Systems for Scaling Accessibility Efforts in Large Computing Courses
This program is tentative and subject to change.
It is critically important to make computing courses accessible for disabled students. This is particularly challenging in large computing courses, which face unique challenges due to the sheer scale of course content and staff. In this experience report, we share our attempts to scale accessibility efforts for a large university-level introductory programming course sequence, with over 3500 enrolled students and 100 teaching assistants (TAs) per year. First, we introduce our approach to auditing and remediating course materials by systematically identifying and resolving accessibility issues. However, remediating content post-hoc is purely reactive and scales poorly. We then discuss two approaches to systems that enable proactive accessibility work. We developed technical systems to manage remediation complexity at scale: redesigning other course content to be web-first and accessible by default, providing alternate accessible views for existing course content, and writing automated tests to receive instant feedback on a subset of accessibility issues. Separately, we established human systems to empower both course staff and students in accessibility best practices: developing and running various TA-targeted accessibility trainings, establishing course-wide accessibility norms, and integrating accessibility topics into core course curriculum. Preliminary qualitative feedback from both staff and students shows increased engagement in accessibility work and accessible technologies. We close by discussing limitations and lessons learned from our work, with advice for others developing similar auditing, remediation, technical, or human systems.
This program is tentative and subject to change.
Fri 20 FebDisplayed time zone: Central Time (US & Canada) change
13:40 - 15:00 | From Unplugged Activities to LLM Insights: Rethinking How We Teach Intro Computing CoursesPapers at Meeting Room 275 Chair(s): Miranda Parker | ||
13:40 20mTalk | CS Unplugged in Gateway Computing Courses: A Collaborative, Active Learning Approach in Introductory Computing Papers Hyesung Park Georgia Gwinnett College, Evelyn Brannock Georgia Gwinnett College, Tacksoo Im Georgia Gwinnett College, Wei Jin Georgia Gwinnett College, Sunae Shin Georgia Gwinnett College, Xin Xu Georgia Gwinnett College, David Kerven Georgia Gwinnett College | ||
14:00 20mTalk | Deriving Instructional Insights from Human–LLM Co-Evaluation of Student Collaboration in Data-Centric ProgrammingGlobal Papers Marshall An Carnegie Mellon University, Christine Kwon Carnegie Mellon University, Yoonjae Lee Seoul National University, Ji-Hyeon Hur Seoul National University, Dongho LEE Dalhousie University, Vincent Huai Carnegie Mellon University, Barry Zheng Carnegie Mellon University, Matthew Yu Carnegie Mellon University, Joana Liu Carnegie Mellon University, Jenny Pugh Carnegie Mellon University, Gahgene Gweon Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology, Seoul National University, John Stamper Carnegie Mellon University | ||
14:20 20mTalk | Repetition Meets Context: Teaching CS1 Through Two Scientific DomainsGlobal Papers Meiying Qin York University, Jade Atallah York University, Hovig Kouyoumdjian York University, Jonatan Schroeder York University, Larry Yueli Zhang York University, May Haidar York University | ||
14:40 20mTalk | Systems for Scaling Accessibility Efforts in Large Computing Courses Papers Media Attached | ||