Article

pubs.acs.org/jchemeduc

Making Hands-On Science Learning Accessible for Students Who Are

Blind or Have Low Vision
Cary A. Supalo,* Mick D. Isaacson, and Michael V. Lombardi
Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
*
S Supporting Information

ABSTRACT: The 2011 National Federation of the Blind Youth Slam event at Towson
University enabled a large group of blind youth to participate in a five day long science,
See https://pubs.acs.org/sharingguidelines for options on how to legitimately share published articles.

technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) academy. Enrichment experiences such

as this one may generate interest in STEM subjects for students with visual impairments.
For decades, persons with disabilities have been discouraged from considering career paths
Downloaded via UNIV OF QUEENSLAND on March 12, 2019 at 16:12:14 (UTC).

in STEM-related fields. This manuscript addresses the relationship between science faculty,
teachers of visually impaired students, students with visual impairments, and the students’
parents or legal guardians. Working together, these key stakeholders can draw on their
strengths and expertise to better develop an implementation plan for students with visual
impairments to have a successful hands-on science learning experience. The 2011 National
Federation of the Blind Youth Slam event served as the venue for a new access technology,
developed by researchers at Independence Science and Purdue University, to allow students
with visual impairments to have hands-on science learning.
KEYWORDS: Hands-On Learning/Manipulatives, Laboratory Equipment/Apparatus, Elementary/Middle School Science,
High School/Introductory Chemistry, Graduate Education/Research, Public Understanding/Outreach,
Misconceptions/Discrepant Events

■ INTRODUCTION
Traditionally, students who are blind or have low vision (BLV)
faculty member and the student with BLV for fear of injury.4
Concerns by parents or legal guardians of the child with BLV may
influence science participation of students who are BLV. In
working in science laboratory classrooms have used the “directed
addition, science teachers and teachers with training specific to
laboratory assistant” approach in which students with BLV are
BLV may influence science participation in the classroom. The
paired with a sighted student. The sighted student performs tasks
relationship of significant people in the educational process of the
required by the laboratory procedure under the direction of the
student with BLV is illustrated in Figure 1.
student with BLV.1,2 It is the function of the sighted student
to act as the “eyes” of the student with BLV and to perform
laboratory tasks directed by the student with BLV. The student
with BLV should be responsible for recording all observations in
an accessible laboratory notebook. The laboratory assistant can
handwrite observations in a notebook for grading purposes
based on the direction of the student with BLV.3 Although this
approach has proven itself to be valuable and effective in allowing
students with BLV to fulfill course requirements, it does not
appear to encourage this population to consider career paths in
science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).4 Figure 1. People who significantly influence science education of blind
To date, individuals who have disabilities, including BLV, are students.
underrepresented in the chemical industry and other STEM

■
fields. According to the National Science Foundation, only 6.5%
of the science and engineering workforce have disabilities (2008 ROLE OF TEACHERS OF THE BLIND IN THE SCIENCE
data).5 Further, the resource directory of scientists and engineers
CLASSROOM
with disabilities compiled by the American Association for the
Advancement of Science (AAAS) contains only a small number A teacher of the blind can also be referred to as a teacher of the
of individuals who indicated blindness or low vision as their visually impaired (TVI). The professional training of TVIs
primary disability.6 There are many potential factors that may includes Braille instruction and teaching approaches for
contribute to STEM underrepresentation. These factors range providing access to curricula from all fields of study in K−12
from a lack of access technologies that make independent data
collection impossible to safety concerns by both the science Published: October 22, 2013
© 2013 American Chemical Society and
Division of Chemical Education, Inc. 195 dx.doi.org/10.1021/ed3000765 | J. Chem. Educ. 2014, 91, 195−199
Journal of Chemical Education Article

