Exploration of the use of auditory cues in code comprehension and navigation for individuals with visual impairments in a visual programming environment

Abstract

Visual programming languages are commonplace in engaging novice programmers. Accessibility challenges persist in these systems. This study investigates whether auditory cues improves a visually impaired programmer's ability to navigate and understand source code in a block-based language. The type of auditory cue that best serves this purpose is also investigated. The participants' comprehension of source code using three trials with two tests each is presented, with each trial corresponding to a different form of audio cue. Participants are graded on how accurate their written source code is in comparison to the actual source code.