Results & Discussion
A measurable contribution to inclusive learning
The results below are organized by relevant components of the research: the baseline survey, the user testing, and the output.
Baseline Survey
A critical gap, and clear demand
A survey of 7 inclusive and special-education schools across Nigeria measured how many tactile maps existed, and how much demand there was for more. In response, the thesis produced a 40-map atlas spanning World, Africa, and Nigeria tiers.
71%
of the 7 surveyed schools had no tactile maps for geography at all
553
visually impaired students across those schools; only 29.1% had any tactile map access
92.9%
of students said tactile maps would be highly valuable to their learning
100%
said they'd use tactile maps if provided, alongside adequate training
What's holding adoption back
Share of baseline-survey responses citing each barrier to tactile-map adoption, coded from interviews across 7 Nigerian schools.
Institutional support and awareness are tied for the largest share; the core barrier is systemic, not the cost or complexity of the materials themselves.
User Testing
What testing proved
11 Nigerian participants tested the refined atlas prototypes. See the full Validation & User Testing for both testing phases and the expert review.
11 / 11
Nigeria test participants improved their overall score after using the maps
6 / 10
knowledge-check questions saw more correct answers after map interaction
90%+
agreement with positive usability statements; 0% agreement with negative ones
Did the maps actually teach something?
11 Nigerian participants answered the same 10 geography questions before and after interacting with the maps.
Every participant improved
Overall scores in the map-based tasks rose for all 11 participants, despite none having prior experience with maps, Geography class, or microcapsule paper.
Discussion & Conclusion
From evidence to equitable access
This is more than a working prototype. It's Nigeria's first customised tactile atlas, and a working template for what inclusive geography material can look like at national scale: evidence that the barrier standing between visually impaired students and their own curriculum was never really the subject itself, only the absence of material built for how they read the world.
Providing well-designed tactile resources can transition visually impaired students from passive observers to active participants in geography education, ensuring equitable access to the national curriculum.
Recommendations for scale-up
What has to happen next for the atlas to reach beyond this thesis.
- Local production equipment. Microcapsule printing hardware is currently entirely absent in Nigeria, the biggest bottleneck to scaling distribution.
- Teacher training. Awareness and teacher capacity account for 42.5% of the barriers cited in the baseline survey; training is what turns access into classroom use.
- National stakeholder engagement. Continued work with bodies like the Ministry of Education to make tactile maps standard in inclusive and special-education schools.
- Design discipline. Future tactile cartography should prioritise simplicity, legibility, correct Braille notation, and frequent user testing.
