Protactile
A language of touch developed by people who are deafblind to communicate with each other.
Protactile’s development began around 2007. It relies on touch on the arms, back, shoulders, and legs of communicators simultaneously. For example, in Protactile, patting on a person’s leg is similar to nodding.
Protactile is distinct from from American Sign Language and from tactile sign languages.
Protactile is said to be a way of sharing an experience rather than communication to someone.
Principles of Protactile include:
- Using contact space.
- Using reciprocal touch.
- Working together to with signs that are easy to feel.
- Using the contact space to describe qualities. such as size and shape
- If the contact space is outside cultural norms or unsafe, establish an alternative.
For more information on the development of Protactile, visit Protactile Principles.
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