Teaching Practices Guide: Improving Accessibility for Students with Learning Disabilities & ADHD: The Computer Science Principles (CSP) Course

Each student in your computer science (CS) classroom is unique and benefits from instruction that accounts for their differing characteristics. This is particularly true for students with diagnosed learning disabilities and ADHD, here referred to as “learning differences.” Sixty-six percent of U.S. students diagnosed with learning disabilities spend 80% of their school days in inclusive classrooms [1, 2]. 

Guide Overview: This resource highlights instructional practices particularly well-suited for students with diagnosed learning differences. You may already be using some of these strategies to differentiate in your Computer Science Principles (CSP) class. The recommended practices come from a study conducted by Outlier Research & Evaluation and Wolcott School (an independent, college-preparatory high school for students with learning differences) that is exploring ways to make the CSP course more accessible for students who learn differently. Rooted in existing research in non-CS subject areas and the experience of the Wolcott learning specialists, the recommendations below are actionable steps you can use in your CSP course to create a more inclusive classroom. The recommendations are not intended to change the content or reduce the rigor of CS lessons, or to simplify grading and testing measures. Rather, they are intended to provide students with multiple ways to access and engage with content, and demonstrate understanding.

This informational brief was prepared by Outlier Research & Evaluation and the Wolcott School through work supported by the National Science Foundation (Grant # 1542963). 

Read the full resource from Outlier Research & Evaluation at the University of Chicago in the attached PDF.