Empowering Data Vision: A Self-Paced Introduction to the Convergence of AI and Data Science

July 26th, 2025

The Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Institute has launched Empowering Data Vision: A Self-Paced Introduction to the Convergence of AI and Data Science, a new online course designed to make data science more accessible to blind and visually impaired learners. The course begins this coming Monday, Aug 11, and offers a self-paced introduction that will teach blind individuals to use low-code and no-code techniques to create their own tools and workflows for accessing their data, powered by AI.

Developed in a collaboration between SKERI, the Univ. of Michigan and the Univ. of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, the course will be offered as a series of self-paced online modules. The modules will be supported by on-line office hours, where participants can interact directly with faculty and receive technical support related to course content and accessing it using their particular assistive technology. This self-paced teaching model not only ensures accessibility but also fosters a sense of community and mentorship among learners navigating similar challenges.

Empowering Data Vision explores the convergence of artificial intelligence and data science through a lens of inclusion, equipping participants with essential technical skills while demonstrating that vision research and data-driven work can be fully accessible. This initiative reflects SKERI’s ongoing commitment to expanding educational opportunities in STEM for people with disabilities and builds on a long history of assistive technology research.

To learn more about the course, visit the Empowering Data Vision project page.