WATCH Blind Learners in SA Learn Coding with Game Using Braille

“This week at Bona Ubuntu Program, we saw the first blind, and partially sighted, learners interact with our RANGERS coding game – paving the way for a braille version of our games!” says Prof Jean Greyling from Nelson Mandela University (NMU) in South Africa. (Watch below.)

Prof Greyling from Nelson Mandela University (NMU), in partnership with Leva Foundation, has been leading the Tangible Africa project since 2017. Using their coding apps, customized tokens and image recognition, they have introduced over 50,000 learners to coding without computers. The coding method they used is referred to as block coding (as used in Scratch).

Block coding for the blind

On their partnership with the Bona Ubuntu Program Prof Greyling says: “This must be one of the most special moments in the five years of our project.” Special thanks, he says, go to Leva Foundation’s Operations Manager Jackson Tshabalala for arranging it.

In a very early prototype the challenge on the screen is simulated by a physical grid, while “braille tags” are added to the tokens.

A MUST-WATCH: Tangible Africa for the Blind: Braille Version of Rangers Coding Game

On Monday – Nelson Mandela Day (18 July) – Tangible Africa will be hosting close to 50 Mandela Day tournaments in all nine provinces as well as a few African countries. 5,000 learners will participate!

WATCH Rangers Coding Game

If you would like to support or be part of the project, contact Prof Greyling, Nelson Mandela University – 0835544183