . – Um . . ., the third one (with the straightened out lines and no texture) just seemed simpler’ (Group session 10).

Attention and importance

Texture attracted the most attention, whereas areas and/or lines that were difficult to differentiate were scanned over (Table 2).

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Table 2.

Attention and importance.

Attracting attention	Uninteresting
Texture(sessions 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 11) a	Areas where a lot is going on – that are difficult or even impossible to differentiate(sessions 1, 10) b
Changes in the straight lines(sessions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 11) c	Unremarkable lines(session 4) d
‘Like shapes in the same direction’(One-on-one session 1) e
‘The round – head’(Group session 10) f
Most important	Ignoring
The biggest spire shape (i.e., triangle)(sessions 1, 3, 4)	Open spaces (with no lines and/or texture in them)(sessions 2, 11)
The cobble texture (i.e., medium squares)(sessions 1, 6)
‘All is important, because it’s building up that picture’(session 2)

a

Example: ‘Bobbly bits (i.e., the cobbles)’ (One-on-one session 5).

b

Example: ‘It’s quite a lot there in the middle to try and, you know, focus on. [. . .] I just scanned over it’ (One-on-one session 1).

c

Example: ‘Like jaggedy skyline’ (One-on-one session 1) and the curved roof decorations ‘because they are sticking out – they are practically the only curves in the picture, apart from the blobs’ (i.e., scholars; One-on-one session 6).

d

Example: ‘You can’t tell – it just feels like a load of boxes’ (One-on-one session 4).

e

Example: The ‘windows are in lines’ (One-on-one session 1).

f

Example: ‘The round – head, but no hair. Can’t make out two eyes and a nose’ (Group session 10).

Summary

Regarding the tactile picture, the participants preferred that:

Why audio-description?

‘Why? . . . Um . . . To enable you to . . . um . . . appreciate the object . . . um . . ., and to get a mental image of the . . . – it’ll help getting a mental image of the object, if you can’t see at all. [. . .] It seemed almost like an obvious kind of question’ (One-on-one session 1).

Voice

All participants preferred the soprano and the alto over the two male voices, and, of the two, they preferred the alto both in the quiet room and in the busy room: both female voices stood out form the other sounds, general noise, and voices, but the alto was the clearest (Group session 8). She also had a wider pitch range than the soprano, ‘she went up and down in her intonation [. . .], and she gave you plenty of time to stop and think’ (Group session 8). Otherwise, ‘you wouldn’t be able to feel the (tactile) picture’ (Group session 8), ‘you’d probably miss where to stop it (i.e., the audio-description). [. . .] You’d have already gone in to the next point before you stopped it (i.e., the audio-desctiption)’ (Group session 8), ‘and then you’d have to keep doing rewind and then find the (tactile) picture again and find where you were and then rewind – and then you’d be doing this all the time’ (Group session 8). ‘Pronunciation was good’ (Group session 8).

In addition, this voice had ‘more empathy [. . .], as if . . . a feeling about the picture they were describing coming across’ (Group session 8). ‘If you think about school teachers, to go back then, the ones that you really liked and would listen to were ones that knew what they were talking about and were enthusiastic about their subject’ (Group session 8). ‘She (with the alto voice) was solid – she was gonna get you through it (i.e., the visual painting). A synthetic voice would never sound knowledgeable and/or enthusiastic’ (Group session 8).

Focus and structure

‘I’m thinking, if you’re looking at an object that’s being described to you and it is a static object – it’s a something – there is a certain amount of description you want and that will be enough. If you’re looking at something that is changing, then the quantity of information and how long it goes on for . . . um . . . it’s important that it goes on enough to carry whatever this is. A static object, you may say “I know enough about that.” You’ve done enough quite early on. . . . Um . . ., so there is difference between exactly what sort of thing you are describing. For some you will need more and others you just say “Here is a box. It’s black. It’s got four sides. It looks; it’s – it’s longer than a cube, and it’s got a little hole in the top.” That may be all you need to know. Done!’ (Group session 8). ‘If things (i.e., the audio-description) are too long, I tend to wonder off and get bored’ (Group session 16). ‘[. . .], but if you want to know more [. . .] then press [. . .]’ (Group session 12).

