Indiana Students Help Improve Accessible Coding Software

The new features in Microsoft MakeCode help students with vision impairment participate more fully in digital learning.

Updated on Oct. 30, 2026 in Special Education

Indiana Students Help Improve Accessible Coding Software

Live Poll

Do you believe specialized accessibility technology effectively creates equal opportunities for students with vision impairments?

Seven students from the Indiana School for the Blind and Visually Impaired helped develop new accessibility features for Microsoft MakeCode in 2025. This collaboration ensures that coding software is more inclusive for the millions of Americans living with vision loss.

Why it matters

The project addresses a critical gap in digital equity, as individuals with vision difficulty face a 10% unemployment rate compared to 4% for those without. By improving accessibility tools, these students are helping expand professional opportunities in technology for the visually impaired.

The study included seven students in Indiana, a state where 12,000 adolescents have experienced vision loss. These figures are significant against a national baseline of 7 million people with vision impairment and 1 million diagnosed with blindness.

The players

Indiana School for the Blind and Visually Impaired

A state institution providing specialized education and resources for students who are blind or have low vision.

Micro:bit Educational Foundation

A non-profit organization focused on making digital skills accessible to young people through hardware and coding tools.

The details

Researchers from the Micro:bit Educational Foundation collaborated with students both remotely and in person to refine tactile and digital interfaces. The process involved testing braille-inscribed magnets and screen reader technology to determine precise physical diagram requirements. This feedback loop allowed developers to integrate better accessibility support directly into the Microsoft MakeCode platform.

In 2024, the CDC reported that 3% of U.S. children were diagnosed with blindness or vision impairment.
In 2025, Indiana School for the Blind and Visually Impaired students tested and helped develop the technology.

The Home Front

This development marks a significant effort to bridge the digital gap in special education. It directly addresses the economic disparities faced by the visually impaired population in the workforce.

Families interested in coding resources for students with vision loss can look for tools compatible with Microsoft MakeCode and screen readers. Consider reaching out to local special education coordinators to see how such accessible technology is being implemented in your student's school curriculum.

The takeaway

Accessible design is expanding the ways students can engage with computer science and career-ready skills. Parents can track the adoption of these tools by checking for updated screen reader features in the educational software currently used by their local school district.