Summer Enrichment Programs To Foster Interest in STEM Education for Students with Blindness or Low Vision

Hands-on science enrichment experiences can be limited for students with blindness or low vision (BLV). This manuscript describes recent hands-on summer enrichment programs held for BLV students. Also presented are innovative technologies that were developed to provide spoken quantitative feedback for BLV students engaged in hands-on science learning activities. Some low-tech polymer synthesis activities that were designed to be very tactile and hands-on in scope are also discussed. These activities were presented in several recent workshops and can be reproduced and implemented as part of a chemistry course in high school or used as hands-on demonstrations for all learners.