一句话：对比盲人与视力正常程序员的程序理解策略，考察逐词朗读阅读是否影响代码理解。
盲人程序员借助屏幕阅读器逐词朗读源代码，例如把“float f = 5.23;”读作“float f equals five point two three semicolon”，而视力正常程序员则用眼睛快速略读代码。两种阅读过程差异显著，但此前并不清楚这种差异是否会影响到从阅读代码中获得的程序理解。该问题具有实际意义：若存在影响，既可能削弱无障碍工具的实用性，也会降低软件工程研究结论对低视力人群的可推广性。此外，对盲人程序员缺乏了解还会加剧就业偏见——雇主不熟悉盲人程序员这一群体，因而在招聘时心存疑虑。本文以盲人与视力正常程序员为对象，开展程序理解策略的比较研究，以揭示两种阅读方式对代码理解的影响。
Programmers who are blind use a screen reader to speak source code one word at a time, as though the code were text. For example, "float f = 5.23;" can be read as "float f equals five point two three semicolon". This process of reading is in stark contrast to sighted programmers, who skim source code rapidly with their eyes. At present, it is not known whether the difference in these processes has effects on the program comprehension gained from reading code. These effects are important because they could reduce both the usefulness of accessibility tools and the generalizability of software engineering studies to persons with low vision. Furthermore, a lack of knowledge about blind programmers contributes to a bias against employing blind programmers. Employers are unfamiliar with the idea of a blind programmer and as a result may feel unsure about hiring one.
DOI 原文 ·
@inproceedings{paperbot4427,
title = {A comparison of program comprehension strategies by blind and sighted programmers},
author = {Ameer Armaly and Paige Rodeghero and Collin McMillan},
booktitle = {ICSE},
year = {2018},
doi = {10.1145/3180155.3182544}
}