TIP-Toy: a tactile, open-source computational toolkit to support learning across visual abilities
Giulia Barbareschi, Enrico Costanza, Catherine Holloway · 2020
Many computational toolkits to promote early learning of basic computational concepts and practices are inaccessible to learners with reduced visual abilities. We report on the design of TIP-Toy, a tactile and inclusive open-source toolkit, to allow children with different visual abilities to learn about computational topics through music by combining a series of physical blocks. TIP-Toy was developed through two design consultations with experts and potential users. The first round of consultations was conducted with 3 visually impaired adults with significant programming experience; the second one involved 9 children with mixed visual abilities. Through these design consultations we collected feedback on TIP-Toy, and observed children's interactions with the toolkit. We discuss appropriate features for future iterations of TIP-toy to maximise the opportunities for accessible and enjoyable learning experiences.