CodeRhythm: A Tangible Programming Toolkit for Visually Impaired Students

Abstract

Block-based programming toolkits are widely used to nurture computational literacy in the young generation. However, they may not be suitable for young blind and visually impaired (BVI) students as these toolkits mostly rely on visual cues in the whole manipulation process. We present CodeRhythm, a tangible programming toolkit for engaging BVI users to learn basic programming concepts by creating simple melodies. Our preliminary user evaluation showed that the inclusive design features-assistive connection and multi-sensation feedback, helped the BVI user to create simple melodies smoothly and successfully, which received positive feedback from BVI user.