Article

Robotics Programming Tools for Blind Students

Despite advances in assistive technology, relatively few visually impaired students participate in computer science courses. Significant factors in this underrepresentation include lack of precollege preparation, access to resources, and the highly visual nature of computing. This paper describes the development of software that provides an accessible Lego Mindstorms NXT programming environment for teenage students who are visually impaired. With the popularity of robotics in both pre-college and introductory programming classes, such an environment has the potential to accommodate students who are visually impaired in classroom and outreach activities. Pilot testing results will be presented in addition to the design of the system.

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