News
Computer science instructor provides visuals for visually-impaired
April Crockett’s lesson plans in her computer science classes at Tennessee Tech have
always included plenty of visual and dynamic examples. When two visually-impaired
computer science majors began taking her classes, though, Crockett looked to enhance
her lesson plans. Now, she is creating visuals for the visually-impaired.
“I have never had visually-impaired students before,” said Crockett, a Tennessee Tech alumna who earned a BS in computer science in 2001 and an MS in computer science in 2004. “Last semester, I had two visually-impaired students in Data Structures and I had to figure out how to demonstrate visual, dynamic content to a student who is blind.”
Vadim Kholodilo, a freshman exchange student from Russia, and Carlos Medrano, a sophomore from Nashville, have become regulars in Crockett’s classes. With the help of Tech’s Accessible Education Center, Crockett uses tactile diagrams with braille to make her drawings and animations visible for Kholodilo and Medrano.
“She gives us problems to solve that really improves our computer science skills,” said Kholodilo. “It is definitely super helpful.”
“This is my third class I’ve had with her,” said Medrano about Crockett. “Her classes are really organized. Everything, in a sense, is understandable. She is really helpful and I don’t have any issues as far accessibility goes.”
Crockett says that working with Tech’s Accessible Education Center has really helped her create work that has been beneficial for Kholodilo and Medrano. She sends the diagrams to the AEC and they prepare them for her class in a timely manner.
“I appreciate them so much. They work so hard,” said Crockett about the AEC. “The most difficult thing for me is to complete things in enough time to give them enough time to print out the diagrams to give to Vadim and Carlos in time for class.”
Once Kholodilo and Medrano have the diagrams, they are able to see what everyone else in the class can see.
“There was a diagram that I created for Carlos. It was a flow chart diagram,” Crockett recalled. “He came up to me and he was feeling the diagram with his fingers. He said ‘I’ve always known what a flowchart was, but I’ve never been able to picture it in my mind.’ For him to be able to understand and see it in his mind, was a cool moment. I realized then what I was doing was really helping someone.”
Crockett admits that creating the tactile diagrams for Kholodilo and Medrano has been a work in progress. But, it has also helped her relationship with her students.
“Because we have met quite a bit so that I can improve the diagrams, I have gotten to know them quite well,” said Crockett. “I have really enjoyed that part of it. I’ve enjoyed getting to know my students. We have a closer relationship because of this.”
Kholodilo and Medrano enjoy their relationship with Crockett and other faculty on campus. They both realize the challenges of being visually-impaired but have found Tennessee Tech to be very accommodating to their needs.
“If you need something, you can always let instructors know and they will help you,” said Kholodilo. “Ms. Crockett and a lot of the professors here at Tech really know what they are doing. They give us materials that are not out of date. They definitely have fresh material for the students. When you study something, they know how to apply it.”
“I have heard so many horror stories from students at different universities where students don’t have that much accessibility,” Medrano explained. “That hasn’t been the case here. The professors have been really helpful and accommodating and I really appreciate that.”
Being able to accommodate the visually-impaired students in her classes has also helped Crockett as an instructor.
“They have made me a better teacher. It’s always difficult to put yourself in someone else’s shoes and figure out how they learn. Even someone without disabilities,” said Crockett. “Everyone learns differently. I have learned to approach topics from a different perspective. I’ve learned how to teach from those perspectives.”
