FirstSteps teaches VoiceOver gestures and concepts to children ages 3 – 8 that are blind or low vision.

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Technology is used every day and everywhere! Technology enhances our lives, educates us, keeps us informed, entertains us and connects us. Technology is for everyone – from toddlers to teens to adults to senior citizens.

 

There are toddlers and preschoolers everywhere with vision who are interacting with smart phones and devices to access educational songs, games and videos. These sighted youngsters are entering kindergarten with strong, independent tech skills.

 

What tech skills do our toddlers and preschoolers who are blind or low vision have? Are these visually impaired children entering kindergarten with the same tech skills as their peers and are they ready to use tech in the classroom to access education materials?

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FirstSteps levels the playing field for children who are blind or low vision so that they can enter kindergarten with the same technology skills as their sighted peers.

Using age-appropriate educational content, children are systematically introduced to technology skills and VoiceOver gestures. This series of highly motivating games guides the child step-by-step through each skill, using age-appropriate content. It's best for children ages 8 and under who benefit from using a screen reader. 

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FirstSteps is comprised of two apps: The Teaching Tool (with interactive lessons), and the Games.

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Before playing a game, the skill (gesture or tech concept) is introduced and explained in the Teaching Tool. Educators/parents can choose the desired skill and can learn more about that skill by reading the Help document along with watching the associated, quick video tutorial.

 

Each skill has at least one interactive lesson. It is strongly suggested that the adult read through the Help section to better understand the gesture or concept and how to teach it. The child, with assistance if needed, should use the gamified interactive teaching tool lesson(s) before applying the skill to the corresponding game.

The games are designed to be a fun way to apply what was learned in the interactive Teaching Tool lessons; the games do NOT teach the skill and do not provide the hints and feedback based on what the student did. 

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Not every skill has an associated game. For example, the drag gesture is the first skill and is incorporated into many of the games but drag does not have a game specifically designated to be played after learning the drag gesture. Why? The games require additional gestures or concepts in addition to the drag gesture. For example: The Fresh Catch game requires the drag gesture and the split tap gesture, along with the concepts of spatial awareness and “same and different”.

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The content in each game intentionally incorporates age-appropriate educational concepts. An example is the Fresh Catch game incorporates the ‘same and different’ concept.

Some children may spend months exploring and using one finger gestures while other students may race through the first lessons and are ready to spend more time with the other skills. 

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The teacher or parent can decide to adapt the order of the skills to best meet the child’s needs. The games are not age-specific, but rather based on the individual’s readiness. Do not skip lessons – the concepts are critical! Only skip a lesson if the child cannot physically make that gesture or is not ready for a specific concept. If the child is already familiar and independent with the initial gestures and concepts, it is better to move rapidly through the lessons – in order – before moving on to unfamiliar gestures and concepts. Confirm that the child knows all the skills – specifically the concepts – taught in each lesson!

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Several of the games are designed to be played initially with the drag and split tap gestures. Later games will introduce the swipe and double tap gestures. The child will use the drag gesture to explore the screen, build foundational spatial awareness and mental mapping skills before moving to the swipe and double tap gestures.

 

If the child jumps to the actual games, before going through the Teaching Tool lessons, the child may be able to successfully play the games with swipe gestures but has missed critical concepts such as spatial awareness and mental mapping. Since these concepts build, if the child does not first learn spatial awareness, then that child will struggle with more complex tech skills.

 

Example: Children who skip spatial awareness and dragging in a straight line, may not struggle with the layout of a digital grid and how to navigate a digital grid.