Thursday, June 29, 2017

With Project Torino, Microsoft creates a physical programming language inclusive of visually impaired children - Allison Linn, Microsoft

The team has created what they are calling a physical programming language. It’s a way for kids to physically create code by connecting pods together to build programs. The system, called Project Torino, is designed to make sure that kids who have visual impairments or other challenges can participate in coding classes along with all their classmates. But Cecily Morrison, one of the researchers working on the project, is hoping the system also will be appealing and useful for all learners, regardless of whether they have visual impairments or other challenges. “One of our key design principles was inclusion." The ultimate goal is even more ambitious: To get more kids with visual impairments and other challenges, such as dyslexia or autism, on the path to becoming software engineers and computer scientists. https://blogs.microsoft.com/next/2017/03/15/project-torino-microsoft-creates-physical-programming-language-inclusive-visually-impaired-children/