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

Sat Feb 20 18:00:19 UTC 2016

I've never worked in a paired programming setting, and it's been a while 
since I've programmed for anything other than my own hobbies, but I 
found the right IDE could go a long way towards helping with this 
situation. The last time I programmed a lot, in PERL, KSH, AWK, LISP, C, 
C++, Java and Rexx, I used Emacs. One feature I found invaluable was 
folding mode. It basically collapsed all of the code and showed it to 
you in an outline format. Just by pressing enter I could collapse or 
expand blocks of code. This helped me understand the overall structure 
of the code and made it easy for me to navigate and jump to the block of 
code I was interested in. Other features, such as links to the compiler 
and code search tools like CScope, also made it easy to jump between 
bugs and corresponding lines of code as well as finding where a routine 
or variable was being used throughout the code. As I said, this has been 
a while, so take what I say with a grain of salt.

On 20/02/16 11:43, Amanda Lacy via nfbcs wrote:
> I've been thinking about this too, but from a different angle.
>
> It's the computer interface (not my brain) that keeps me from easily
> seeing the global structure of code. I can listen to a symphony with
> many parts playing at once and quickly say something about the general
> structure of the piece. I can't do that with code because all the
> information the computer gives me is sequential.
>
> On 2/20/16, Currin, Kevin via nfbcs <nfbcs at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> Hi Louis,
>>
>> I've been thinking a lot about global access to code structure by screen
>> readers since reading your email. I wonder how much pair programming would
>> be aided if there were editor add ons that could make a screen reader give
>> general statistics about a document (or the currently visible page). For
>> example, this add on could say how many functions or other types of code
>> blocks are on a page (or entire document), report the presence of text with
>> different formatting, and allow quick navigation to such features. Edsharp
>> already has commands for moving between code blocks, but to my knowledge it
>> does not support general descriptive statistics of a document. This
>> functionality could be written as an Edsharp add on though.
>>
>> Is this something that soulds like it would be helpful in a group setting?
>> Also, is this already implemented in other editors that I am unaware of?
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Kevin
>> ________________________________________
>> From: nfbcs [nfbcs-bounces at nfbnet.org] on behalf of Louis Maher via nfbcs
>> [nfbcs at nfbnet.org]
>> Sent: Thursday, February 18, 2016 2:16 PM
>> To: 'NFB in Computer Science Mailing List'; 'National Association of Blind
>> Students mailing list'
>> Cc: Louis Maher
>> Subject: Re: [nfbcs] Advice for presentation - Pair Programming for blind
>>     and     low vision developers
>>
>> Hi Suzanne,
>>
>> I found that pair programming worked well during bug-hunting sessions.  I
>> could not track what the sighted were doing during code development in pair
>> programming.  I am totally blind and use Braille displays.  I do not think
>> blind individuals can effectively participate in pair programming code
>> development sessions.  Our systems point at one focus point at a time.  The
>> blind work locally to build a global picture.  The sighted can go from
>> global to local because they can take in a page of code at a time
>> especially
>> if the code is enhanced with colors and indentation.
>>
>> If you want an accurate opinion on this issue, talk to blind individuals
>> that must compete with sighted programmers on a daily basis.
>>
>>
>>
>> Regards
>> Louis Maher
>> Phone: 713-444-7838
>> E-mail ljmaher at swbell.net
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nfbcs [mailto:nfbcs-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Suzanne Germano
>> via nfbcs
>> Sent: Thursday, February 18, 2016 12:26 PM
>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>;
>> nfbcs at nfbnet.org
>> Cc: Suzanne Germano <sgermano at asu.edu>
>> Subject: [nfbcs] Advice for presentation - Pair Programming for blind and
>> low vision developers
>>
>> 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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-- 
Christopher (CJ)
chaltain at Gmail