Apple announced today that its Everyone Can Code program is available in certain schools for blind and deaf students. Starting this fall, schools that support students with vision, hearing, and other assistive needs will start providing accessible Everyone Can Code curricula for the Swift programming language.
Everyone Can Code
The Everyone Can Code initiative is from kindergarten all the way to college and beyond, and helps students learn to code using Swift. Tim Cook said in a statement:
Apple’s mission is to make products as accessible as possible. We created Everyone Can Code because we believe all students deserve an opportunity to learn the language of technology. We hope to bring Everyone Can Code to even more schools around the world serving students with disabilities.
Apple has collaborated with engineers, teachers, and programmings from accessibility communities to make an accessible Everyone Can Code program. So far, the list of participating schools includes:
- California School for the Blind (Fremont, CA)
- California School for the Deaf (Fremont, CA)
- District 75/Citywide Programs, New York City Department of Education (New York, NY)
- Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind (St. Augustine, FL)
- Hadley Institute for the Blind and Visually Impaired (Winnetka, IL)
- Perkins School for the Blind (Watertown, MA)
- Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (Austin, TX)
- Texas School for the Deaf (Austin, TX)
Apple is also hosting events around the world at all Apple stores today to promote inclusive design and how technology can support people with disabilities. Since last year Apple has held over 10,000 accessibility sessions worldwide.