Ballyland Code 2 vs Visual LightPad

“Ballyland Code 2: Give Rotor” is a fun new game that teaches children, including those who are blind or visually impaired, basic coding concepts and skills that will be applicable to any programming language. In Coding Challenge 2 you need to code Wheelie to move to Ballicopter in the digital game grid, and to give him a new rotor so that he can fly again. In each of the three levels, the target and obstacles are in a different spot in the game grid, making ‘mental mapping’ and coding the shortest code for this Challenge slightly more difficult than the one in Ballyland Code 1: Say Hello. Visit the Sonokids website for optional 3D printable Ballyland learning tools for this app, and for the other fun educational Ballyland apps that help build preparatory iPad/gesture skills. 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 • Navigating a digital game grid (rows/columns) • Experiential learning of VoiceOver accessibility by sighted players Features: • Easy/Moderate level, follows on from Ballyland Code 1: Say Hello; • Audio Based Coding™: built-in speech, accessible coding interface, audio description, fun but meaningful sound effects, audio and visual on-screen coding output, mini audio-play. • Finger gestures: Finger drag, Flick left and right with one finger, Flick down and up with one finger, Double tap, Three finger flick left. • VoiceOver accessible at start page, accessible menus in the game; • Unique accessibility for learners with visual impairment, including adults who are keen to find out more about coding; • “Black Curtain” option to create level playing field for all; • Designed with feedback from children with visual impairment, parents and teachers; • Option to use Ballyland 3D printable tactile grid, characters and objects for learning support (specifically designed for the Ballyland Code apps); • Use at home and school.

Visual LightPad creates a bright illuminated surface for developing visual perceptual and visual motor skills in people with visual impairment. It's a cheaper alternative to expensive, dedicated hardware visual impairment light boxes. Think of it as a digital light box! Adjust Visual LightPad's brightness and color, then place semi transparent toys, numbers or letters on the iPad's screen. Where colors become difficult, open the color picker and change the background color to something that accentuates the toys. Where hardware light boxes can be associated with work, iPads tend to be associated with play. Visual LightPad helps develop awareness to color and light, but using objects also helps in the development of visual perceptual skills, hand eye coordination, and both visual scanning and tracking. Visual LightPad can also be used for; - Reading content printed onto acetate - Providing a reading backlight when paper documents are placed on top of it - Photo negative illumination - Sensory / mood lighting Visual LightPad is purposefully easy to use and relatively low on features. It supports presets for easy saving and recall of preferred settings. It is designed to run on iPad, but also runs on iPhone - meaning you can keep a small light box in your pocket at all times.