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MARSLib Documentation

Inclusion & Accessibility

At MARS 2614, we believe robotics education should work for every student. We don’t see accessibility as optional—it’s a must-have feature built into everything we create.

MARS Inclusion Moment

Inclusion is about ensuring that everyone—regardless of their background or ability—has a seat at the table. By building high-fidelity simulation and accessible documentation, we ensure that a student without a physical robot or one using a screen reader has the same opportunity for Discovery and Impact as any other member of the team.

Our documentation, dashboards, and tools follow strict WCAG 2.1 AA standards. This means they work well for people with different abilities.

What is WCAG 2.1 AA?

  • A set of rules for making software accessible.
  • “AA” means we meet important requirements, not just basic ones.
  • It’s like a checklist for inclusive design.

Why Accessibility Matters

Section titled “Why Accessibility Matters”

Robotics brings together students with diverse backgrounds and abilities. Some students might:

  • Use screen readers or other assistive technology.
  • Have color vision differences (color blindness)
  • Learn better with simple language.
  • Need keyboard navigation instead of mice.
  • Have ADHD or learning differences.

We build MARSLib to work great for all of them.

How We Check Accessibility

Section titled “How We Check Accessibility”

We use automated tools to check our work. When someone updates our documentation, special programs test the changes for accessibility problems.

What We Check

Section titled “What We Check”

1. Screen Reader Support

  • Screen readers help blind users navigate websites.
  • We add hidden text that describes images and charts.
  • All interactive elements work with keyboard navigation.

2. Color Contrast

  • Text must be easy to read against the background.
  • We aim for a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1.
  • This helps users with color vision differences.
  • Example: We use bright cyan (#00f2ff) instead of dark red (#ef4435)

3. Structure and Navigation

  • Clear headings and sections.
  • Labels on all form inputs.
  • Descriptive links (not “click here”)

Our Testing Tools

Section titled “Our Testing Tools”
  • Pa11y: Tests websites automatically.
  • AI Agents: Find and fix accessibility issues.
  • Manual Testing: Real users test our features.

Cognitive Accessibility

Section titled “Cognitive Accessibility”

Cognitive accessibility means making content easy to understand for people with different thinking styles. This includes students with ADHD, dyslexia, or processing challenges.

The Challenge

Section titled “The Challenge”

FRC robotics involves complex topics:

  • Physics and math.
  • Programming and logic.
  • Engineering concepts.
  • Team coordination.

For students who learn differently, reading dense technical documentation can feel overwhelming.

Our Solution

Section titled “Our Solution”

1. Plain Language

  • We write at a middle school reading level.
  • Short sentences and paragraphs.
  • Active voice (“The motor moves the arm” vs “The arm is moved by the motor”)

2. Visual Learning

  • Diagrams and flowcharts.
  • Code examples with explanations.
  • Step-by-step guides.
  • Color-coded sections.

3. Bite-Sized Content

  • Break complex topics into small chunks.
  • Use lists and bullet points.
  • Provide summaries of key points.

4. Multiple Learning Styles

  • Text explanations.
  • Visual diagrams.
  • Code examples
  • Interactive simulations.

How AI Helps

Section titled “How AI Helps”

Artificial Intelligence makes learning more accessible. Here’s how:

Personalized Learning

Section titled “Personalized Learning”

AI can explain the same concept in different ways. If one explanation doesn’t make sense, AI can try another approach.

Interactive Support

Section titled “Interactive Support”
  • Ask questions anytime.
  • Get instant feedback.
  • Practice at your own pace.
  • No judgment or embarrassment.

Code Assistance

Section titled “Code Assistance”
  • Explain what code does.
  • Suggest improvements.
  • Find and fix errors.
  • Generate starting templates.

In Other Words: AI is like having a patient tutor who never gets tired of explaining things. You can ask the same question 100 times, and AI will help you understand.

Our Design Choices

Section titled “Our Design Choices”

Our visual design isn’t just about looking cool—it’s about being accessible to everyone.

Dark Mode

Section titled “Dark Mode”
  • Easier on the eyes for long coding sessions.
  • Helps users with light sensitivity.
  • Reduces eye strain during competitions.

High Contrast Colors

Section titled “High Contrast Colors”
  • We tested our colors for visibility.
  • Bright cyan links instead of dark red.
  • Text stands out clearly against backgrounds.
  • Works for users with color vision differences.

Clear Typography

Section titled “Clear Typography”
  • Readable font sizes.
  • Good spacing between lines.
  • Clear headings and sections.

Commitment to Improvement

Section titled “Commitment to Improvement”

We’re always working to make MARSLib more accessible. If you find something that doesn’t work for you:

  1. Tell us about it: Open an issue on GitHub
  2. Be specific: What didn’t work? What would help?
  3. We’ll fix it: Our AI agents can often deploy fixes quickly.

Our Promise

Section titled “Our Promise”

We believe that building great software means building software for everyone. Accessibility isn’t a feature we add at the end—it’s how we build from the start.

If you face barriers using MARSLib, that’s a bug we need to fix.

Resources

Section titled “Resources”

Have questions or suggestions about accessibility? Please open an issue or join our GitHub Discussions. We want to hear from you!