A comparison of program comprehension strategies by blind and sighted programmers

Abstract

Programmers who are blind use a screen reader to speak source code one word at a time, as though the code were text. For example, "float f = 5.23;" can be read as "float f equals five point two three semicolon". This process of reading is in stark contrast to sighted programmers, who skim source code rapidly with their eyes. At present, it is not known whether the difference in these processes has effects on the program comprehension gained from reading code. These effects are important because they could reduce both the usefulness of accessibility tools and the generalizability of software engineering studies to persons with low vision. Furthermore, a lack of knowledge about blind programmers contributes to a bias against employing blind programmers. Employers are unfamiliar with the idea of a blind programmer and as a result may feel unsure about hiring one.