CAS Inclusion Community

Hello everyone,

We wanted let you know we have added keyboard and screen reader support to Microsoft MakeCode.

To help us evaluate and improve these new features, we’re in the process of asking for help and feedback from the community.

We’d be grateful if you could help by:

1. Taking part directly: If you work with learners aged 8-25 who use assistive technology, try the MakeCode editor with them and share your thoughts

2. Sharing with your network: Please help us share the opportunity below with any teachers, parents, or groups supporting young people who use assistive technology

You can find out more here: Try it. Test it. Tell us what you think.

If you have any questions, please let me know. And feel free to share the information below with your contacts.

Calling educators, parents, and young learners who use assistive technology!
The Micro:bit Educational Foundation, in collaboration with Blockly and Microsoft, has introduced new accessibility features to MakeCode for micro:bit, including keyboard navigation and screen reader support for block-based coding.

Now we need your help to try the new accessibility features and give us your feedback.

Who we want to hear from:
Educators, parents, and carers supporting learners aged 8-25 who use assistive technology
Young people (aged 8–25) who use assistive tech, taking part with adult permission
Specifically, those using screen readers, braille displays, magnifiers, high-contrast settings, switches, eye gaze, voice control, or keyboard-only navigation

How to take part:
Explore our Accessibility support resources
Try the MakeCode editor
Take the survey

Learn more and take part Try it. Test it. Tell us what you think.

As a thank you, survey respondents in Canada, Japan, Netherlands, Spain, United Kingdom, United States of America; and Uruguay, can opt in to a prize draw (T&Cs apply).

Thank you for helping us make coding more inclusive for everyone.
The Micro:bit Educational Foundation

Please see the information below from David Curran regarding an Inclusion Conference taking place in September.

I am pleased to share details of Inclusion Beyond SEND, a conference taking place at the University of Surrey on Thursday 17th September 2026.

The event is led by Moon Hall School Reigate in partnership with University of Surrey Widening Participation and Success, and brings together AT, AI, Careers, Skills, Curriculum and the Future of Access to Learning.

The central question is: How do we build access, confidence and independence into learning from the start?

The programme brings together schools, universities, charities, assistive technology specialists, AI practitioners, careers professionals and wider education partners. It will be particularly relevant to colleagues interested in inclusive AI, SEND, accessibility, digital media inclusion, curriculum, future skills and widening participation.

Tickets and details are available here:

A limited number of starter tickets are available at £20 plus Eventbrite fee using the code: MHSLOCAL20

Please do share with colleagues, partners or networks who may be interested in attending, contributing or connecting with the wider conversation.

Researchers at King’s College London are looking for computing teachers to complete a short anonymous survey about teaching programming to 7–14 year olds. Your insights will help us design an accessible hands‑on programming tool for classroom use. It will take about 10 minutes to complete. No identifying information is collected, and your responses will not be used commercially.

Shape the future of computing: Join our workshop on Friday 6th March, Cambridge.

The Raspberry Pi Foundation and the Raspberry Pi Computing Education Research Centre are hosting an event on Friday 6th March (12:00–5:00pm) in Cambridge to explore what the new computing curriculum in England should look like from 2028. We’re inviting secondary computing teachers, ideally with one or two GCSE or A level Computer Science students, to take part.

Lunch is provided and travel costs are covered.

This will be an interactive, discussion-based session where we gather perspectives from teachers and students and produce a public summary report to share with the Department for Education and curriculum drafters. Curriculum design should start by listening to the people who experience it every day.

Register your interest by 3pm on Thursday 26th February: Expression of interest: 'The future of our computing curriculum' workshop (6 March 2026)

If you can’t attend, you can sign up via the same link to receive the report.

Thanks!

Hopefully you can all make it to the inaugural community meeting on the 3rd February - put it in your diary now!

In addition, there are two free, in-person events coming up that you might be interested in:

• On the 25th February, Kings College in London are hosting an afternoon all about Digital Tools for Inclusive Education, looking at tangible computing devices and the role of generative AI in teaching learners with SEND. Places are free, sign up at https://www.tickettailor.com/events/digitalfuturesinstitute/1952989

• Inaugural conference from the National Centre for Computing Education focused on advancing digital skills, equality, and inclusion in computing education on the 11th March at the National STEM Centre in York. Book your place here: I Belong in Computing Conference - Teach Computing

I hope to see you at one of the events soon.

We are developing a 45-60 min self-paced online course which will be free to take, aimed at teachers, TAs, SENDCOs and anyone else in schools who work with SEND children. The focus of the course will be using AI to assist SEND children. We’re looking to get feedback on what should be included. Please fill in this short form: Microsoft Forms Any questions can be directed to Becci.peters@bcs.uk