CT4PWD
Computational Thinking for Persons
with Disabilites
Jan, 2026 - May, 2026 | 5 Months
Overview:
CT4PWD focuses on teaching autistic children foundational computational thinking concepts through real-world applications in a gamified learning experience. The project combines a tablet app with tangible physical cards, using interactive challenges and hands-on activities to make concepts such as sequencing, pattern recognition, and problem-solving more tangible, accessible, and engaging.
Problem Statement
Autism affects a substantial and growing population of children, with the latest CDC surveillance identifying approximately 1 in 31 (3.2%) 8-year-old children with autism across 16 U.S. communities (Shaw et al., 2025). Despite this scale, autistic children remain underrepresented in research on computational thinking (CT) and technology-supported STEM learning. Existing CT research for autistic learners is limited and often consists of small-scale studies, while a broader systematic review of technology-based STEM interventions identified only 20 studies involving 59 autistic participants, with most focused on mathematics rather than computational thinking (Oswald et al., 2024; Yakubova et al., 2024). This reveals a gap in understanding how foundational Computational Thinking (CT) concepts can be made accessible, tangible, and connected to familiar real-world situations for autistic children, creating a need for learning experiences designed around their diverse ways of interacting, processing information, and learning.
Solution
To make computational thinking more concrete and applicable, CT4PWD combines a gamified tablet app with tangible physical cards. Each module introduces a foundational computational thinking concept through an interactive game, while the physical cards allow children to apply the concept through hands-on activities connected to real-world applications. For example, the sequencing module introduces a set of rules in the tablet app, after which children arrange the corresponding cards on a structured physical board to construct the required sequence. This combination connects digital guidance with tangible interaction, creating a learning experience in which computational thinking concepts can be explored, applied, and reinforced across both digital and physical environments.
App Design Snapshot
Card Design
Methodology
CT4PWD followed a qualitative, iterative Research through Design approach, using direct observation and field notes to understand how autistic children interacted with the learning activities. The first prototype iteration focused on understanding whether children could navigate the basic modules and interact with the core structure of the tablet app. Observations from these interactions were documented through field notes and discussed in team inference sessions, where observed behaviours were interpreted to identify interaction barriers and inform design decisions. A second iteration introduced a more robust design system that transformed the tablet app into a gamified learning experience. In parallel, the physical cards underwent five iterations to refine their size and physical form. Across 14 participating children, observations were used to identify recurring interaction patterns and inform subsequent design decisions; where useful, observations were represented descriptively, such as the proportion of participants who responded positively to a particular design element.
Contextual Inquiry & Participant Recruitment
We began with contextual inquiry at special-needs schools, engaging with teachers and staff to understand existing teaching practices, learning objectives, and how computational thinking could fit into their students’ learning. Rather than approaching the children directly, we used snowball sampling, where initial staff contacts connected us with teachers who could provide further context and facilitate access to potential student participants. These conversations informed our understanding of the learning environment and established the basis for subsequent interviews, observations, and iterative design sessions with the childre
Contextual Inquiry & Participant Recruitment
Following the contextual inquiry, we conducted participatory sessions with 14 children to understand how they interpreted and interacted with computational thinking activities. We introduced an initial low-fidelity prototype covering the basic learning modules and observed task comprehension, interaction patterns, and points of confusion. These sessions generated qualitative insights that informed successive iterations of the lesson structure, instructions, and interaction mechanics. This follows established HCI approaches that use observation and iterative engagement with autistic children to inform technology design.
3. Iterative Evaluation & Design Refinement
Each prototype was evaluated through repeated sessions with the children, using direct observation, qualitative feedback, and task-based interactions to identify usability barriers. We synthesised recurring behaviours and responses into design insights, using descriptive counts alongside qualitative evidence to understand both what participants preferred and why. These findings informed successive iterations of the instructional flow, interaction mechanics, and module design, with task comprehension and ease of interaction prioritised over visual aesthetics.
Tangible Interaction & Card Iteration
Once the learning modules were refined, we developed the physical cards as a tangible extension of the digital experience. Through iterative prototyping, we evaluated the card layout, action space, and QR code placement, refining the QR code size to balance reliable camera detection with sufficient space for hands-on interaction without introducing visual distraction.
