https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5013-3715
![Sample our Computer Science journals, sign in here to start your access, latest two full volumes FREE to you for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/5928/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Computer-Science.jpg"})
Abstract
Across the world, policy initiatives are being developed to engage children with computer programming and computational thinking. Diversity and inclusion has been a strong force in this agenda, but children with disabilities have largely been omitted from the conversation. Currently, there are no age appropriate tools for teaching programming concepts and computational thinking to primary school children with visual disabilities. We address this gap through presenting the design and implementation of Torino, a tangible programming language for teaching programming concepts to children age 7–11 regardless of level of vision. In this paper, we: (1) describe the design process done in conjunction with children with visual disabilities; (2) articulate the design decisions made; and (3) report insights generated from an evaluation with 10 children with mixed visual abilities that considers how children are able to trace (read) and create (write) programs with Torino. We discuss key design trade-offs: (1) readability versus extensibility; and (2) size versus liveness. We conclude by reflecting upon how an inclusive design approach shaped the final result.
Acknowledgments
We would like to acknowledge the Torino Young Design Team and the participants in our study as well as their parents and teachers who made the fruitful interactions possible.
Notes on contributors
Cecily Morrison ([email protected]) is a qualitative HCI researcher with an interest in inclusive design with new technologies; she is a Researcher in the Human Experience & Design group at Microsoft Research Cambridge.
Nicolas Villar ([email protected]) is a Hardware researcher with an interest in connected play; he is a Senior Researcher in the Human Experience & Design group at Microsoft Research Cambridge.
Anja Thieme ([email protected]) is a design HCI researcher with an interest in inclusion and wellbeing; she is a Post-doc Researcher in the Human Experience & Design group at Microsoft Research Cambridge.
Zahra Ashkorab ([email protected]) is an HCI research with an interest in sentiment analysis applied to social networking data; she did this work as an Intern in the Human Experience & Design group at Microsoft Research Cambridge.
EloiseTaysom ([email protected]) is a Design researcher with an interest in
socio-technical systems; she did this work as an Intern in the Human Experience & Design group at Microsoft Research Cambridge.
Oscar Salandin ([email protected]) is an Industrial designer with an interest in mixing the physical and digital; he did this work as an Intern in the Human Experience & Design group at Microsoft Research Cambridge.
Daniel Cletheroe ([email protected]) is a Hardware engineer with an interest in connected play; he is a Senior Research Hardware Engineer in the Human Experience &
Design group at Microsoft Research Cambridge.
Greg Saul ([email protected]) is a Designer with an interest in connected play; he is a Creative Design Technologist in the Human Experience & Design group at Microsoft Research Cambridge.
Alan F Blackwell ([email protected]) is an Interdisciplinary design researcher with an interest in programming language design; he is a Professor of Interdisciplinary Design at the Computer Laboratory, University of Cambridge.
Darren Edge ([email protected]) is an HCI researcher with an interest in tangible interaction and activity-centered design; he is a UX Architect in Special Projects at Microsoft Research.
Martin Grayson ([email protected]) is a Software development engineer with an interest in systems and apps that create new connected, digital experiences for all; he is a Senior Software Development Engineer in the Human Experience & Design group at Microsoft Research Cambridge.
Haiyan Zhang ([email protected]) is a Designer with an interest in connected play; she is an Innovation Director in the Human Experience & Design group at Microsoft Research Cambridge.