IncluSim: An Accessible Educational Electronic Circuit Simulator for Blind and Low-Vision Learners

Electronic circuit simulation is a core skill for electronics-based education. However, conventional introductory simulators often rely on visual tasks and features and are inherently inaccessible to learners who are blind or have low vision (BLV). In this work, we present IncluSim, a novel, open-source BLV-accessible circuit simulator tool, incorporating tactile elements and a digital interface. We relied on extensive needfinding to identify barriers faced by BLV learners in electronics-based education. Next, with the larger BLV community, and as a team of BLV and sighted researchers, we adopted the co-design method over 2.5 years to design and develop the simulator tool. Over two studies, BLV participants completed different circuit design and simulation tasks using the IncluSim tool. Our findings indicate that IncluSim, via its hardware-digital medium, enables BLV learners to successfully design, simulate and debug circuits, overcoming the accessibility barriers of conventional simulators.