education.7 TVIs can be supported by the local school district or Box 1. NFB Youth Slam Track Descriptions
by a regional instructional unit. They are commonly expected to
travel to multiple schools and have varying sizes of caseloads,
depending on the time needed to travel throughout their 1. Biology: Students performed a genetic transformation
geographical location. They usually serve students with BLV, but experiment by inserting a gene that codes for fluorescence
are now being encouraged to also obtain certifications to work in jellyfish into some bacteria.
with students with other special needs.8,9 2. Chemistry: Students learned about esters, how to use their
Frequently, the knowledge base of TVIs in science is limited. sense of smell in the laboratory, and how to perform
In many cases, they may be intimidated by the nature of science acid−base neutralization with nonvisual indicators and
content. This may discourage students with BLV from then made biofuel.
participating in science classes because of a perceived lack of 3. Computer Science: Students programmed their own
teacher support. However, the key role of TVIs is to assist a application for the iOS, which primarily used GPS
teacher in making the course curricula accessible to the student technology with iOS’s built-in voice-over technology.
with BLV. This can be done by means of large print or Braille 4. Engineering: Students learned the physics used to move a
materials. It can also include audio recorded texts or electronic hovercraft and built electronic sensors to act as landmarks
files that are accessible via a text-to-speech screen reader output in a pathway to drive the hovercraft without needing
interface.10−13 Two common text-to-speech (TTS) software vision.
applications are Window Eyes from GW Micro and Job Access
With Speech (JAWS) from Freedom Scientific. 5. Forensics: Students learned how to solve a crime through
TVIs work closely with faculty to make the curriculum and the use of identification of a skeleton’s age and sex, as well
instruction accessible. Providing students with BLV opportu- as interpreting blood splatter and fingerprints.
nities to more fully participate in science experiences may be 6. Geoscience: Students learned about the Earth’s structure,
important for increasing interest and motivation in STEM, which evolution, and the processes that affect environments.
may lead to an increased representation of this population in Students then learned about geohazards and how to
postsecondary STEM studies and careers. A better under- mitigate them.
standing of factors that influence STEM representation may help 7. Journalism: Students learned about various media, as well
educational professionals provide experiences that optimize the as how to report and edit news.
likelihood that students with BLV will develop an interest in 8. Nanoscience: Students learned about natural and human-
STEM and consider postsecondary STEM studies and careers.14 made objects that are significantly smaller than the width
This paper examines an event focused on enriching STEM of a human hair. They also learned how to use equipment
experiences of students with BLV, using the event as a way to such as oscilloscopes and fiber optics to study these tiny
better understand factors that may influence interest in STEM. objects.
First, we provide an overview of the event, which has hands-on
STEM experiences as the central theme. This is followed by a 9. Robotics: Students worked in teams to program Lego
closer examination of one specific session, involving an accessible Mindstorms robots to solve problems.
scientific data collection device known as the Sci-Voice Talking 10. Space Science: Students learned what it would take to build
LabQuest. the first human colony on Mars, including what skills in

■
fields such as engineering and astronomy astronauts
OVERVIEW OF NFB YOUTH SLAM would need to know to live and work on the red planet.
In the summer of 2011, the National Federation of the Blind
(NFB) hosted the third NFB Youth Slam event at Towson Box 2. NFB Youth Slam Short Session Descriptions
University in Baltimore, Maryland, from July 17 to 22, 2011.15−17
Students with BLV from across the nation applied for participa- Q1. Blind Driver Challenge: Students learned specifics about
tion in this five-day event. From those who applied, 150 were how the blind driver car worked as well as how to use
selected and participated in the event. These students were information being provided by sensors to successfully
placed in groups of three BLV students and one professional navigate Lego robots through a course.
mentor. The professional mentors were young blind profes- Q2. Mineralogy: Students learned the physical properties of
sionals, TVIs, or other professionals doing work with the blind. common minerals and how they are used in fields such as
All participants selected tracks to participate in. These tracks electronics to benefit society.
consisted of extensive laboratory instruction time of up to Q3. Recreational Math: Students improved their problem-
15 h for the week. Participants were also given the option of solving ability by playing games and solving problems,
participating in nontrack activities to broaden their perspective followed by learning the mathematical concepts on which
in other fields of science, such as chemistry, computer science, the games are based.
engineering, biology, air science, and astronomy. Faculty Q4. Shark Dissection: Students learned the biology of the
from Towson University, educators of the blind, and science dogfish and nonvisual techniques to dissect safely.
teachers all volunteered their time to participate as instructors in
this event.17 An overview of the different tracks and sessions is
provided in Boxes 1 and 2. The number of pods per session ranged from 4 to 6. Each session
performed the same activity, which was overseen by two
Chemistry Session Participation facilitators. The facilitators were the same for each session.
Groups or pods of 2 to 3 students were formed. Students were There were a total of eight sections of students over two days of
assigned to the pods by the NFB Youth Slam Coordination instruction. Each session lasted 90−120 min, depending on the
team. A total of 8 sessions were conducted over the two days. time of day in the overall schedule of events. The number of pods
196 dx.doi.org/10.1021/ed3000765 | J. Chem. Educ. 2014, 91, 195−199
Journal of Chemical Education Article

