Breaking Down the Code: How ChatGPT Fosters Accessibility in Programming

Navigating the tech industry with a disability can prove to be challenging. When I was younger I never had any issues using a keyboard. I was able to type at a relatively fast speed that allowed me to keep pace with my fellow students. However, my disease is progressive so the reality of losing my ability to type effectively was an inevitability. I knew that I would have to find a solution long term. 

It was during college I soon realized I quickly would grow tired from extended periods of typing, particularly when coding. It got to the point where I had to use the on-screen keyboard to do the majority of my schoolwork, while I tried several voice to speech software. At the time none of them were efficient enough to do the tasks at the same pace as my peers. While I was able to get my work done, the amount of time it took me to complete simple tasks was far more than any of my fellow colleagues. Little did I know that, just in a few short years, the way that I code would be entirely changed with generative AI.

The Role of ChatGPT in Overcoming Accessibility Barriers

Generative AI, specifically ChatGPT has been a game changer for me. ChatGPT‘s ability to generate code snippets has extremely enhanced my productivity due to the fact that I am not having to type each individual keystroke in order to get a simple task done. I have been using ChatGPT since day one, and I have learned many things throughout my use. ChatGPT struggles when given large coding projects, such as to code a game, or to code an entire website. It excels when given small tasks and clear instructions.

I have found that precision is key when communicating with ChatGPT. For example, say that I need a function to read data from a file and then run that data through a classification model. If I were to type out this myself, it would take me a significant amount of time to effectively write this code. However, with ChatGPT, I have learned that being specific is the key to success. When tasked with something like this it is crucial to dictate each individual step to ChatGPT, for example in this situation I would specify the file type, data structure, And any other details that Chat GPT might need to complete this task. Once I have done this, ChatGPT will generate code that I can then edit myself directly. Which saves me a significant amount of time just editing the code instead of writing it from scratch. With this method I have a tailor-made code that is specific to my project that I can then edit and change in anyway that I need. While AI code assistant’s still have a long way to go I believe that with the right training they can already be leveraged as a great tool for accessibility as they have helped me these past few years

Beyond Code: The Bigger Picture of Accessibility:

Generative AI has changed the entire tech industry as a whole. However, the impact of generative AI and how it can be leveraged as an assistive technology has only briefly been explored. The potential for AI tools to be further optimized for accessibility is vast, with the advancements in natural language processing and machine learning AI will only become more intuitive of the content requested by users. 

Thinking back on my journey and how much ChatGPT has helped I would urge the tech community to not be so quick to judge when someone says that they use ChatGPT. There are limitations if you use ChatGPT but with the correct commands and clear instructions it can be an excellent tool for someone facing mobility issues. I hope tech companies see the potential in generative AI as a means to help individuals with disabilities breakdown barriers in the tech industry. Together, using AI we can build a future where technology breaks down barriers and creates tools that cater to a diverse range of needs and abilities. See you all next week for my continuation on malware development!