2007.33.22

Teacher-made rubber mat for map making

Orange rubber matting wrapped around masonite support, taped on reverse and wrapped on corners with black linen librarian's tape; sheet of aluminum diagramming foil taped to top with cellophane tape; label glued below foil, "Teacher made rubber mat for map making" in print and braille.

H-14 W-13.125 D-0.24 inches

ca. 1970

Baltimore, MD

Found in the AER Bledsoe Archives at the Maryland School for the Blind. Prior to the late 1960s, teachers desiring to create their own tactile graphics might have made their own rubber mat such as this. In 1965, APH introduced the Swail Dot Inverter and pad, a tool that would create raised dots on paper. The 12" square rubber pad that served the Swail was modeled on homegrown pads such as this one. The aluminum diagramming film did not become available from APH until 1969 and was sold in sheets and rolls. A variety of hand tools could be used to create the various raised lines and symbols a teacher might need.

Gift of Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired