The APH Periodic Table and references booklet are excellent tools for chemistry students who are visually impaired to utilize in order to gain the information that sighted peers are learning from the print periodic table. Due to the space required for Braille, much of the information on the print periodic table is included in the reference booklet rather than on the Periodic Table itself.
The APH Periodic table includes only the element symbol and the atomic number (number of protons) in each square whereas most periodic tables include atomic mass, as well as color coding that differentiates element groups (metals, non-metals, and metalloids).
The APH Periodic Table Reference booklet is therefore necessary for the student in middle school and high school chemistry to obtain all necessary information about the elements. As do most Periodic Tables, the APH Periodic Table differentiates metals, metalloids, and non-metals into sections utilizing color coding. This is accessible to some students with low vision, but not to students who are blind. The following is a simple manner in which the APH Periodic Table can be adapted in order to allow students who are blind to access these categories without utilizing the reference booklet.