varied based on the time and day as well. No students repeated Box 3. Survey Items for Response
any module of the track.
The sessions began with an overview of the Sci-Voice Talking
LabQuest and how it functioned. This included a verbal Q1. Gender
Q2. Ethnicity (Caucasian, Asian, African American, Hispanic,
description of the hardware device and the text-to-speech output
other)
components and keystroke commands needed to operate the
Q3. Do you find science interesting?
device. Next, participants were given time to review the laboratory
Q4. I plan on going to college.
procedure. A prelab lecture followed, and all students were given
Q5 For those who said they were going to college, or were
the opportunity to ask questions about the procedure prior to
considering going to college, are you thinking about
their starting. Once the activity began, instructions were provided
majoring in science?
as needed. Students were encouraged to track time and record
Q6. This activity was fun.
their observations. A discussion and question and answer session
Q7. Science activities in my high school have been fun.
followed the chemistry activity.
Q8. I felt that I was a part of a team during this activity.
The chemistry activity was adapted from the Vernier Software
Q9. During science activities in high school, I felt that I was
and Technology lab manual for elementary science18 by the
part of a team.
Independence Science curriculum team in preparation for the
Q10. I was actively involved in lab activities during my high
2011 NFB Youth Slam. Modifications to the procedure focused
school experiences.
on integrating the TTS accessibility component of the Sci-Voice
Q11. The speech output on the Sci-Voice Talking LabQuest
Talking LabQuest into the procedure. Low-tech accessibility
allowed our group to be actively involved in data
components such as the notched syringe and serving tray were
collection.
also integrated into the procedure. The use of the notched syringe
Q12. It was easy to understand the speech output of the Sci-
and serving tray were borrowed from the Science Activities for the
Voice Talking LabQuest.
Visually Impaired (SAVI) curriculum.19 The activity was selected
because of the low risk for students and the environmentally
friendly cleanup. A guide for this modified activity can be found in Table 1. Distribution of Survey Results
the Supporting Information.
Responses to Survey Items, % (N = 91)
Incorporating Lab Equipment in the Chemistry Sessions
Survey Items Yes No Maybe
The Sci-Voice Talking LabQuest is a modification of the Vernier
Q3 76 8 7
Software and Technology LabQuest product introduced in 2007.
Q4 92 1 7
This portable hand-held device consists of an on-board computer
Q5 46 33 21
with touch screen. The Sci-Voice Talking LabQuest software
Q6 59 7 34
application allows students to collect data through external
Q7 42 30 28
Vernier probeware. Students can plot graphs and compose
Q8 88 7 6
laboratory reports on the Sci-Voice Talking LabQuest device.
Q9 46 27 27
They can also export data files into Logger Pro on a PC or laptop
Q10 54 21 25
computer for further data analysis. Independence Science is an
Q11 90 3 7
education technology development firm that received a National
Q12 48 17 34
Science Foundation Small Business Innovation Research grant to
develop a text-to-speech screen reader software application for responding with a “yes”, “no”, or “maybe” for each survey
the Sci-Voice Talking LabQuest device. This text-to-speech applica- question. Various factors (for example, not all students raised
tion enhances the capacity of students with BLV to independently their hands for all questions, some only raised them a few inches
access the Sci-Voice Talking LabQuest and to participate in STEM and were not observable, etc.) contributed to not having a
activities. response from all students during calculation of response
Survey Administration percentages. Also, due to experimenter error, one question was
Following completion of the chemistry session, a survey not read aloud to one section of students. It is unlikely, however,
instrument was administered once for each section of students. owing to the large total number of students (N = 91), that
Appropriate IRB approval was obtained prior to implementation. omission of a section would substantially change the distribution
The survey instrument was designed to measure interest in of responses, and any conclusions derived from the smaller
science and how this activity might impact possible field of study number of students should be the same as conclusions drawn
from the total number of students.

