Devising EdTech Products for Dyslexic Individuals

Winston LeeUSC Viterbi School of EngineeringComputer Science/Business Administration

ITP 470

Professor Kendra Walther

Ideation: How I came up with thisI wanted to explore a Blue Ocean within computer science education

Blue Ocean Strategy: Simultaneous pursuit of differentiation and low cost to open up a new market space

Aspects of computer science that I researched included:

Computer Science Education in the Media

Computer Science Education for Mobile Gaming

Computer Science Education for Low-Income Communities

Computer Science Education on the Web

Researcher and Faculty Bios

Kendra Walther is a full-time

lecturer in the Information

Technology Program. Kendra

has her master’s degree in

Computer Science from

University of Maryland, College

Park. Kendra is passionate about

teaching and is constantly trying

to find more ways to help her

students understand the

principles of programming. She

is interested in computer science

education.

Winston Lee is a full-time

undergraduate student studying

Computer Science/Business

Administration at USC. Winston

is passionate about devising

unique, valuable products that

allow individuals to combat the

initial barriers to learning about

computer science. Winston has

taught anyone from second

graders to 80 year olds how to

program.

Winston Lee B.S. Computer Science/Business Admin. 2017

Kendra WaltherProfessor at the University of Southern California

Project Goals & Target AudienceUnique Value Proposition: This application provides dyslexic individuals with a way to learn introductory computer science concepts without the existing, discouraging barriers that dyslexia presents.

Customer Archetype: Dyslexic individual looking to learn about OOP

Completely new to programming and computer science

Struggles with spelling as a result of his/her dyslexia

Feeling discouraged because of syntax-related compiler errors

Understanding Our AudienceDefining Dyslexia: A general term for disorders that involve difficulty in learning to read or interpret words, letters, and other symbols, but that do not affect general intelligence.

Notable Dyslexic Individuals: Remarkable Minds

Thomas Edison Stephen Spielberg F. Scott Fitzgerald Carol Greider

How Large is Our Audience?Our goal as educators should be to make learning as accessible as possible.However, it is useful to know how large of an audience we need to design for:

Dyslexic15-20%

Non-dyslexic80-85%

General Population

15-20% of the general population may have symptoms of dyslexia such as inaccurate reading, poor spelling, and poor writing

LD Population

85% of the individuals with learning disabilities have trouble with inaccurate reading

Other15%

Reading85%

Dyslexia and Computer ScienceWe must examine the intersection between dyslexia and computer science.More specifically, what challenges these individuals have with programming.

It is important to spell correctly and consistently, as many programmers use specific coding conventions that require correct spelling and capitalizations:

camelCase cmaleCsae camelcAse … Seems frustrating

These challenges can be more challenging and embarrassing in team settings

The Idea: HypothesisCustomer Hypothesis: Part of the reason why dyslexic individuals struggle to learn introductory computer science because of the way syntax is presented.

Validation Action Plan: Speak with professionals who specialize in dyslexic studies to better understand and empathize with this particular demographic

The Idea: Do we need text at all?Plain and simple: Let us abandon text. We can replace text, more specifically coding syntax, with visualizations (emojis).

Are there enough emojis? Today, there are more than 700 unique emoji characters available for use on mobile keyboards.

One important aspect is that we need to make sure the emojis that are used are more than distinguishable.

The Idea: Seeking ExpertiseThis approach would make reading syntax and collaborating easier. Lisa Toft, a Director at USC’s DSP department helped me see other ways we can combat dyslexia challenges.

Lisa Toft, M. Ed., C.A.G.S.Director at USC Disability Services and ProgramsSpecialization in work with dyslexic individuals

Paraphrased:

“Color differentiation as well as audio aspects can make reading less difficult. Text-to-speech methods are widely used for this purpose.”

The Idea: Expertise Q&ALisa Toft, M. Ed., C.A.G.S.Director at USC Disability Services and ProgramsSpecialization in work with dyslexic individuals

Q: Is this approach essentially training dyslexic individuals to depend on this system?

A: [This concern] is a huge topic within the field of instructional design. A great resource would be the University of Washington’s DO-IT Center. The concept is called universal design and it is derived from principles in architecture. This concept could have more benefits to other unintended audiences such as visual thinkers.

Q: How can we best empathize with individuals who have disabilities that we do not?

A: There is a great movie from the 80s called F.A.T. City (Frustration, Anxiety, and Tension) and it better outlines the challenges associated with learning disabilities. We can think about personal anecdotes and visualize ourselves in foreign settings. That’s probably the most relatable way to imagine what they are dealing with.

Depicted to the left: Movie called F.A.T. City from the 80s

Source: Amazon.com

Prototyping: Key Experiences

Demo Experience: This allows users to see a demonstration of what they need to code before they start programming with the app. This is essentially a replacement of traditional forms of documentation for project requirements and allows the user to visualize what needs to be done.

Additional features:

Animated interface allows user to see tasks in a specific sequential order

Prototyping: Key Experiences

Programming Experience: This allows users to blueprint their code in a sequential order. The IDE is completely visual. No input zones require typing aside from numeric values and emojis. The emojis prevent users from having to decipher similar looking symbols.

Additional features:

Users can view a static version of the demo in a small interface screen above the IDE

Relevant ChallengesOne huge challenge associated with this project is how we can introduce this genre of programming syntax to already existing systems.

Another aspect to consider: Should we be developing systems that are so different from traditional ways of programming that essentially train dyslexic individuals to become reliant on what we are offering?

Further DevelopmentIn the future, the JustInMind application prototype can be actualized as an iOS and Android application.

Additionally, the project is not necessarily constrained to a mobile environment. Desktop applications could be developed, but the use of a mobile app prevents users from getting in the mentality that they will need to type at a keyboard.

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ConclusionThe idea of integrating an introductory computer science learning environment through this application has been partially validated. There are many other ways to make this application friendlier, including using speech assistance and colors that better emphasize aspects of the interface.

Thank you!