Techniques to Collect and Analyze the Cognitive Map Knowledge of Persons with Visual Impairment Or Blindness: Issues of Validity

Abstract

<jats:p> This article is an assessment of a variety of techniques used by researchers in the fields of geography, psychology, urban planning, and cognitive science to collect and analyze data on how people with visual impairment or blindness learn, understand, and think about geographic space. The authors concluded that these techniques and their results need to be used cautiously. They also made recommendations for increasing the validity of future studies, including the use of multiple, mutually supportive tests; larger sample sizes, and movement from the laboratory to real-world environments. </jats:p>

An Experimental Investigation into Wayfinding Directions for Visually Impaired People

“…However, the unique strategies and mechanisms used by visually impaired people have not been given sufficient investigation in current research [23]. Kitchen & Jacobson [24] argue that cognitive mapping research could reveal 'what spatial information should be given to visually impaired pedestrians, in what form and at which particular locations'. Different forms of visual impairment might also impact on cognitive map development, as illustrated in Figure 1 (parts a-d).…”

The Design and Evaluation of an Assistive Multimodal Interface

“…Researchers in way-finding typically encourage participants to draw the models they have generated of an area. Kitchin et al [2] describe four drawing techniques that can be used, depending on the data required.…”

Hacking Blind Navigation

“…To cite one example, solutions that use 3D audio rely on findings that spatial audio outperforms spatial language in cognitively demanding scenarios [17]. Also, these disciplines are also essential to assess the efectiveness of new solutions [16].…”