From Blocks to Touch: Tangible Interfaces to Reduce Barriers in Adult Inclusive Coding

Evidence on inclusive coding interventions for people with intellectual/cognitive disabilities remains largely child-centred and school-based, leaving adult nonformal contexts underexplored. This paper reports an exploratory mixed-methods study conducted in an Italian day centre with eight adults (26-63) with documented intellectual disability. We implemented a three-month pathway (nine weekly sessions per subgroup) progressing from unplugged logic activities to Scratch block-based programming and then to tangible interaction using Makey Makey. Rather than targeting computational thinking attainment only, we foreground interactional barriers and enabling mechanisms. Data combined objective task outputs (where available), a 1−5 observational rubric (autonomy, comprehension, accuracy, collaboration), and qualitative field notes/educator diaries. Findings show modality-sensitive barriers (e.g., time-pressure anxiety, sequencing overload, interaction overhead, fatigue sensitivity, coordination challenges) and suggest that tangible inputs can act as an accessibility bridge by strengthening action-effect coupling, supporting recoverable trial-and-error, and anchoring shared attention during collaboration. We contribute (i) a barrier taxonomy for adult non-formal inclusive coding, (ii) a characterization of tangible affordances as accessibility mechanisms, and (iii) interaction-informed design guidelines for replicable practice in adult services.