Matical Orange is a math learning app for kids that promotes neurodiversity and accessibility. It helps kids learn and automatize multiplication facts using spaced repetition and a learning algorithm. It also provides both free and paid tools for parents and teachers to monitor and support their kids' progress.
But what makes Matical Orange different from other math apps? How does it ensure that every kid can enjoy and benefit from its features? The answer is accessibility.
Accessibility is the concept of whether a product or service can be used by everyone, regardless of their abilities or disabilities. Accessibility is not only a legal requirement in many countries, but also a moral and ethical responsibility for designers and developers who want to create positive social impact.
Accessibility benefits everyone, not just people with disabilities. For example, Matical Orange is accessible to kids who use only keyboard, have trouble with vision, or have trouble with language. Here are some of the ways that Matical Orange achieves accessibility:
- Keyboard-only: Matical Orange can be operated entirely with the keyboard, without requiring a mouse or a touch screen. This makes it easier for kids who have limited mobility, motor skills, or coordination, or who prefer using the keyboard over other input methods.
- High-contrast: Matical Orange uses high-contrast colors and fonts to make the text and graphics more visible and readable. This makes it easier for kids who have low vision, color blindness, or who use devices in bright sunlight or in dark rooms.
- Language-neutral: Matical Orange does not rely on words or instructions to teach math concepts. Instead, it uses visual and auditory cues, such as shapes, colors, sounds, and animations, to make the learning process more intuitive and engaging. This makes it easier for kids who have trouble with language, such as dyslexia, autism, or who speak a different language.
- Localization: Matical Orange supports multiple languages and adapts to the local culture and preferences of the users. This makes it easier for kids who speak different languages or come from different backgrounds to learn math in their own language and context. For example, Matical Orange can use different number formats, currency symbols, units of measurement, and examples that are relevant to the users’ location.
Accessibility is not only a matter of compliance, but also a matter of social justice. It can empower kids with disabilities to participate fully in math learning, with dignity and independence, and to contribute their talents and potentials to the world. It is an ongoing effort to improve the quality and usability of the product for everyone, and to create a more accessible and inclusive future for all.