‘[. . .] often if there is a piece written with a piece of art it will tell you a bit of history about it, and it will tell you how it came about and when it was done, and that is to me interesting as well as the actual imagery is the history of when and why, and how and who’ (One-on-one session 6), whereas ‘I’m more for the description . . ., yes . . .’ (One-on-one session 14).

‘When they describe it, I’m trying to feel but I can’t always get “where is the arm”’ (One-on-one session 15). As a case in point, ‘The description is good, but my problem is that I can’t get the feel exactly of what, where the thing is, you know, you can usually feel a head because it’s round. Like for the statue (of Apollo) at the corner [. . .], I was feeling the big . . . the chap’s head. [. . .] Although they say, of course, that that was a statue (of Apollo), I was feeling the man’s head. [. . .] You see, if I’d known that at the beginning where the S (i.e., the audio-description trigger point) was where the statue (of Apollo) was I would have realised . . ., but I went straight as soon as they said statue on a table to the man’s head. [. . .] I started feeling across (the tactile picture) before I pressed the thing (i.e., the audio-description trigger point) [. . .], then I sussed it, and thought “oh yes,” so every time I pressed an S (i.e., an audio-description trigger point) I knew they were talking about what was right next to it – so that was fine then. That was easier’ (One-on-one session 15).

Tactile symbol(s) for the audio-description trigger points

The participants with some residual vision (i.e., minimal visual shape perception) appreciated the colour of the Orange Tacti-Mark, and that it would be possible to place the audio-description trigger point on top of the actual element in the tactile picture. Some of the participants also appreciated the very different tactile texture of the Orange Tacti-Mark, compared to the swell paper. However, all participants commented on the inconsistency in size, height, and texture of the Orange Tacti-Mark (Group session 7).

Of the other symbols, six out of seven participants (Group session 7) preferred the three (braille) dots/braille S: ‘Because they were the only braille dots in the picture. [. . .], you don’t have to recognise it as an S at all [. . .]. They’re (braille) dots’ (Group session 7).

Placing of the audio-description trigger points

Starting in the upper left corner, ‘I did feel right around the edge first [. . .], and then went from the top (from left to right) and felt the pointy bits (i.e., the skyline) and then down . . .’ (One-on-one session 3). ‘I always start by going around the perimeter, and the first thing I feel is that it’s . . . um [. . .] . . . texture at the bottom, but I’m not going to go in yet. I’m going to go all the way around the edge just to get the size and the shape of it – so I’m feeling I’ve got all the angles and I’m going along, and then I know I started in this here (i.e., in the bottom left corner)’ (One-on-one session 1). ‘Going up the left hand side (from the bottom left corner) . . . just going up and down’ (One-on-one session 5). ‘I usually start in the middle and then just feel around and find what’s there. It’s good if there is an edge to . . . – as a guide’ (One-on-one session 2). Using some residual vision (i.e., minimal visual shape perception), ‘I think I’m starting in the top right corner. [. . .] I’m trying to go around the edge (visually) to find the limits of what . . . what we’re doing. Yes, OK: I’ve done the frame. I’m now looking for something inside the frame, yes’ (One-on-one session 4). ‘It’s almost going from overview, in, in, in to more details’ (Group session 8).

Then, ‘I want to find the main outline (of what is depicted) and then I go for the detail inside it’ (Group session 8), for example, ‘I would be feeling the outer part of the building, say to see how big the building is or something, then go in’ (Group session 8). ‘I tend to go from left to right . . . um . . . don’t know why, but just . . . yes . . .’ (Group session 8). ‘The more logical way to do it is left to right or right to left, isn’t it – is to start on one side of the (tactile) picture and move across’ (Group session 8).

Summary

Regarding the audio-description, the participants preferred that: