Best practices for creating accessible maps

Orientation and mobility specialists and educators have specific goals in mind and often need to create their customizes maps. The process is easy!

Before creating a map

Consider the student’s 

When introducing non-visual digital maps and for students who are building mental map skills, keep the initial map(s) simple with only 6 or 8 data points before moving to a more complex map.

The map goals will vary; the customized map needs to be created to reflect your goal. One map might be used to teach the names of the streets around the student’s home, while another map might be used to understand how geographic features of a country impact the countries economy or value.

Remember, the goal of non-visual digital maps is not to learn step-by-step directions of routes.

The scale of the maps can range from a city block to a campus, to an entire metropolitan region. You can create maps that are used by many students, e.g., a map of a school or college campus. 

General directions for sighted people to create maps

The directions below require vision to create points on a visual Google Map. Users with visual impairments can create non-visual digital maps using a different method. View this post to learn more! How BLV Users Can Create Digital Accessible Maps

Step 0: Before you begin

Step 1: Create a map in Google My Maps 

Step 2: Add points to the map using Search 

You can search for a wide variety of objects including:

Step 3: Add points for places you see visually on the map

Step 4: Add points for any random location on the map

Step 5: Test the map using SAS Graphics Accelerator

Step 6: Share the map with your student

Note: Your student must first install SAS Graphics Accelerator in Google Chrome.

Video Tutorial

Creating a Non-Visual Digital Map: Video Tutorial

Best Practices for Creating Specific Types of Maps

Sharing your map(s)

Help grow our map library by sharing YOUR custom map! Send your map to [email protected]

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