Washington State School for the Blind hosts it's first of three ‘Introduction to Computer Programming' camps for Blind and Visually Impaired Students - 07/02/10
The Washington State School for the Blind (WSSB), in partnership with Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville, Washington State University and the National Science Foundation will host an Introduction to Computer Programming Camp for Blind and Visually Impaired students.

Twelve (12) students (grades 7-12) will receive a novel auditory programming environment tailored to the special needs of the blind; a computing curriculum that engages students in the construction, customization, and sharing of speech-based virtual worlds in order to teach computer programming skills and inspire students to consider computing as a career; a blind-accessible web-based community portal designed to facilitate peer mentoring and support, and to provide opportunities for students to interact with role models who have overcome their visual impairment and succeed in the computing profession.

The event will be held on WSSB's campus, July 13-16, and will include computer lab time learning programming, guest speakers from the computing field, hands on time with computer games designed for the blind and visually impaired, geo-caching treasure hunt using the Trekker Breeze GPS and tactile maps created by the University of Oregon, plus recreation time to include tandem biking, bowling, and much more.

WSSB provides specialized quality educational services to over 600 visually impaired youth ages birth to 21 within the state of Washington. The school also serves as a statewide demonstration and resource center providing direct and indirect services to students both on campus and in the children's local communities. Services are provided to families, educators, and others interested in assisting visually impaired youth to become independent and contributing citizens.