Decoding the ECC

Vision Simulators

What is the ECC and how is it
connected to coding?

What is the ECC?

The term expanded core curriculum (ECC) is used to define concepts and skills that often require specialized instruction with students who are blind or visually impaired in order to compensate for decreased opportunities to learn incidentally by observing others. (TSBVI)

What is Coding?

According to the Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA), coding is the process of creating a set of instructions, or algorithms, for a computer to follow. It is a core component of computer science education, allowing students to build programs, games, and other software to solve problems and express ideas.

The ECC and Coding

Learning to code and about computer science, touch on multiple areas of the ECC.

Assistive Technology Skills: an opportunity to practice in a motivating and real-world way.

Career Education: jobs that involve coding and an understanding of code can open the door to a fulfilling career.

Compensatory skills: concept development, communication, organization and study skills

Orientation and Mobility (O&M): Special concept, such as coordinates, relationships between items in space.

Rec and Leisure: creative outlet to show off imagination

Self-Determination: making choices, problem solving, persevering

Social Interaction: Working on a team is a valued job skill. Co-coding is a common activity.

Robot Challenges

Finch (iPad) -

Robot bowling: Setup 10 wooden blocks and try to knock them all down!

Finch (Quorum) -

Watch your step: Setup 10 wooden blocks randomly, try to code your robot to navigate through them without knocking any over!

Skyhopper (Quorum) -

See if you can navigate all 3 levels:

Press CTRL with R to Run the code and start the game.
Listen to the instructions, press Escape to hear them again.

Tab to hear what is on the screen (keep tabbing to hear everything)

Arrow keys to move left and right

Spacebar to jump

If it crashes, just Run it again!

Kaibot -

Kaibot has a camera on the bottom that scans the coding cards. Tap Kaibot on each coding card in order. Kaibot will chime if the card was scanned correctly. Lay out your code in order. Start with “Record Program Start” card. End with “Record Program End” card. To Run the program, tap Kaibot on the “Run Program” card. To start over tap Kaibot on the “Stop Program” card.

Make Kaibot move in a square:
“Forward” “Turn Right” “Forward” “Turn Right” “Forward” “Turn Right” “Forward” “Turn Right”

Make Kaibot move in a square using loops:
“Loop Start” “4” “Forward” “Turn Right” “Loop End”

Make Kaibot’s lights change color:
“Color Mixer Start” “100% blue” “Color Mixer End”

Sample Code (Kaibot will turn purple and move in a square):
“Record Program Start” “Color Mixer Start” “100% blue” “100% red” “Color Mixer End” “Loop Start” “4” “Forward” “Turn Right” “Loop End” “Record Program End” “Run Program”

Dash (iPad)-

Play a song on the xylophone (Xylo app), touch the different color bars to add notes to your song!

Launch a ball into a container (Wonder app), select "Controller", select "Dash", select the "Launcher" option at the top.

Navigate a maze (Blocks4All app), open the app, select the play icon and place blocks in the workspace you want the robot to follow. When your code is ready, press the play icon.

Make Dash dance (Blocks4All app)