Empowering Blind and Partially Sighted Middle School Female Students to Pursue STEM Fields

The planning, execution, and assessment of a science, namely, chemistry, day for blind and partially sighted female students are described. Twelve female students actively engaged in carrying out scientific experiments using assistive technology (AT). The activities focused mainly on the air around us and the relation between air pressure and volume, namely, Boyle’s law. These activities consisted of hands-on experiments and a role-model presentation. The event was assessed through pre- and post-activity surveys from the published literature and by collecting students’ comments. The students reported that the event was fun and that they learned a lot. The influence of a reputed role model on the female students was evident in their comments, motivating and inspiring them to pursue scientific goals. However, longitudinal studies are recommended to assess the change in female students’ interest in science and foster their interest in pursuing scientific careers.