Google partners with the CSEveryone Center for Computer Science Education to bolster new professional development program.

Computer science education is essential in a highly digital world. But for students with disabilities, this type of foundational learning isn’t always accessible.

Experts at the University of Florida – including Maya Israel, Ph.D., and her team at the CSEveryone Center for Computer Science Education – are working to solve this problem with the help of $556,096 in new funding from Google.

“We live in a world that is so technology-rich, we need to make sure that all students have access to this type of experience,” said Israel, an associate professor of educational technology and computer science education at the UF College of Education. “This extension of ongoing CSEveryone work, funded by Google, provides professional development, lending libraries, and support to teachers in order to include students with disabilities in computer science and robotics.”

student in a pink shirt interacts with Vex robotics devices on a table

Student attends CSEveryone’s showcase at Google Chicago

Approximately 15% of kindergarten through 12th grade students in the United States have disabilities, and many of these students are not receiving adequate computer science education. Research indicates that students with disabilities are often excluded from this type of education due to three main factors: misconceptions about their abilities, unavailable technology designed to meet their unique needs, and a lack of professional development resources for their teachers.

Funding from Google since 2023 has allowed the CSEveryone team to design and facilitate a professional development program to help meet these challenges, which has been implemented through partnerships with two of the largest school districts in the country: Broward County Public Schools in Florida and Chicago Public Schools in Illinois. 

The CSEveryone team at UF has already guided more than 300 educators, and thousands of K-12 students have been impacted. Highlighting the success of the program and how students have benefited, Broward County Public Schools held a computer science and robotics showcase in May 2023. Chicago Public Schools piloted the program this year, which culminated in a celebratory showcase at Google’s Chicago headquarters.

“Through these events, we get to see learners being creative with computing and robotics. We also see them both struggling in a productive way and being successful,” Israel said. “Our teachers have the opportunity to highlight their wonderful accomplishments with robotics and computer science education. The families are so proud of what their students are doing, and the teachers are phenomenal in showcasing what they’ve worked on all year.”

Israel also points to the feedback loop that has developed between her program participants and technology companies as a major point of success. Companies are considering the triumphs and challenges that learners with disabilities are experiencing as they interact with technological products, and they are modifying them accordingly. For example, Israel’s team is working closely with VEX Robotics to increase the accessibility of the company’s robotics hardware, coding software, and curricular resources.

The UF team is grateful for Google’s continued commitment to advancing computer science education, which will help the CSEveryone program expand into additional school districts.

Through the CSEveryone Center, any teacher in the country can now take an online microcredential to earn a badge or engage with free practice assessments for the Florida Teacher Certification Examinations. Teachers can also enroll at UF in an online graduate certificate program, as well as master’s and doctoral programs, to further their education. 

With accessible technologies, effective instructional strategies, and teachers who believe that all students should participate in computer science education, research has shown that learners with disabilities can find success – exceeding expectations in both their creativity and innovative problem-solving approaches.

“This program shows that it is possible to bring together large school districts, technology companies, educational funders, and advocates to work toward full and meaningful participation of all learners, including those with disabilities, in computer science education,” Israel said. “We have a long journey ahead, but this project has uncovered both how great this need is within our communities and how expansive the realm of possibility is for these learners.”

“This program shows that it is possible to bring together large school districts, technology companies, educational funders, and advocates to work toward full and meaningful participation of all learners, including those with disabilities, in computer science education.” — Maya Israel

Computer Science Inclusion Showcase 2024 at Google Chicago

A young woman is seated, focusing intently on a tablet displaying colorful, interactive programming interfaces, surrounded by a bustling event environment. Several young students are seated on a stage with a backdrop featuring a large screen displaying a computer chip-inspired graphic; they are attentively participating in a discussion, with one student speaking into a microphone. Students gather around a colorful educational mat on a table, interacting with various learning materials and tools during an educational event. A young girl is seated on the floor interacting with a bright, colorful display on a tablet amidst several illuminated robotic devices on the carpeted floor. A group of students and adults focus on assembling or manipulating modular educational components on a white table during a robotics demonstration or workshop. A young student in a yellow shirt engages with interactive educational technology at a table surrounded by adults observing and assisting.

Computer Science Inclusion Showcase 2024 in Broward County

a child interacting with a yellow and black robotics device on a green mat on the floor Children and adults are engaged in a public event at a spacious atrium, centered around an educational display on the floor. A colorful mat with grid lines features programmable robots, where children observe and interact with the setup. Family members are nearby, watching the activities. A student is high fiving an adult while family members look on in the background. A young child is focused on programming on a laptop in a busy indoor setting, surrounded by building toys and robotics kits. Other children and adults are attending the event in the background. A group of people, including children and adults, engage around a robotics grid display at an indoor event. The scene shows interactive participation with a focus on education and technology activities. Two children use remote control devices to maneuver robotic balls on the floor during a robotics event, showcasing the integration of technology and education. A busy environment surrounds them with more participants and displays in the background. Children use interactive coding tools on a display table at a technology event, where participants engage in digital learning activities, surrounded by a bustling crowd. Children use interactive coding tools on a display table at a technology event, where participants engage in digital learning activities, surrounded by a bustling crowd. At a busy educational event, a child interacts with a tablet while a parent helps over their shoulder, surrounded by other attendees engaged in various activities. A young girl interacts with a robotics toy modeled after a bee with a yellow body and black stripes while sitting on the floor. A boy maneuvers a robotics toy with wheels. The toy is being placed on a mat with grid marks amongst other toys that look like green cubes. A young boy interacts with a circular, orange robotics toy on a table next to a circular green robotics toy. Two students excitedly interact with a tablet while looking at two robotics devices on the tile floor that appear to consist of blue balls clumped together. Children sit on the floor engaged with a robotics activity, controlling and building robots on a grid mat that is littered with blocks and components, in an indoor public space bustling with other attendees.