Compose and Code

2021-2025 Compose and Code
(NSF Award #2122807)

A Partnership to Implement the Inclusive Computer Science Model of Professional Development and a Digital Platform for PK-6 Computer Science Teaching for Students with Disabilities

Researchers will implement the Inclusive Computer Science (ICS) model of professional development (PD) and Compose and Code, also known as CoCo, (a UDL-based digital learning platform) to provide ​PK-6 computer science instruction for students with and without high-incidence disabilities.

The project will use the NSF-funded Inclusive Computer Science (ICS) model of professional development (PD), alongside the partnering school division’s current approaches to curriculum development, to reform and scale how they prepare teachers to develop and implement computer science curricula, particularly for students with high-incidence disabilities.  As part of the Inclusive Computer Science (ICS) model of professional development (PD), teachers will be introduced to new approaches for supporting students with disabilities in learning computer science, including the researchers’ newly developed, universally-designed tool called CoCo, which stands for Compose and Code.

What conditions are necessary for the Inclusive Computer Science (ICS) model of professional development (PD) to be effectively implemented on a district-wide scale to increase and sustain computer science instruction and interest for all students, particularly those with high-incidence disabilities in PK-6 inclusive classrooms?

Conference Presentations

  • Hutchison, A.. Si, Q., Mousavi, V. (2025). Results of the Compose and Code Platform for improving students’ computational thinking, computing attitudes, and multimodal writing. Paper presented at the annual conference of the American Educational Research Association, Denver, CO
  • Hutchison, A., Colwell, J., Kaya, E., Si, Q., & Mousavi, V. (2024). Results from implementation of a curriculum to develop multimodal literacy through coding. Paper presented at the annual conference of the Literacy Research Association, Atlanta, GA
  • Hutchison, A., Si, Q., Kaya, E., Colwell, J., Gutierrez, K., Evmenova, A. & Regan, K. (2024). Evaluating the effectiveness of the Compose and Code model for improving students’ computational thinking and computing attitudes. Paper presented at the annual conference of the American Educational Research Association, Philadelphia, PA
  • Hutchison, A., Parsons, S., Ives, S., Ward-Parsons, A. (2024). Engagement in coding as a form of writing. Paper presented at the annual European Conference on Literacy, Crete, Greece
  • Hutchison, A., Colwell, J., Si, Q., Regan, K., Guttierez, K., Kaya, E. (2023). Combatting the flashy but fuzzy effect in multimodal writing with the Compose and Code platform. Paper presented at the annual conference of the Literacy Research Association, Atlanta, GA
  • Si, Q., & Hutchison, A. (2023). Elementary students’ self-efficacy on digital coding literacy in classroom practices: A survey study. Paper presented at the annual conference of the Literacy Research Association, Atlanta, GA
  • Manchester, E., Miller, B., Hutchison, A., Kaya, E., Regan, S., Guttierez, K., Evmenova, A., Colwell, J., & Offutt, J. (2023). Exploring teachers experiences with the compose and code platform for teaching computer science to all learners. Paper presented at the annual conference of the American Education Research Association, Chicago, IL
  • Hutchison, A. (2023). Using the compose and code digital platform to provide leveled support for students with disabilities as they learn coding and computational thinking. Paper presented at the Hawaii International Conference on Education, Honolulu, HI
  • Hutchison, A., Kaya, E., Regan, K., Miller, B., Manchester, E., Gu, D. (2022). Using the Compose and Code platform to provide leveled support for students with disabilities as they learn coding and computational thinking. Roundtable session presented at the annual conference of the Society for Instructional Technology in Teacher Education, San Diego, CA​