Client
Scope of Work
Illustration
Digital design
Educational activities
Print Ephemera
My Role
Solo Illustrator
The Solar System Collection is a complete set of educational resources designed for Deaf elementary students and homeschoolers. It utilizes visual learning methods to present astronomy concepts clearly. Materials are available in English, written Spanish, and ASL fingerspelling, making them accessible for students in their native languages.
Problems
Many open-source and paid educational materials available online do not provide accessible visual learning resources in American Sign Language (ASL), paired with English writing. This gap is especially evident in subject-specific content, such as solar system education, where both elementary and homeschool students may need both fingerspelled letter handshapes and concept-based signs to fully understand key terms and ideas. The lack of ASL-inclusive instructional materials creates barriers for Deaf, Hard-of-Hearing, KODA learners and limits equitable access to educational content. This challenge is not limited to astronomy but extends across many academic subjects and topic areas, highlighting the broader need for inclusive, visually accessible learning resources in ASL.
Solutions
• Develop a calming visual language using spacious layouts and vibrant colors to reflect the astronomy theme as playful elements.
• Craft a strong typographic hierarchy with clean and sans-serif typefaces with a chalk-style font and a letter-handshape font to balance elements and high-contrast design, reinforcing clarity and readability.
• Build individual 15 planets and name them by using letter-handshape font to convey their identity.
• Build a cohesive grid system to unify the crayon-drawing texture design and theme and ensure consistency across all spreads in various format sizes. The crayon-drawing texture is to evoke the feeling of being drawn by a child.
Outcome
Many have found them beneficial, especially those aiming to enhance their ASL fluency, fingerspelling recognition, and letter skills. Most teachers have noticed improvements in fingerspelling recognition, letter recognition, and writing skills. In addition to these learning gains, they have noticed that children are engaging with their peers and learning these materials along the way, and as a result, this has helped improve their social skills. Deaf teachers, speech-language pathologists, and other professionals who work with Deaf/Hard of Hearing/KODA and DeafDisabled children are encouraged to utilize these materials to effectively engage with them.
Photo Credit: Estefani Arevalo
