Playball
Tiflo Baseball is an interactive educational home run derby video game to support the learning of basic math skills by blind elementary school students. The game promotes a Multimodal learning based on the strengths of the blind students, integrating sounds and auditory feedback, Braile display support with aWindows screen reader, plus a simple keyboard navigation. Also, the game integrates graphics and animations to promote an inclusive education.
Blind Students and Math
It is important for blind students to learn basic mathematics skills as part of their elementary school. Mastering these skills will serve as a foundation for more advanced mathematics classes. Unfortunately, since mathematics is a class with high visual content, on many occasions, high expectations are not held with early elementary blind students in the teaching process of basic math skills, presenting them as something difficult to learn. In fact, that was my experience many years ago as a blind student, being one of my motivations to develop this video game, as a simple and useful educational tool.
I have designed Tiflo Baseball to promote a fun and not intimidating way for blind students to practice basic math skills. Also, since learning mathematics requires a concrete way for blind students to touch and understand it, the video game promotes various alternatives tools in the learning process and practice of mathematics by blind students. I recommend the use of any of the following alternatives to complement the video game:
- The use of the Cranmer Abacus to resolve the mathematical exercises during the game.
- The blind student can use a Perkins brailler or a slate and stylus to write the exercises on paper (Nemeth or UEB math), while playing the game.
- The blind student can use the Lego Braille numbers to do the exercises while follows the video game.
- When using a Braille display, the blind student can review the math exercise. To read the math exercise inUEB Math, the screen reader must be configure to Unified English Braille grade 1 as the output Braille table.
Screen reader support
Although Tiflo Baseball is a self voicing game, is compatible with Windows screen reader programs (JAWS, Narrator, NVDA) to provide Braille display support. For practice UEB math, it is important to configure the screen reader Braille output table to Unified English Braille grade 1, so the Braille display can be presented correctly. Also, I recommend using the screen reader in silence mode while the game is playing to avoid hearing sometimes the screen reader and the game play by play voices simultaneously.
Game instructions
Tiflo Baseball features a home run derby competition that consist of up to 10 turns at bat. The game will ask for a basic math exercise of addition, subtraction, multiplication, division or all (randomly). The pitcher will then throw the ball and when the ball reach home plate, the game will stop and the answer screen is presented. if the blind student answers the question correctly, they will hit a home run. If the anser is not correct, then it will be an out.
While in the answer screen, It doesn’t matter if it is in multiple selection mode or write the answer mode, since the game is stop and waiting for an answer, I recommend the blind student use tools such as the abacus, slate and stylus or Perkins Brailler to write the exercises on paper to complement the video game.
The player will have up to 10 turns at bat to complete the home run derby competition. If the player has three outs before the 10 at-bats are up, then the game will end. At the end of the game, a detailed report with the results will be generated in the user default web browser.
Game menus
When Tiflo Baseball starts, the main menu screen will appear with various options that you can select. They are:
Start game
Selecting this option will first take you to the category menu, where you can select between the addition, subtraction, multiply, divide, or all alternatives. Then it will take you to the game level menu where you can choose between units and tens. Then, the game will start.
Language
You can select between English and Spanish language. That means that all of the menus and play by play narration of the game will be in the selected language. If using a Braille display, make sure the screen reader is configure to the correct Braille language output table.
Answer mode
Multiple choice
The blind student must use the arrow keys to navigate and press enter to select the answer from a list of possible answers. Also, the answer screen will show as the first line the exercise, so the blind student can review it. If the blind student wants to end the game from the multiple choice answer screen, just can move to exit and press enter. It is important that blind students can be exposed to multiple choice alternatives. Familiarization with this type of testing using assistive technology, prepares the blind student for future standardized exams, where this format is common.
Write answer
An edit box will appear where the blind student must type the answer and press enter. If the student wants to listen to the mathematical exercise again, they only have to press the enter key with the edit box blank. If the blind student wants to end the game from the write answer screen, can simply type exit and press Enter.
About
A window will appear with information about the current version of the game and its author will be displayed. Tiflo Baseball It has been developed by myself, Dr. José Manolo Álvarez, for the Windows operating system.
Exit
Exit the game.
Program compatibility
Tiflo Baseball is compatible with the following Windows versions:
11/10/8/7 and with both 32 and 64 bit architectures.
Also, Tiflo Baseball does not require installation, since it is a self-executing program, ideal to have it on a portable USB flash drive, and use it on any Windows computer.
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