Figure 1: a) A student switch-adapting a bubble blower, b) student-generated suggested labels to improve the Tinkercad workspace, and c) a site lead working with a student to solder.

Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) have unique needs and challenges when working with data. While visualization aims to make data more accessible to a broad audience, our understanding of how to design cognitively accessible visualizations remains limited. In this study, we engaged 20 participants with IDD as co-designers to explore how they approach and visualize data. Our preliminary investigation paired four participants as data pen-pals in a six-week online asynchronous participatory design workshop. In response to the observed conceptual, technological, and emotional struggles with data, we subsequently organized a two-day in-person co-design workshop with 16 participants to further understand relevant visualization authoring and sensemaking strategies. Reflecting on how participants engaged with and represented data, we propose two strategies for cognitively accessible data visualizations: transforming numbers into narratives and blending data design with everyday aesthetics. Our findings emphasize the importance of involving individuals with IDD in the design process, demonstrating their capacity for data analysis and expression, and underscoring the need for a narrative and tangible approach to accessible data visualization.

Data is everywhere but may not be accessible to everyone. Conventional data visualization tools and guidelines often do not actively consider the specific needs and abilities of people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD), leaving them excluded from data-driven activities and vulnerable to ethical issues. To understand the needs and challenges people with IDD have with data, we conducted 15 semi-structured interviews with individuals with IDD and their caregivers. Our algorithmic interview approach situated data in the lived experiences of people with IDD to uncover otherwise hidden data encounters in their everyday life. Drawing on findings and observations, we characterize how they conceptualize data, when and where they use data, and what barriers exist when they interact with data. We use our results as a lens to reimagine the role of visualization in data accessibility and establish a critical near-term research agenda for cognitively accessible visualization.

Block-based programming languages can support novice programmers through features such as simplified code syntax and user-friendly libraries. However, most block-based programming languages are highly visual, which makes them inaccessible to blind and visually impaired students. To address the inaccessibility of block-based languages, we introduce StoryBlocks, a tangible block-based game that enables blind programmers to learn basic programming concepts by creating audio stories. In this paper, we document the design of StoryBlocks and report on a series of design activities with groups of teachers, Braille experts, and students. Participants in our design sessions worked together to create accessible stories, and their feedback offers insights for the future development of accessible, tangible programming tools.

Computer science education is widely viewed as a path to empowerment for young people, potentially leading to higher education, careers, and development of computational thinking skills. However, few resources exist for people with cognitive disabilities to learn computer science. In this paper, we document our observations of a successful program in which young adults with cognitive disabilities are trained in computing concepts. Through field observations and interviews, we identify instructional strategies used by this group, accessibility challenges encountered by this group, and how instructors and students leverage peer learning to support technical education. Our findings lead to guidelines for developing tools and curricula to support young adults with cognitive disabilities in learning computer science.

Introductory computer programming presents a number of challenges for blind and visually impaired screen reader users. In addition to the challenges of navigating complex code documents using a screen reader, novice programmers who are blind are often unable to experience fun coding projects such as programming games or animations. To address these accessibility barriers, we developed Bonk, an accessible programming environment that enables the creation of interactive audio games using a subset of the JavaScript programming language. Bonk enables novice programmers to create, share, play, and remix accessible audio games. In this paper, we introduce the Bonk programming toolkit and describe its use in a week-long programming workshop with blind and visually impaired high school students. Students in the workshop were able to create and share original audio games using Bonk, and expressed enthusiasm about furthering their programming knowledge.

Block-based programming languages enable novice programmers, including children, to learn the basics of programming. However, most block-based programming languages are not accessible to blind and visually impaired users because they rely upon visual drag-and-drop interaction, and because they typically create visual output. To improve access to block-based programming languages, we introduce Story Blocks, a programming toolkit that uses tangible blocks to represent story components, and which produces output in the form of accessible audio stories and games. Story Blocks provides an introductory programming environment that can be enjoyed by people of all abilities.

We introduce Goby, a swimming aid that provides audio feedback for blind and visually impaired athletes. Goby's activity tracker is worn on the thigh and uses a downward-facing camera to track the swimmer's position in the pool. Goby detects when the user is swimming outside the lane or approaching a wall, and warns the user via an audio notification. In this paper, we introduce the Goby prototype and share formative feedback about the prototype from blind and sighted swimmers.

Block languages are extensively used to introduce programming to children. They replace the complex and error prone syntax of textual languages with simple shape cues that show how program elements can be combined. In their present form, blind learners cannot use them, because they rely on graphical presentation of code, and mouse interactions. We are working on a nonvisual blocks language called Pseudospatial Blocks (PB), that supports program creation using keyboard commands with synthetic speech output. It replaces visual shape cues for language syntax, the key feature of block languages, with filtering of program elements by syntactic category.