Computational Thinking for Children with Disabilities

Computational Thinking (CT) is one of the 21st-century skills. It is considered crucial in determining the success and livelihood opportunities of the coming generations, just like literacy and maths were for the previous generations.

However, existing mainstream tools for teaching CT, such as Scratch, are not divyang-friendly. Unless we work on bridging this gap, we risk leaving these already underprivileged children further behind. The National Education Policy 2020 (NEP) also emphasises on inclusive culture in schools, catering to the needs of all students, including those with disabilities.

In this project, we are working on designing and developing a set of game-based learning tools with tangible blocks and tablet apps that help children with certain disabilities develop computational thinking skills.

Collaborations:

• Prof. Basavadatta Mitra, Dept. of Humanities and Social Sciences, BITS Pilani, K K Birla Goa Campus
• Prof. Sujith Thomas, Dept. of Computer Science and Information Systems, BITS Pilani, K K Birla Goa Campus