Everyone can code. IESBVI staff Jennifer Bliss (science, technology, engineering and math consultant) and Sara Larkin (math consultant) developed one of five national coding lesson plans to help visually impaired students become more familiar with vocabulary and concepts of coding for the American Printing House (APH) National Coding Symposium last spring.
Sponsored by the APH, the goals of this annual, virtual event are to inspire youth who are visually impaired to recognize coding can be accessible and to realize careers in coding and programming are within their reach.
Bliss and Larkin wrote instructional materials to accompany the free iOS app by the APH called “Code Quest.” The duo included guides to help teachers formulate learning objectives and develop content for their students. Students served by Iowa Educational Services for the Blind & Visually Impaired from the following schools participated in the symposium:
Pleasant Valley High School, Bettendorf
Two from Eleanor Roosevelt Middle School, Dubuque
Hempstead High School, Dubuque
Algona High School
Mount Vernon Middle School
Mount Vernon High School
Bliss and Larkin also participated in the 2021 APH National Coding Symposium where they presented a session overviewing coding resources and computer science for visually impaired students. Both consultants also served on expert panels.
