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We describe our year-long astronomy program to engage middle and high school students with visual impairments (VI). The program bridges STEM skills acquired in school with out-of-school experiences to build student capacity for recognizing and pursuing STEM-related higher education and careers. The program combines mentorship experiences with a Project-Based Learning (PBL) curriculum that focuses on NGSS science and engineering practices and content. The paper begins with a description of unique 3D tactile models developed for the program. We then briefly describe recruitment and demographics of participating students with VI. The main part of the paper describes the 12-month PBL curriculum and connections with NGSS science and engineering practices and content focus areas. The full curriculum and implementation time line are provided in the supplemental material. External and internal evaluations of the program are described. Internally we evaluate the performance of our participating students in the areas of retention, communication, energy/enthusiasm, and responses to curriculum prompts. A rubric is developed to evaluate submitted assignments. Scores are provided and discussed from both a scientist evaluator and teacher evaluators. We conclude with a discussion and summary of crucial elements that contributed to increased retention/engagement, improved communication, and prolonged enthusiasm in STEM activities. 

A qualitative study was conducted to understand how middle and high school students with visual impairments (VI) engage in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). The Readiness Academy, a Project-Based Learning (PBL) intervention, was designed to provide a week-long, immersive, outdoor, and inquiry-based science education program to students with VI. We analyzed 187 photographs, camp associate intern notes, and researcher memos first using emotion coding, followed by process coding to structure initial codes and categories into seven research activities. We used axial coding as a secondary cycle coding method to determine four consistent themes across all research activities: apprenticeship, collaboration, accessibility, and independence. We found that the inclusion of purposeful accessibility, such as assistive technology and multisensory experiences, supported how students with VI engaged in STEM education. The findings reflect how students dynamically fulfilled roles as apprentices, collaborative members, and independent researchers within the program’s context of PBL and outdoor science education.