Ayana Ishihara

I attended two inspiring courses organised by Statped: Tactile Symbols and Tactile Book. Last year, I took the Tactile Book course (Read more), and this year I was glad to return and deepen my understanding.


What are Tactile Symbols?

Tactile symbols are communication tools designed to represent actions or parts of a schedule through touch. They are especially helpful for people who are blind, visually impaired, or deafblind.

In 2023, I had the opportunity to visit Diamanten School for Deafblind Children in Oslo. It was a deeply moving experience to see that each student had created their own set of tactile symbols representing their daily schedule—like swimming class, gym, or mathematics. These small, textured objects help them understand their day through the sense of touch.


What is a Tactile Book?

A tactile book is a storybook created with a sensory focus rather than a visual one. It is designed for visually impaired and deafblind children and adults, using textures, materials, and sometimes scent or temperature to tell a story. The goal is to create an engaging, immersive experience through multiple senses.


Course Overview

Both courses were structured in two parts: theory and hands-on creation. The theoretical part included practical training—such as learning how to appropriately hand objects to a visually impaired or deafblind person. We also developed our tactile sensitivity by wearing blindfolds and exploring different materials through touch.

For the Tactile Symbols session, I explored making symbols for adult contexts, such as "home office" and "meeting."

For the Tactile Book session, I challenged myself to prioritise tactile storytelling over visual design, using as many real, textured materials as possible to enrich the sensory experience.

The book I created is titled: Hvor er du? (Where are you?)
It’s a quiz-style story. On the right-hand page, there is a tactile object that asks, “Where are you?” The following page reveals the answer—written in both alphabet letters and Braille.

The story follows a simple daily journey: waking up, having a shower, going for a walk, and eventually returning home. It invites the reader to explore and guess each location through touch before reading the answer, creating an interactive and inclusive experience.

Other participants experimented with temperature, scent, and other tactile elements in very creative ways. I learned a lot from them, and it was inspiring to see so many unique approaches to inclusive communication and storytelling.


I’m very grateful to Statped for offering such valuable courses. I will carry this knowledge and experience with me as I continue to develop my artistic practice—especially in support of inclusion and sensory accessibility.


Sharing the Book with the Blind Association in Oslo

On 12 May, I had the opportunity to visit and share the book with members of The Norwegian Association of the Blind and Partially Sighted – Oslo. People with visual impairments kindly helped me read and test it, offering valuable insights for my ongoing research.