Design of Human Computer Interface for blind children to learn programming languages

Abstract

As the modern world progressing towards digital technologies, there is an increasing need for school students to learn programming skills so that they fit into the labor market now and in the future. Tangible programming toys and block-based languages are popular among younger children to learn to code. Students in middle and high school in several countries have begun to learn textual programming education as a step towards successful careers and educational opportunities. However, due to the visual nature of these materials and tools, they are inaccessible to blind students. Also, the accessibility aids used for interacting with computers in the first place are not accessible when it comes to programming. Braille displays are not accessible by most blind users as the braille literacy rates are falling, while screen readers do not read source code. Also, attempts to teach code using screen readers despite challenges kills the student’s enthusiasm. The project proposes a design approach to multi-modal human-computer interaction to reduce sensory and cognitive overload to enhance learning outcomes for this user group. The design goal was to develop an affordable audio-tactile interface, to help blind high school students to learn textual programming languages. Research insights were gathered from literature research, surveys, interviews, observation studies, and co-creation sessions with blind students. The insights were synthesized to form ideas, and concepts were explored. The final concept was then taken to a level of functional prototype and was validated in simulated tests. A sustainable business model was also developed to take the project forward as an open-source hardware venture.