Blind and Visually Impaired Community
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Programming while visually impaired (self.Blind)
submitted by levavft
Hi guys, a friend of mine has become visually impaired (and might even go blind).He is a programmer, and wants to continue doing that.
Do you guys know any tools that could help him continue programming?
EDIT: Thank you so much for your advice! I will pass on the information and reach out to the BIT.
Do you guys know any tools that could help him continue programming?
EDIT: Thank you so much for your advice! I will pass on the information and reach out to the BIT.
SpikeTheCookie 5 points 2y ago
Reach out to Blind Institute of Technology. They have an academy and train blind/Visually impaired professionals, but also their mission is to help professionals attain premium technical careers.
He does not have to be interested in any of their programs to talk with them. They're just really kind people, and almost everyone there is also blind.
Here's a form to contact them: $1
Here's their website: $1
He does not have to be interested in any of their programs to talk with them. They're just really kind people, and almost everyone there is also blind.
Here's a form to contact them: $1
Here's their website: $1
CloudyBeep 5 points 2y ago
First he should learn to use a screen reader or screen magnifier for easier tasks and slowly work up to it. It's easier to program if you know braille, so it would be advantageous—but not necessary—for him to start learning braille if becoming blind is a real possibility.
RedditForBlind 4 points 2y ago
I'm a totally blind professional software engineer and I do not use a braille display. You can easily code with just a screen-reader and an accessible IDE like Visual Studio.
zersiax 3 points 2y ago
Braille is one of those things that can either help or hinder you, I think. I have owned a braille display of some kind ever since I was 8, and Ifeel positively slowed down if I don't have it handy when programming, but I'm sure one can learn to be just as efficient without one if that's what you're used to, and if your braille just isn't that great it won't help you at all :)
Theory_Better 2 points 2y ago
Hi all,
I am also programming for work and will start deep diving in java soon. I am currently using eclipse. Is it easier to use vscode then eclipse? I am using the nvda add-on with eclipse. Any tips are very welcome! I feel I am tying to find out the wheel again.
I am also programming for work and will start deep diving in java soon. I am currently using eclipse. Is it easier to use vscode then eclipse? I am using the nvda add-on with eclipse. Any tips are very welcome! I feel I am tying to find out the wheel again.
SticksAndDrones 2 points 2y ago
Eclipse did work for me although a few years back I moved to intellij and prefer it. Hopefully your workplace has a license as it is worth a try. If not, eclipse should also be fine. Edit: I use nvda without a braille display.
Theory_Better 1 points 2y ago
Yes I can also use intellij. Would you mind getting in contact via skype or some other means to exchange information? I found sime limitations in intellij when I tried it shortly such as the showing of csv files in rows and columns.
Fridux 3 points 2y ago
I do code blind and do not use any special tools besides the screen-reader. In fact I do actually use less tools than a sighted programmer since there are things that are not accessible. For example WYSIWYG editors are generally off limits to me, but since it's possible to accomplish the same tasks programmatically I simply don't care. The only problem is working with people who use these tools, because it's common for these tools to generate code that's not easy to process, which is also a problem for the sighted when conflict merges arise in versioning control systems. Apple's NIB and Storyboard XML files are well known examples of this.
There are some add-ons for popular Integrated Development Environments such as Visual Studio and Visual Studio Code that claim to be of use to blind programmers, but since I don't use them myself I cannot talk from personal experience. For me a text editor that I can configure to not do line wrapping and external, preferably command-line based, code formatting, compilation, and debugging tools are enough for me.
I have also found Docker to be an extremely useful tool for developing server-side Linux software, not only because it provides the means to create very portable disposable containers but also because it can serve as a very accessible command-line based virtual machine on other operating systems, such as MacOS in my case.
There are some add-ons for popular Integrated Development Environments such as Visual Studio and Visual Studio Code that claim to be of use to blind programmers, but since I don't use them myself I cannot talk from personal experience. For me a text editor that I can configure to not do line wrapping and external, preferably command-line based, code formatting, compilation, and debugging tools are enough for me.
I have also found Docker to be an extremely useful tool for developing server-side Linux software, not only because it provides the means to create very portable disposable containers but also because it can serve as a very accessible command-line based virtual machine on other operating systems, such as MacOS in my case.
paneulo 2 points 2y ago
It would help to know what industry he works in/what languages he uses. I used to be a text editor only guy, but then I discovered VS Code and it has changed how I program.
tjthejuggler 1 points 2y ago
https://www.parhamdoustdar.com/2016/04/03/tools-of-blind-programmer/
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