Graduates at Daegu Kwangmyeong School in South Korea recently received yearbooks unlike any others. Instead of traditional photographs, these students, who are visually impaired, were given 3D-printed yearbooks that allow them to experience their school memories through touch.
Founded in 1946, Daegu Kwangmyeong School serves students with visual impairments from kindergarten through high school. It remains the only K-12 educational institution in the Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province region dedicated exclusively to visually impaired students. The school has spent years focused on accessible learning, making the redesigned yearbook a natural extension of its mission.
Each yearbook features raised relief images created using 3D scanning and printing technology. Students can trace the contours of their classmates’ 3D-printed faces with their hands, while braille labels identify each name. Together, these elements turn a visual tradition into a sensory experience.
Yearbooks have long served as records of shared time and connection, but their reliance on images can exclude those who cannot see them. This project rethinks that format entirely, using technology to make memory-making more inclusive. For many of the graduates, it is the first time they have been able to meaningfully engage with a yearbook and recognize classmates in a physical, personal way.
The process begins with 3D scans of students’ faces. Designers then convert those scans into printed reliefs that capture depth and form. Though technically sophisticated, the goal of the project is simple: to ensure every student can take part in a milestone that marks the end of a chapter and the relationships formed along the way.
By pairing emerging technology with thoughtful design, these tactile yearbooks demonstrate how accessibility can be seamlessly woven into everyday traditions. They serve as a reminder that the most impactful innovations are often those that help more people feel included.
At Daegu Kwangmyeong School in South Korea, visually impaired students receive tactile yearbooks.
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These 3D-printed yearbooks were first introduced years ago and have allowed the students to keep a memory of their classmates’ faces.
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They replace photographs with tactile portraits and braille so that they can “see” them through touch.
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Source: 3D yearbook for visually impaired graduates
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