Screenshot of Sound Search game with 5 animals in the left column and 5 sound symbols in the right column.
Strategy

ObjectiveEd Apps: Part 1

Review of the first two apps: Speed Gesture and Sound Search.

If you have attend a conference in the last year or so, you have probably met Marty Schultz, founder of the Blindfold apps and co-founder of ObjectiveEd. Marty has been actively seeking input from Teachers of the Visually Impaired (TVIs) and Orientation and Mobility Specialists (COMS) as he develops a series of games specifically to address the unique needs of students with visual impairments. ObjectiveEd (OED) combines motivating educational games paired with IEP goals along with powerful performance monitoring and reporting tools that empower TVIs and their students. No wonder there is such a buzz in the VI community about ObjectiveEd! 

In this series, we will dive into the eight games that are currently available in the free version of ObjectiveEd, starting with Part 1, Speed Gesture and Sound Search games. 

General Info About ObjectiveEd Games

General Game Commands

After selecting a game and hearing the directions for that game:

Speed Gesture Game

During this fast-paced game, players learn and practice VoiceOver gestures. A verbal command is given and the player is given a short time to create the correct gesture. If the player creates the correct gesture in the allotted time, he receives points. When 10 correct gestures are produced in a row, a special sound and scoring information is given. 

Speed Gesture Levels

Basic Level

Intermediate Level

The number after the action indicates how many fingers to use (Example: Tap 1 is a one-finger single tap; Tap 2 is a two-finger single tap.)

Advanced Level

After the Intermediate Leve, the game progresses to the advanced levels. The Advanced Level uses the same gestures as the Intermediate levels, but the gameplay is slightly harder.

Note: Each level has an interactive tutorial on how to produce the new gesture(s) in that level.

The video below introduces the Objective Ed app and the Speed Gesture game.

Note about Commands Used

The Twist and Shake commands are movements designed for iPhones, as a phone can easily – and safely – be held in one hand. However, students frequently have school-provided iPads. When using an iPad with students, I typically require my students to keep the iPad on the desk to minimize the risk of dropping the iPad. The Shake command is easy to perform; however, I struggled with the Twist command in this game when using an iPad. Honestly, I was not successful with the Twist command during the game play; although after numerous tries on the tutorial page, I was able to do the Twist one time. (I realize this might be a ‘user error’ problem!) For students to safely hold an iPad during game play requires two-hands. With Speed Gesture, it was awkward to transition from holding the iPad in two hands to perform the Shake and Twist movements and then switch to a one-handed hold for the basic taps and swipes. Caught up in the heat of the game, there is a strong possibility that the student may accidently drop the iPad.

FYI: I was happy to see the often-overlooked Scrub gesture included!

Additional Speed Gesture Goals

While the main goal of the game is to accurately produce VoiceOver gestures, Speed Gesture encourages a number of different goals, including:

Sound Search Game

This is a fun matching game! Draw a line from the object in the left column to the corresponding sound in the right column. Drag your finger down the left side of the screen to find the first object; the object is announce when your finger is on it. Then – without lifting your finger – drag your finger down the sounds in the right column. When you hear the sound that matches the object, lift your finger. The anticipated way to play the game is to start with the name of the object (left column) and drag to the sound (right column); however, it is also possible to start with the sound and then drag to the object in the left column.

Note: Each level of the game has numerous objects and corresponding sounds that appear in random order. Students can repeat the same level and each game will display a unique set of five sounds appearing in random order. Students cannot simply ‘memorize’ the location of the answers!

The first level has one object in the left column and five objects in the right column. The next level has multiple objects in the left column and right column.

Sound Search Levels

The video below demonstrates the Sound Search matching game.

Additional Sound Search Goals

Note: There are an amazing number of sounds to identify; the animal sounds are fairly basic. However, some of the other categories have some unique sounds that a young student may not recognize. This is a great opportunity to teach the process of elimination. When there are five items on the left, the student can match the ones that he knows – which eliminates those answers. (When an correct answer is matched, dragging your finger over that matched sound will activate a chime sound and the speaker symbol will be green, alerting the student that the sound is no longer an option.)

Suggestions for ObjectiveEd

Speed Gesture

Sound Search

General Suggestions

Download the free version ObjectiveEd from the App Store here. Note: You will need to log back into the free version of the game after seven days. To change your password, go to the Teacher Login on the ObjectiveEd’s website.

Summary

These exciting games are motivating and educational! The games are addictive! Students with visual impairments have few options for quality accessible educational games. Students are having a ball playing these amazing games and are learning important skills through game play. Thank you, Marty Schultz, for seeking input from educators, creating exceptional games and for providing the free version for educators to take a sneak peak at ObjectiveEd games.

Stay tuned for a sneak peak at additional ObjectiveEd games!

By Diane Brauner

SHARE THIS ARTICLE
outline image of special eye protection glasses worn when watching a solar eclipse.
Activity

Eclipse Soundscapes and low vision

Flaring sun with a black moon moving in front of the sun in a dark sky.
Article

Solar eclipse and Eclipse Soundscapes app

Cartoon image of a boy raising his hand at a desk with a laptop with headphones and window image of a virtual teacher in the background.
Activity

Zoom and NVDA tutorial videos (and note taking skills)