A close-up shot of a man's hands feeling a Direct Access tactile map board.

Tactile and Sensory Maps

Tactile Maps

Our A4 and A3 sized tactile maps give blind and partially sighted people access to information which improves spatial awareness, empowering them to engage with an environment independently.

In a post-COVID world where people are encouraged not to touch static maps or Braille signage, our paper-based sensory maps issued to visitors provide a hygienic-friendly solution for personal use.

Sensory maps can not only help visitors to identify sensory friendly spaces within your site but can be used as a guide for finding areas that are quieter and less crowded, spaces that have seating, and spaces with tactile engagement and accessible activities.

A tactile map of the Steven G. Terrall recreation centre featuring a braille field map of the site and a braille key of the key areas, including child play area, dining area, medical bay and toilets.

Swell Maps

By providing our team with an existing map of your site, Direct Access can also craft swell maps. Swell maps allow people with low vision to fully decipher the specifics of a site through touch rather than sight.

Swell paper has two sides – a white, slightly textured side and a smooth liner. Using our on-site tactile graphics machines, we can make outlines, symbols, and text rise off the page, allowing it to be fully accessible to people with visual impairments.

Swell paper maps are denser than regular tactile maps in that they are not actually printed on regular paper, but are also considered the best-practice standard for providing accessible written information.

A man in a green polo shirt wearing gloves reaches into a large 3D printer to ready the space for construction of a 3D model.

Social

Guides

Access

Guides

A Tactile Braille Map Board displaying a museum map and its corresponding key, featuring QR codes and accompanying text which reads "audio description" and "sign language".

Audio description

and transcription

A young woman sits on her sofa practicing sign language while looking at her iPad.

Sign Language and

Captioned Videos

A row of five swell maps, all detailing the same location - A History Through Objects museum exhibition, spread out on a table at the Direct Access offices.

Tactile and

Sensory Maps

Website

Accessibility

Direct Access logo.

Unit 3706,
Platinum Tower JLT-PH1-12,
Jumeirah Lakes Towers,
Dubai,
UAE.

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