by Kaili Kameoka
From the Editor: Kaili Kameoka is a member of the Honolulu Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind of Hawaii and the founder of Adaptive Learning for the Blind. In the true spirit of Federationism, she seeks to work with other blind people to solve the challenges they face in pursuing STEAM careers. Here is her story and her request to our readers:
From the moment I first picked up a video game controller, I was captivated—not just by the gameplay but by the intricate systems behind it. I found myself wondering: how are these games created? That question sparked a curiosity that ultimately led me to coding. At the age of fifteen, I began teaching myself how to build simple websites using online documentation. However, I quickly realized that wading through dense technical manuals was both time-consuming and tedious. Then I discovered YouTube tutorials, where coding projects were brought to life in a way that was far more engaging.
Yet, as a blind individual, navigating these resources presented significant challenges. Many tutorials depended heavily on visual cues, making it difficult to follow what was happening onscreen. Despite these obstacles, I was determined to succeed. Through persistence and problem-solving, I gradually mastered the basics of coding.
This commitment to learning followed me through my academic journey, where I pursued an associate’s degree in computer science and later a bachelor’s degree in creative media. Many of my creative media courses relied heavily on video instruction, and professors often supplemented their lessons with tutorials from YouTube. These resources, while valuable for sighted students, often left me facing the same challenges I encountered in high school. Tutorials that were meant to be quick guides frequently took me hours to process, as I worked to interpret every click, drag, or typed instruction. These experiences taught me to think critically and adapt, strengthening the skills I would later use in my career.
When I joined the National Federation of the Blind of Hawaii, I had the privilege of attending a seminar at the NFB Jernigan Institute, where I was trained to manage the NFB’s unified affiliate website system. This initiative aims to create a consistent and accessible web presence for state affiliates. Most of the attendees were not professional developers but individuals nominated by their state affiliates to represent them in this important work.
The training was led by Rachel Olivero, whose expertise and dedication left a profound impact on me. Rachel, who was blind, was not only teaching us how to use the system but had played a key role in its development. She demonstrated that blind individuals could lead in technology. Her example affirmed my belief that the skills I was learning could empower not only me, but our entire community.
This realization has shaped my vision for Adaptive Learning for the Blind. While certain tasks in creative media, such as graphic design, may present unique challenges for blind individuals, many other skills in technology and creative media are well within our reach. Whether it is software engineering, IT, cybersecurity, or social media content planning, the opportunities are vast. Even in creative media, roles such as scriptwriting, project planning, and strategic development are highly accessible with the right tools and training.
Adaptive Learning for the Blind is my response to these opportunities. My goal is to create accessible online courses that empower blind individuals to thrive in technology and creative media. These courses will be designed to address the specific needs of blind learners, making subjects such as software engineering, IT, video production, and game design not only accessible but engaging and inclusive.
However, this effort is not something I can accomplish alone. To ensure these courses truly meet the needs of our community, I need your input. What topics are you passionate about? What skills do you wish to develop? What tools and methods work best for you? Your feedback is essential to creating resources that reflect the aspirations and diverse needs of blind individuals everywhere.
I invite you to complete my survey and share your thoughts. The survey link is:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfBYhNex-Qk68U_SqdHoa-nw591PMm8Gs2EssGbeR55woxllQ/viewform. Together, we can build a future where blind individuals not only participate in technology and creative media but lead in these fields. Let us demonstrate, as Rachel did, that there are no limits to what we can achieve when we have the right opportunities and support.