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Who can learn to code with Code Jumper?

Answer: Children who are blind or visually impaired.

Due to the visual nature of common computer-based coding languages like Python and C++, blind and visually impaired students face greater challenges in learning to code. That’s where Code Jumper comes in. Designed for children ages 7 to 11, the Code Jumper kit uses a series of physical pieces to teach kids how to make code.

Each kit consists of a hub with a play button and a stop button and several pods with two knobs. The buttons and knobs are brightly colored to make them easier to see for visually impaired students, and they are uniquely shaped so students who are blind can identify them by touch.

The kids plug the pods into the hub and other pods to create sequences of sounds and use the knobs and dials to pick each sound and adjust the volume and pitch. When they’re done, they press the play button on the hub and it plays back what they created. They can use Code Jumper to play songs like Row, Row, Row Your Boat or tell stories about ghosts or cowboys. A companion app on a tablet is required, which is the only item not included in the kit.

Kate is a senior copy editor in Northern California. She holds a bachelor's degree in English with a minor in professional writing from the University of California, Davis.