User-Centered Universal Design of Accessible Tools for Astronomy
The IDATA project will engage students and teachers who are blind and visually impaired (BVI) or sighted to design, develop, and test software and learning modules that improve accessibility of astronomy tools for educational and professional uses. The project team will utilize user-centered design/universal designing (UCD/UD) processes and the iterative method for the development and testing of software and modules.
The research will advance knowledge about learning related to: 1) computational thinking; 2) the role of computation in astronomy and software design; and 3) how participation influences students’ attitudes and beliefs about who can engage in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and computing. The accessible software and instructional modules produced in this study may be adopted by a range of BVI and sighted individuals, but may also be transferrable to other similarly visually-intensive domains such as satellite, geophysical, and medical imaging.
The research will advance knowledge about learning related to: 1) computational thinking; 2) the role of computation in astronomy and software design; and 3) how participation influences students’ attitudes and beliefs about who can engage in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and computing. The accessible software and instructional modules produced in this study may be adopted by a range of BVI and sighted individuals, but may also be transferrable to other similarly visually-intensive domains such as satellite, geophysical, and medical imaging.
IDATA PARTICIAPANTS
All IDATA students and teachers will be part of a design process that puts the user at the heart of the action. All participants will have the opportunity to: 1) learn about issues related to accessibility for persons with visual impairments, 2) learn about the data processing needs of astronomy professionals, and 3) work as part of a team to consider new ways of exploring and analyzing astronomical data. Two groups of teachers and students will work with professionals to co-develop astronomical data analysis software that is accessible to those with BVI disabilities. Eligible teachers include teachers of the visually impaired (TVI), special education teachers who work with BVI students, or astronomy, space science, physics, computer science, or technology educators working with students at the high school level. Two different groups of teachers and students will contribute to the software design process: Tier 1 and Tier 2
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Tier 1 Teachers
Ten Tier 1 teachers and their students will be chosen from schools within 75 miles of Yerkes Observatory. They will have the most contact with software designers, programmers, researchers, and project educators over a three-year period starting in July 2017. Each Tier 1 teacher is asked to recruit two students to be equally engaged with them for the duration of the project. These students will be IDATA Tier 1 student leaders. Tier 1 teachers and student leaders will participate in activities at Yerkes Observatory that will enable them to work together with other members of the Tier 1 team to make software design suggestions, explore alternative methods of exploring astronomical data such as sonification, 3D printing and tactile graphics, and lead UCD activities at their schools.
Because the aim of the design process is to engage persons with blindness or low vision in collaboration with sighted individuals, at least one of the student leaders recruited per teacher must have a visual disability. Teachers may apply individually or as a team of two. Teachers who apply as a team, must be from the same school or schools that are geopgraphically close. |
Tier 2 Teachers
Ten Tier 2 teachers will be chosen from across the US and its territories to be part of IDATA. Teachers of the blind or visually impaired with experience teaching astronomy or computing science are strongly encouraged to apply. Teachers with experience in astronomy and/or engaging students in authentic astronomy research are also strongly encouraged to apply.
Tier 2 teachers will be asked to work with ten students each school year (Tier 2 students) and commit to remaining engaged with the project for three years (July 2017 - June 2020). Tier 2 students will complete activities similar to those in Tier 1 but modified for remote participation. Tier 2 teachers and students are expected to meet twice each month to engage with IDATA activities. |
IDATA Activites
Both Tier 1 and Tier 2 participants will be part of a variety of astronomy, software design and computer science experiences. Examples may include:
Both Tier 1 and Tier 2 participants will be part of a variety of astronomy, software design and computer science experiences. Examples may include:
- Complete data requests from the Skynet Robotic Telescope Network
- Control a Skynet Telescope using the Quorum programming lanuage
- Detect an asteroid in a series of data arrays
- Participate in web chats with IDATA staff, software engineers and design experts
- Research a visual disability and designing goggles that will simulate the condition
- Learn how a screen reader works and how its use impacts design decisions
- Complete an astronomy or computing science related task using a vision disability simulator
- Interview astronomers about how they use astronomical data and the tools they need to complete those tasks
- Design and conduct a focus group or scientific survey to test new software features