[nabs-l] Advice for presentation - Pair Programming for blind and low vision developers

Suzanne Germano sgermano at asu.edu
Thu Feb 18 18:26:16 UTC 2016


I am legally blind and recently graduated from ASU with my BS in Computer
Science. About one month ago I started my new positions as a Software
Developer/Integrator at USAA.

They are working on making the entire company Agile and want to get into
much more pair programming.

What techniques have you used in pair programming?

I will be proposing a talk for the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in
Computing on the topic of how to effectively accommodate a blind or low
vision developer on your team. So I welcome everyone's input on what works
for you and what you would like to see implemented.

So far I have found pair programming very difficult.

I have enough vision that I use 2 27 inch monitors with ZoomText an have my
IDE span the two monitors. If I am the one running the mouse and keyboard
then it is fine. I cannot work at any of my teammates workstations as they
work in regular size. Not only that, I am extremely light sensitive so I
would not be able to read theirs even if magnified. I am currently in
training, so one solution we use at times is a 55 inch monitor but I have
to stand up right against it and still can't see the top or far side. We
also do team code reviews on a monitor mounted on a wall so I am trying to
figure out solutions for that and the fact the code review software uses
color and I am completely color blind.

Thank you for all ideas and advice!!!



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