■
in college. Feedback on how the Talking LabQuest functioned
was also requested of the participants. Questions 3−12 required
DISCUSSION
responses of “yes”, “no”, or “maybe”. For a number of reasons
it was not possible to construct Braille and large print versions Persons with disabilities (PWDs) are underrepresented in post-
of the instrument. Therefore, questions were read aloud and secondary STEM studies. This is evident from a 2011 National
responses in the form of “show of hands” were recorded. The Science Foundation study in which fewer than 360 PWD received
questions used in the survey are provided in Box 3. Ph.D.s in science or engineering, compared to more than 32,000
nondisabled Ph.D. graduates in science and engineering.20
Participants This underrepresentation does not reflect a disinterest in science
Based on data from the survey, there were 41 males and because the American Council on Education reports that first-
50 females who participated in the event. The breakdown by year college students with disabilities show levels of interest in
ethnicity was 58 Caucasian, 16 African-American, 10 Hispanic, science and engineering that are comparable to levels of first-year
and 7 Asian. Table 1 shows the percentage of students college students without disabilities.21
197 dx.doi.org/10.1021/ed3000765 | J. Chem. Educ. 2014, 91, 195−199
Journal of Chemical Education Article

Data specific to the BLV population are sparse and difficult to NFB Youth Slam, they underscore the need for the development
obtain. It is likely, however, that the data from the larger PWD of accessible curriculum and technologies.

■
population described above are representative of the BLV
population. For example, in a recent study,21 a majority of BLV ASSOCIATED CONTENT
middle and high school students enrolled in a school for the blind
and visually impaired reported they were planning to go to college *
S Supporting Information

(92%) and that they found science interesting (69%) and fun Cold as Ice laboratory activity guide specifically adapted for use
(62%). Despite finding science fun and interesting, less than 8% with the Sci-Voice Talking LabQuest. This material is available
reported that they were going to major in science during college. via the Internet at http://pubs.acs.org.
In addition, evidence was found suggesting that inadequate
hands-on science experiences may inhibit development of self-
confidence concerning one’s capacity to independently function
■ AUTHOR INFORMATION
Corresponding Author
in scientific endeavors, and that low self-confidence in the
sciences may be associated with consideration of nonscientific *E-mail: casupalo@ilstu.edu.
college studies rather than studies in the sciences. In the 2011 Notes
NFB Youth Slam event, comparable results were found: the
The authors declare the following competing financial
majority of participants reported that science was interesting and
interest(s): The author owns Independence Science, the firm
fun and that they were planning on going to college. Similarly, the
that developed and commercialized the Sci-Voice Talking
percentage of NFB Youth Slam participants who were planning to
LabQuest product featured in this research. The work discussed
major in science was relatively small. The percentage of students
in this manuscript was designed to field test this new technology
finding science interesting and planning to major in science from
prior to public release. Our findings are included here for your
the NFB Youth Slam event was higher than other studies.22 This
review.

■
difference is probably because of a bias arising from students who
are predisposed to having an interest in science choosing to enroll
in the event. A reasonable corollary expectation is that students ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
with predispositions for interest in science would be more likely to The authors would like to acknowledge the National Science
consider a college science major. Foundation Small Business Innovation Research (Award
Consistent with other research,22 almost 90% of the NFB Numbers 0945481 and 1038830) for their generous financial
Youth Slam participants reported that the Sci-Voice Talking support of this effort; Vernier Software and Technology for
LabQuest allowed them to be actively involved in the data permission to use the Cold as Ice laboratory activity as part of
collection process. In contrast, only 53% reported that they were these workshops (and providing an adaptation of it in the
actively involved during their high school laboratories. The Sci- Supporting Information); the National Federation of the Blind
Voice Talking LabQuest was also associated with greater hands- Jernigan Institute for inviting the authors to conduct these
on experiences and increases in self-confidence in science.22 The workshops with all of the participants; and the faculty and staff of
present data demonstrate the capacity of the Sci-Voice Talking Towson University who helped make this event possible.
LabQuest to provide hands-on experiences and, together with
other research,22 underscores the need to develop accessible
hands-on technologies and procedures to provide students with
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