Computing and Blindness in Education Project (COMBINE): an interim report

COMBINE studies: 1) strategies for programming without vision 2) how blind and visually impaired students imagine computer programs 3) interfaces that can be used by both blind and sighted users The fieldwork is/was conducted in two phases. The first phase was case studies of a number of programmers who were legally registered blind or visually impaired. The second phase is to be further interviews with computing and ICT teachers and students in schools for the blind or mainstream schools. Aims and Objectives The aim of this research is to produce a number of case studies that describe “non-visual" computing, in order to help teachers and educators understand the teaching of ICT and Computing to students who are blind and visually impaired The objective of this research is to inform a greater understanding of how the mind understands computer programs, and two-dimensional interfaces. This will ultimately inform better designed interfaces and more effective methodologies.