40,000 Blind UK Kids Can Now Code Alongside Classmates

For years, Zac Herbert sat on the sidelines during coding class while his classmates built programs together. The 14-year-old from Worcester couldn't access the same tools as his peers because block-based coding platforms weren't built for blind students like him.

That changed when Microsoft MakeCode launched new screen reader compatibility, removing barriers that have kept blind and visually impaired students out of mainstream coding education. Now Zac codes independently alongside his classmates, creating projects entirely on his own.

"It's great to have something that you've done," Zac says. "You haven't had to rely on another person to help you do it. It's your masterpiece."

The breakthrough technology was co-designed with blind and low vision children aged 8 to 18, along with their teachers and accessibility experts. Microsoft partnered with the Micro:bit Educational Foundation and Raspberry Pi Foundation's Blockly team to create the solution.

Over 40,000 blind and visually impaired children across the UK can now benefit from this technology. Before this update, many students were taught separately or given alternative activities while their classmates learned to code together.

The impact extends far beyond one platform. Because the improvements were built into Blockly, the technology powering many of the world's most popular coding platforms, future generations of learners worldwide could gain access.

The Ripple Effect

This isn't just about one student or one classroom. The technology received input from users across the UK, Europe, and the United States, making it a truly global solution.

Teachers now have classroom resources specifically designed to help bring coding to more students. The co-design process ensured the tools actually work for the young people who need them most.

"Every child deserves the opportunity to create with technology, regardless of their ability," says Lucy Gill, head of product at Micro:bit Educational Foundation. For too long, blind and visually impaired students faced barriers their sighted peers never encountered.

The change means blind students can finally participate in the same lessons, build the same projects, and develop the same skills as their classmates. They're not learning a separate curriculum or using different tools.

Computing skills open doors to careers in technology, engineering, and countless other fields. By making coding accessible early, this breakthrough helps level the playing field for an entire generation.

Gill calls this "just the beginning of a much bigger shift towards making coding accessible for future generations of learners around the world." When technology works for everyone, everyone wins.