Computer Science Principles (CSP) and students with learning differences: Expanding opportunities for a hidden underrepresented group

The computer science (CS) education field is engaging in unprecedented efforts to expand opportunities in K-12 CS education, and to broaden participation of students traditionally underrepresented in CS. However, even as the field considers ways to provide access to high school computing in general, and the new AP CSP course in particular, one underrepresented group is often overlooked: students with learning differences (that is, students with specific learning disabilities and related attention deficit disorders, like ADHD). The national dialogue about broadening participation in K-12 computing education has given almost no voice to this population. As computer science education initiatives grow, K-12 teachers need evidence-based guidance about how to account for challenges specific to learning disabilities and attention deficit disorders so that these students who learn differently can access instruction and curriculum in ways that address their learning needs. This paper reports on the first phase of a National Science Foundation (NSF) supported exploratory research study (Grant #1542963) to address this problem. We describe our education research-practice partnership that aims to make CS more accessible for students who learn differently and in doing so, highlight the team's process of collaboration as a critical element to address the problem and support equitable learning in CS.