Teaching labs for blind students: equipment to measure the thermal expansion coefficient of a metal

摘要

We design a Physics Teaching Laboratory experience for blind students, to measure the linear thermal expansion coefficient of an object. We use an open-source electronic prototyping platform to create an interactive electronic device that converts visual signals into acoustic signals, allowing a blind student to participate at the same pace with his/her classmates during the laboratory session. This adaptation was tested with a student group where one of them was blind, turning out to be a highly rewarding experience for the latter, as it was the first time he was able to fully participate in a laboratory session.