Digital-Physical Interaction
The last stage in the methodology was combining the physical interaction using the cards with the digital modules. Each module was designed in such a way that the kids would be able to incorporate the cards, as well as the digital game, and in the end, learn a meaningful concept, such as Conditionals through computational thinking.
Key Findings
The main objective behind this research was to ensure the 14 participants would be able to navigate through the app interface and utilise the tangible cards to execute the learning missions set throughout the mdolues. The pilot usability testing results for the CT4PWD project are as follows -
Independent Task Comprehension
11/14 participants (79%) understood the module instructions and completed the activities without external assistance. 3 participants required additional prompting to interpret the task sequence.Successful Module Interaction
12/14 participants (86%) were able to follow the intended interaction flow and complete the learning activities. Difficulties were primarily observed when participants were unsure what action to perform next.Tangible Interaction
10/14 participants (71%) successfully translated the digital instructions into physical card-based actions. Participants who initially struggled responded better when card positioning and task cues were made more explicit.Instruction Over Aesthetics
11/14 participants (79%) responded effectively to the simplified instructional interface, reinforcing that comprehension and interaction clarity were more important design considerations than visual complexity.
Our findings suggest that designing computational thinking experiences for autistic children requires prioritising interactional clarity, instructional scaffolding, and tangible engagement over visual complexity alone. Through iterative prototyping and formative evaluation, participant behaviours and feedback informed successive refinements to the learning modules, digital interface, and physical cards. The resulting digital–physical system demonstrates how participant-centred design can translate abstract computational concepts into more structured and actionable learning activities, while highlighting opportunities for further research into accessible and multimodal approaches to computational thinking education.
Future Inferences
Existing research/technology
Tangible User Interfaces are increasingly being explored for learning and cognitive training with autistic children. Recent work such as Yum-Yum combines tangible interaction with digital feedback and game mechanics.
CT4PWD’s findings on instructional scaffolding, physical affordances, and digital–physical interaction could inform how tangible learning systems structure tasks for autistic learners.
Serious games are widely used to support cognitive and adaptive skills in children with autism, but researchers continue to identify a need for stronger design and evaluation frameworks.
CT4PWD could contribute participant-informed principles for designing clearer task flows, reducing interaction ambiguity, and prioritising comprehension within serious games.
Research-through-Design projects such as CyberPLAYce explore tangible learning environments for developing computational thinking through physical and digital interaction.
CT4PWD extends this direction by examining how tangible CT activities can be structured specifically around the interaction and learning needs of autistic children.
Recent serious-game research is exploring data-driven approaches to understanding engagement, errors, help requests, and learning behaviours in autistic children.
CT4PWD’s qualitative observations and descriptive behavioural data could inform future adaptive systems that adjust instructional scaffolding based on observed interaction difficulties.
List of citations
Li, J., Chai, Y., & Zheng, Z. (2026). Yum-Yum! A social game using tangible interaction with a virtual agent for cognitive training in children with low-functioning autism. International Journal of Human-Computer Studies, 212, 103804. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhcs.2026.103804\
Soleimani, A., Herro, D., & Green, K. E. (2019). CyberPLAYce—A tangible, interactive learning tool fostering children’s computational thinking through storytelling. International Journal of Child-Computer Interaction, 20, 9–23. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijcci.2019.01.002
de Souza, F. A., Pires, S. V. L., Leal, S. R. A., Millan Arias, C. C., de Aguiar, E. H., de Araújo, R. P., Marinho, M. H. da N., Fernandes, B. J. T., & da Silva, C. M. R. (2025). Towards serious games through a playful approach for children with autism spectrum disorder. International Journal of Child-Computer Interaction, 45, 100750. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijcci.2025.100750
de Carvalho, A. P., Braz, C. S., dos Santos, S. M., Ferreira, R. A. C., & Prates, R. O. (2024). Serious games for children with autism spectrum disorder: A systematic literature review. International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction, 40(14), 3655–3682. https://doi.org/10.1080/10447318.2023.2194051
Derks, S., Willemen, A. M., & Sterkenburg, P. S. (2022). Improving adaptive and cognitive skills of children with an intellectual disability and/or autism spectrum disorder: Meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials on the effects of serious games. International Journal of Child-Computer Interaction, 33, 100488. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijcci.2022.100488