Shapelab – uma abordagem visual para o ensino de programação a alunos surdos por meio do shape coding e MDE

Abstract

Significant changes have been observed in Brazil regarding the perception of deaf individuals as full members of society. Currently, there is a noticeable increase in the presence of students with various types of disabilities in higher education, with a growing number of deaf students enrolling each year. As this number rises, so does the need for institutions to adapt to adequately accommodate this group. One of the main challenges lies in the divergence between the languages used by instructors and deaf students, which can hinder comprehension and lead to academic difficulties across multiple disciplines. This study aims to develop a methodological teaching approach to support instructors in the context of the “Structured Programming” course. To achieve this, the Shape Coding methodology was adopted to align instructional strategies and content presentation with the way deaf students learn, thereby promoting a more inclusive pedagogical practice. The proposed approach is based on adapting programming language structures into visual elements—such as shapes and colors—according to the principles of Shape Coding. In order to demonstrate the feasibility of this approach, graphical prototypes were developed using the Eclipse Sirius environment, allowing for the visual modeling of algorithms and conceptual validation of the methodology. Furthermore, the initiative took into account accessibility guidelines and the compatibility with software tools already familiar to students, aiming to ensure greater usability and a more effective learning experience.