Sonokids is an Australian software company that creates accessible computer and app games for kids who are visually impaired. All of their games follow a group of characters who live in Ballyland (yep, all the characters are balls!) making the games fun, silly and entertaining as well as accessible and educational.
The unique thing about the Ballyland games is that they teach kids who are visually impaired the basic skills they will need to use or interact with technology (think keyboarding or VoiceOver skills), but they do it in a fun and engaging way.
With Sonokids’ Ballyland software, children with vision impairment can play and develop foundation technology skills together with their sighted friends and siblings.
Ballyland empowers children by building these technology skills and helping them become more independent.
Below are the three games available so far (with hopes of more to come):
Ballyland for Windows and Mac: Enables children to explore the computer keyboard independently, with engaging sounds, images, stories and songs and is also switch accessible
Stay Still, Squeaky! iBook: An accessible iBook book that responds to touch with audio feedback, while teaching basic iPad skills
Ballyland Magic App: An educational iPad game that helps children with vision impairment to learn and practice a number of VoiceOver gestures
Ballyland Rotor App: Fun and interactive game to learn the VoiceOver Rotor. In this sequel to Ballyland Magic, Ballicopter, Ballyland’s little red helicopter, goes on an adventure
When a parent is blind, it’s natural for people to wonder how their sighted child will adapt. Will they struggle to understand their parent’s needs? Will they feel burdened by...
Everything from alphabet blocks to raised line coloring pages and activity books to puzzles to card and board games... and so much more! And it's all in braille ready for...
If, like me, you have wondered why it is important for young students to learn about shapes, here are just a few reasons. Teaching shapes in early education provides children...
