The 18-Year-Old Making Computer Science Education Accessible For Students With Learning Disabilities

Mohammed Shirmohammadi – also known as “Mo” – is the 18-year-old founder of the non-profit organization Code Can Bridge. The initiative is actively working to make coding accessible to all students, regardless of socioeconomic status or abilities.

Shirmohammadi – the brains behind the platform – has always been labeled a go-getter. In an interview with Forbes, the entrepreneur shared his long-term vision of leaving an everlasting dent in the universe, driven by technology. 

“Computer science is so impactful. We live in a world that’s basically computer-driven, and things are becoming more and more virtual and computer-driven,” Shirmohammadi said. 

Shirmohammadi’s mom played a crucial role in helping to design the platform’s curriculum and helping him to understand the student’s learning styles. 

“There was just something about [observing] her experience of teaching her students with learning disabilities that fascinated me,” Shirmohammadi added. 

“I asked my mom if she [could] sort of train and [teach us] how to work with them.”

The student-led organization provides students with autism, ADHD, or other learning disabilities access to a free and tailored computer science program. 

The initiative’s main objective is to help eliminate the digital divide in classrooms, which has disproportionally impacted students with learning disabilities.  

Shirmohammadi has dreams of becoming the founder of one of the largest social welfare organizations. The founder also hopes to expand the work of Code Can Bridge to special education teachers who also want to learn how to code. 

“I can’t wait to see what we [Code Can Bridge] can do in the coming years…I think it’s very exciting, this whole thing.”