Using Touch and Sound to Program Scratch
Zirui Wang · 2019
Computer Science in K-12 is continuing to become more prevalent. Because learning syntax and debugging can be burdensome, many teachers in K-12 use block languages to teach their students. Block languages, such as Scratch, allow students to focus on simple programming concepts and logic, and therefore, make computer programming easier and more approachable to students. However, block languages are not accessible to students with visual impairments because of block-environments' high dependence on visual aspects. CodeBox64 is a possible solution, offering a tactile approach to input. It is a peripheral device containing six buttons. Four of them allow users to control the mouse, and the other two allow users to select different menus and drag and join the blocks in the block editor. As users navigate through the block programming language, CodeBox64 generates auditory cues to indicate the name of the block when the mouse lands on it. In order to test the usability and efficiency of CodeBox64, an experiment was designed and conducted. It required the use of CodeBox64 to access Scratch and complete three small programs ten times without looking at the screen. The purpose of the evaluation was primarily to test that the device was working as intended with three test cases, and the results showed CodeBox64 functioned properly with all cases.