Designing a STEM Career-Preparation Program for Empowering Pre-College Blind and Visually Impaired Youth
Overview
People with disabilities are significantly underrepresented in STEM careers and education. To address this gap, we collaborated with a local organization supporting blind and low-vision (BLV) youth in their transition from high school to college or employment. Our study aimed to align university efforts with the organization's practices to enhance empowerment and STEM self-efficacy. Through observations and interviews, we identified key strategies like addressing individual needs, fostering independence, and promoting open discussion. These strategies were integrated into a university workshop, leading to impactful interactions, including resource sharing, rapport building, and mutual learning.
My Role: UX Researcher
Team Size: 3 people
Methods: Observations, User Interviews, Thematic Analysis
My Contribution: Interview scheduling, interviewing, transcript analysis, conducting design thinking workshop, research paper writing
Literature Review
The literature review highlighted two key areas: the challenges faced by blind and low-vision (BLV) individuals in pursuing STEM careers and strategies to support their participation.
BLV individuals often encounter barriers such as a lack of accessible materials, limited accommodations, and low expectations from educators. These challenges contribute to low representation in STEM fields.
On the other hand, initiatives like mentorship programs, assistive technology training, and exposure to BLV role models have shown promise in fostering empowerment and increasing STEM participation among people with disabilities.
Methods
Observation of BLV Youth STEM Career-Preparation Program Sessions
We developed a collaborative relationship with the partner organization and observed four BLV youth STEM career-preparation workshops, focusing on interactions, activities, and empowerment. Throughout the process, we maintained a respectful presence, gradually increasing our involvement, and recorded detailed field notes for analysis.
Interviews with Youth Group Instructors
We conducted two semi-structured interviews with BLV youth group instructors to explore equity-based strategies for empowering students and to gather insights from workshop observations. The interviews covered topics like program setup, topic selection, and key elements contributing to student empowerment, lasting around 100 minutes each and conducted via accessible remote platforms.
Day-long University Workshop
We hosted a day-long workshop for the BLV youth group at our university, introducing them to interactive computing technologies and opportunities for STEM studies. The workshop included an icebreaker, a campus tour, an expert panel on self-advocacy, and hands-on activities designed to align with their learning goals around mobility, teamwork, and self-advocacy.
Participants gained rewards (clothing items for mascot) for identifying landmarks and answering trivia questions on campus tour. They then dressed up a statue on the university campus. In the image, the statue of a dog is pictured wearing sunglasses and a neckerchief.
The hands-on activity involved using Makey Makey technology and Scratch programming to create audio interfaces, encouraging students to work in teams and strengthen their STEM skills. The workshop concluded with a focus group where participants reflected on their career aspirations, technology use, and their experience with the workshop, followed by post-surveys for further feedback.
Participants using everyday objects to activate audio clips using Makey Makey and the Scratch programming language. The image depicts the participant connecting physical objects in order to play sounds.
Findings
Program Design Strategies
The BLV youth program incorporated intentional recruitment and activity selection, focusing on empowerment through practical skills like mobility and self-advocacy. Engaging, interactive workshops ensured students gained valuable experiences, fostering independence and confidence.
Empowerment
Instructors centered activities around the students’ strengths, interests, and personalities, encouraging independence and self-advocacy. Mentorship by BLV instructors who shared similar experiences played a key role in empowering students.
College and Career Perceptions
Students expressed mixed feelings about college, with concerns about accommodation challenges. However, the university workshop helped clarify misconceptions and provided valuable insights into STEM-related career opportunities.
Technology Engagement
Interactive technology, particularly the Makey Makey activity, was well-received, though some students with prior programming experience sought more advanced challenges. The activity fostered collaboration and creativity.
Collaborative Practices
rust and rapport-building with the community organization were essential. Open communication, participation in events, and resource-sharing between the university and community strengthened the partnership and enhanced the workshop's impact.
Publication
We submitted a full research paper to CHI Conference 2025 for review. We are awaiting response on our submission.
Participant Recruitment
For participant recruitment, we selected 2 BLV instructors to share detailed insights about their experiences through interviews. For the hands-on workshop, we recruited 8 BLV students and 3 BLV instructors. Additionally, 3 guest speakers, two of whom identified with disabilities (1 BLV and 1 with multiple disabilities), were invited to enrich the workshop with their perspectives.