APCL: Design and Build a Web IDE for Blind / Low-Vision Students

An application area of our research aims to help blind and low vision students learn computer programming.  This summer project would target that problem.

What we need is a web IDE that is ACCESSIBLE for blind and low vision users.  Consider a web IDE like Online Python (https://www.online-python.com/).  It allows users to write basic Python program and run them in the browser without installing anything locally.  Jupyter notebooks are another solution for interactive learning.  The problem with these is that they are largely not accessible for people with visual impairments.  Tools for reading the screen for people who are blind and low vision often do not know how to handle the many options and features.  The reality is that an expert user can "just figure it out" but introductory-level students are completely lost.

In this project you will:

  1. Learn how blind and low vision programmers interact with computers and programming.
  2. Design and build a simple web IDE with accessibility as a main requirement.

This project is programming intensive.  Strong JavaScript and other web technology skills will be critical.  While you do not necessarily have to have these skills up front, you must be willing to be proactive in learning them on your own to build a successful project.

Apply if you love programming, want to sharpen your web dev skills, and care about helping people with vision challenges!

APCL is run by Collin McMillan <cmc@nd.edu>.

Name of research group, project, or lab
Automatic Programming Comprehension Lab (APCL)
Why join this research group or lab?

The Automatic Program Comprehension Lab (APCL) studies questions of 1) how people read and understand computer programs and source code, and 2) how to automate and support that understanding.  For example we use eye-tracking machines to study human visual attention, then build machine models of those attention processes to build better AI tools.

Logistics Information:
Project categories
Computer Science & Engineering
Student ranks applicable
Junior
Senior
Graduate Student
Student qualifications

Web development (JavaScript, HTML, CSS)

Hours per week
Summer - Full Time
Compensation
Paid - General
Number of openings
1
Project start
Summer 2025
Contact Information:
Mentor
cmcmill2@nd.edu
Associate Professor
Name of project director or principal investigator
Collin McMillan
Email address of project director or principal investigator
cmc@nd.du
1 sp. | 0 appl.
Hours per week
Summer - Full Time
Project categories
Computer Science & Engineering