Are you interested in learning about accessible digital charts, graphs, and maps? SAS Graphics Accelerator is a free Chrome extension that enables users to access digital charts and graphs. Students can access a teacher-created graphic, upload a graphic from the Internet or create their own. Navigate through these digital graphics and analyze the data contained in the graphic – with or without a screen reader.
There are numerous posts on Paths to Technology about SAS Graphics Accelerator; this summary post has been created to help educators and students to know what is available on this topic and to be able to quickly find these posts.
Paths to Technology has a Map Library with crowd-sourced non-visual digital maps which are available for everyone to use. If you create a map, please consider sharing it! Email us at [email protected].
SAS Graphics Accelerator Maps
(SAS Graphics Accelerator added the non-visual digital Maps in the spring of 2020.)
Using Non-Visual Digital Maps
- Getting Started with Non-Visual Digital Maps (overview)
- Activities that Build Digital Map Skills
- SAS Graphics Accelerator Maps: Student Uploading and Accessing Maps
- Non-Visual Digital Maps: Self-Voicing Feature
- Remote O&M Instruction for Students Transitioning to College: Getting Started
- Remote O&M Instruction for Students Transitioning to College: Building a Mental Map (Victor’s remote O&M Zoom lesson on using a non-visual campus map)
- Concept Development: Drawing (Building mental map concepts series associated with Victor’s college O&M lessons)
- AFTER Remote Instruction for Students Transitioning to College: On Campus (Impact of map on Victor’s on campus O&M lesson)
- Missing Accelerator Button: Non-Visual Digital Maps (Workaround for a software bug that some users are experiencing)
Best Practices for Creating Non-Visual Digital Maps
- How to Create Accessible Digital Maps Using SAS Graphics Accelerator and Google Maps
- Creating a Non-Visual Digital Map: Video Tutorial
- Editing a Non-Visual Digital Map from the Map Library
- How BLV Users Can Create Digital Accessible Maps
- Creating Customized Non-Visual Digital College Campus Maps
- Best Practices for Creating Non-Visual College Campus Maps
- Build a Mental Map of Campus (YOUR school for the blind and best practices for creating a map of a school for the blind)
- General Guidelines for Creating Non-Visual Digital Maps of K12 Schools, Camps and Parks
- Creating Non-Visual Digital Maps of Metropolitan Areas
- How to Create Accessible Non-Visual Digital Maps of Countries
O&M Map-Related Lessons
This is a series on how to introduce SAS Graphics Accelerator maps to an elementary student and how to embed these maps into the student’s current IEP goals. Each of these progressive posts addresses specific O&M concepts. Also included are posts about Victor and his transition O&M lessons to learn his college campus.
- Why Non-Visual Digital Maps for Young Students? (pre-cursor for John’s O&M lessons series)
- Activities that Build Digital Map Skills
- Pittsboro Map Lesson: Getting Started
- John’s O&M Lesson 1: Non-Visual Digital Maps for Elementary Student
- John’s O&M Lesson 2: Learn about Streets
- John’s O&M Lesson 3: Whole-to-Part Mental Map post
- John’s O&M Lesson 4: Analyzing Map Data post
- John’s O&M Lesson 5: Types of Communities
- John’s O&M Lesson 6: Road Numbering Systems
- Whittier Falls Housing Development Map and “Circle” Concepts
- Remote O&M Instruction for Students Transitioning to College: Getting Started
- Remote O&M Instruction for Students Transitioning to College: Building a Mental Map (Victor’s remote O&M Zoom lesson on using a non-visual campus map)
- Concept Development: Drawing (Building mental map concepts series associated with Victor’s college O&M lessons)
- AFTER Remote Instruction for Students Transitioning to College: On Campus (Impact of map on Victor’s on campus O&M lesson)
- Using a Digital Map for Work Travel
Classroom Map-Related Lessons
- State Capitals Lesson: Non-Visual Digital Maps
- Trail of Tears Lesson
- Vermont Farm Lesson: Elementary Student post
- Vermont Farm: Drawing Conclusions from an O&M Post (middle/high school)
- 13 Colonies Lesson
- North Carolina Lighthouse Lesson: Elementary School post
- Santa’s Sleigh Ride: Geography and Map Activities
- NY Maps: Union Square and Washington Square Park (includes history lesson)Recorded
Map Webinars
- Webinar: Creating Accessible Maps Using SAS Graphics Accelerator and Google Maps
- Webinar: Exploring Accessible Campus Maps
- Map Library Webinar
SAS Graphics Accelerator Charts and Graphs
Lessons
- Sonification: Sounds with Meaning Activity (July 2019) (Provides audio examples of different types graphs and explains what is heard.)
- Charts and Graphs Skills Review (July 2019)
- Choosing a Habitable Planet: Data Analysis Activity (July 2019)
- Activity: Create and Share a Simple Bar Chart (Nov. 2018)
- Activity: Reading Bar Charts Using Fun Facts About Planets (Nov. 2018)
- Activity: Reading Line Charts that Show Stock Market Data (Nov. 2018)
- Activity: Creating Line Charts from Yahoo Finance Stock Market Data (Nov. 2018)
General Information and Tutorials
- Getting Started with SAS and SAS Graphing Accelerator (Feb. 2017)
- Webinar: Learn How to Create Accessible Charts, Graphs and Maps (Webinar April 26, 2019; recording and resources available)
- SAS Graphics Accelerator Tutorial #1: How to (Sept. 2018; video and post created by a high school student who is visually impaired)
- SAS Graphics Accelerator Video Tutorial #2: Options (Sept. 2018; video and post created by a high school student who is visually impaired)
SAS Graphing Accelerator in the News
- Reviewing Charts and Graphs: SAS Graphics Accelerator (July 2018)
- Making Graphics Accessible to Visually Impaired (April 2017)
- New SAS Software Helps Blind Users See Data in Unique Way (March 2017)
- SAS Enables visually impaired to ‘visualize’ data
By Diane Brauner
Last update: 8/24/22
