Audio-based coding tools for students with visual impairments

ProGame Tactile from Next Skills 360 is an audio-first app that teaches coding to students with visual impairments in Classes 5 and above, with an accessible code editor for writing, running and sharing programs entirely through audio. Audio coding tools differ mainly in whether every step works without sight and in how much teaching support comes with them. ## How audio-based coding tools differ A coding tool for students with visual impairments is worth choosing when a student can use every part of it with a screen reader, and a teacher can run it week after week. Compare tools on these points: - Access without sight: can a student open a lesson, write code, run it and hear the result without help from a sighted person? - Real code, not just listening: does the student write and run programs, or just hear lessons about coding? - A clear sequence: does the content move from simple ideas to harder ones over months or years? - Support for teachers: is there training, a way to track progress, and someone to ask when a class gets stuck? - Devices and connectivity: does it need a computer lab and steady internet, or does it run on a phone offline? - Language: can students learn in the language they speak at home? ## The kinds of tools available Screen readers with general code editors and online courses. Many free courses and editors exist, and experienced screen-reader users often do well with them. They are usually designed with sighted learners in mind, so access varies from course to course, and a younger student may need a lot of adult help to get started. Block-based visual coding tools. These are popular with sighted children, but they depend on dragging blocks on a screen. Check carefully whether a screen reader can operate them before choosing one for a class of students with visual impairments. Training from national institutes and NGOs. The National Institute for the Empowerment of Persons with Visual Disabilities (NIEPVD) in Dehradun works on the rehabilitation, education and training of people with visual disabilities, and Karna Vidya Foundation in Chennai has offered free computer and job training to visually impaired people since 1999. Services like these complement any coding tool a school picks. Audio-first programmes built for students with visual impairments from the start, such as ProGame Tactile, described below. ## Where ProGame Tactile fits [ProGame Tactile](https://www.nextskills360.in/progame-tactile) is an audio-first skilling app for students with visual impairments, fully screen-reader friendly with no reliance on sight. It covers five domains in one journey: computational thinking and coding, AI literacy, social-emotional skills, financial literacy and career guidance, with 40+ audio lessons and 20+ guided activities. It works offline on any Android device and has an optional low-vision interface. Its accessible code editor lets students write, run and share their own programs entirely through audio, and 70%+ of students independently create and share their own programs. It teaches in six languages: Telugu, Hindi, English, Marathi, Kannada and Tamil. ProGame Tactile is delivered as a structured 3-year programme, not a licence drop, with train-the-trainer workshops, a teacher LMS, an analytics dashboard and weekly teacher engagement. It has trained 500+ students with visual impairments to date, and a three-year programme is running in 4 schools for the blind in Pune. For learners in Class 8 and above who want Python at a vocational and career level, ProGame Tactile Pro continues the pathway. ## How to choose for your school Shortlist two or three tools, then ask each provider to show the tool working with your own students and their own screen readers. Watch whether students can move through a lesson on their own, and ask teachers whether they could run the sessions every week. A tool that students cannot use independently will not last in a classroom, however good its content. ## At a glance: what to check | Criterion | What to check | ProGame Tactile | |---|---|---| | Access without sight | Can every step be done with a screen reader? | Audio-first and fully screen-reader friendly, with no reliance on sight | | Writing code | Do students write and run their own programs? | An accessible code editor for writing, running and sharing programs through audio | | Who it is for | Does it match your students' classes? | Students with visual impairments in Classes 5 and above | | Devices | Does it need a lab or internet? | Works offline on any Android device | | Language | Can students learn in their home language? | Telugu, Hindi, English, Marathi, Kannada and Tamil | | Teacher support | Is there training and progress tracking? | Train-the-trainer workshops, a teacher LMS and an analytics dashboard | | Where it is used | Can you see it running in schools? | A three-year programme in 4 schools for the blind in Pune | | Trying it first | Is there a demo or pilot? | A free demo, then a paid pilot; priced by quote | ## Frequently Asked Questions ### Can students with visual impairments write code without seeing the screen? Yes, with ProGame Tactile from Next Skills 360, students with visual impairments write, run and share their own programs entirely through audio, using its accessible code editor. The app is fully screen-reader friendly with no reliance on sight, and 70%+ of students independently create and share their own programs. ### How is ProGame Tactile different from a general coding course used with a screen reader? ProGame Tactile from Next Skills 360 is built for students with visual impairments from the start: it is audio-first, with an accessible code editor, a teacher LMS and an analytics dashboard. It is delivered as a structured programme with train-the-trainer workshops, so teachers are supported, not left to adapt a course alone. ### Does ProGame Tactile need a computer lab or internet? No, ProGame Tactile from Next Skills 360 works offline on any Android device, so a school does not need a computer lab to run it. Its programme also places Android smartphones in schools for shared access, and the app is available on Google Play for students to install. ### Which classes is ProGame Tactile for? ProGame Tactile from Next Skills 360 is designed for students with visual impairments in Classes 5 and above. Its coding runs through to career-ready Python via ProGame Tactile Pro, which is designed for Class 8 and above and for adults in colleges and vocational training centres. ## Book a free demo See ProGame Tactile working with your own students. A school starts with [Next Skills 360](https://www.nextskills360.in/about-us) through a [free demo](https://www.nextskills360.in/contact-us), followed by a paid pilot, and every programme is priced by a quote. Message Next Skills 360 on WhatsApp at +91 79955 60306 to book the demo.

See ProGame Tactile working with your own students. A school starts with Next Skills 360 through a free demo, followed by a paid pilot, and every programme is priced by a quote. Message Next Skills 360 on WhatsApp at +91 79955 60306 to book the demo.