Ballyland Code 1 vs SenseMath

Get started on your programming journey today! Children who are blind or have low vision can in this fun app learn basic coding concepts and skills that will be applicable to any programming language. Get introduced by way of the Tutorial game ‘Play with Coding’. Then take on your first Coding Challenge with simple coding commands. Make Wheelie, the little car from Ballyland, move around a digital game grid, on a mission to say Hello to a friend. Audio description and great audio effects are at the core of this innovative app, creating unique accessibility for learners with visual impairment, including adults who are keen to find out what coding is about. This is the first in a series of Ballyland Coding apps. Finger gestures used in this app: Finger drag, Flick left and right with one finger, Flick down and up with one finger, Double tap, Three finger flick left, Touch and hold. Visit the Sonokids website for tips and tools, and for the other fun educational Ballyland apps that help build preparatory iPad/gesture skills. Features: • Beginners’ level, no coding experience required; • Suited for novice users of VoiceOver; • Audio Based Coding™: built-in speech, spoken coding panel, audio description, meaningful sound effects, audio and visual on-screen coding output; • VoiceOver accessible at start page, accessible menus in the game; • Two main sections: ‘Play with coding’ (Tutorial), and the Coding Challenge (three levels) • “Black Curtain” option to create level playing field for all; • Designed with feedback from children with visual impairment, parents and teachers; • Use with Ballyland 3D printable tactile grid, characters and accessories (specifically designed for the Coding apps); • Use at home and school. Develops: • Computational thinking, basic coding concepts and skills, such as breaking problem down in steps, sequencing, patterning, using basic coding commands; • Listening, Locating, ‘Mental Mapping’; • Orientation, spatial awareness and navigating a digital game grid • Experiential learning of VoiceOver accessibility by sighted players “It is so fantastic to be able to offer our younger students something accessible and fun when their peers are already using fun coding apps.” Pam Ayling, Specialist Teacher (Vision Impairment), School Support Service Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children, Sydney

SenseMath is making sense of math. The app was developed for VoiceOver users, but can be used by anyone. View assignments from your math book directly in the app, make your own sketch based on a function, and listen to and analyse the graph with the sound you like. SenseMath makes a mathematical graph audible. This app was developed with VoiceOver experts to make math more accessible. During the development of the app, the latest techniques were used to make the app work as efficiently as possible with VoiceOver. This makes the app a great experience for VoiceOver users. A function is entered with the unique keyboard and displayed visually and audibly. All mathematical elements, such as intersections and extrema, can be toggled on or off in sound and the playback speed can be changed. With SenseMath a mathematical graph can be analysed only by the use of sounds. SenseMath is made for and by blind users. This app makes optimal use of all VoiceOver functionalities. Start and stop playback with the Magic tap. Sonification of math elements are easily turned on or off during playback with the VoiceOver rotor. The unique math keyboard works with VoiceOver touch typing. All mathematical functions can be read in both speech and braille, in a linear or mathematical way. Features - Open all assignments from your math book directly in the app - Enter mathematical functions using a unique mathematical keyboard - Auditory and visual display of graphs - Sonification of mathematical elements such as intersections, steps on the x axis, extrema and below the x axis - Draw, save and edit a graph - Extensive help functionality Need help or want to give feedback? We would love to hear from you, please contact us at sensemath@visio.org.