UAbacus

Name: UAbacus
Author: University of Arizona

University of Arizona

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Published in academic literature

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App Summary

UAbacus is a digital training tool that helps learners, including those with visual impairments, practice abacus computation and enables sighted supporters to assist them. The associated research, a systematic review on assistive technology, concludes that accessible smartphone-based applications are a convenient and affordable way to enhance mathematical learning for people with visual impairments. By providing a supportive digital environment for practice with immediate feedback, the app aims to improve the quality of mathematical learning for abacus users.

App Screenshots

Detailed Description

Functionality & Mechanism

UAbacus is a digital training tool designed to deliver pedagogical content on abacus computation for addition and subtraction, leveraging the "logic method" for the Cranmer abacus. The interface provides step-by-step procedural guidance for problem-solving, allowing learners to receive assistance or verify answers. A parallel mode enables sighted instructors or assistants to track and support a user's progress on a physical abacus by mirroring the required computational steps, facilitating guided practice and verification.

Evidence & Research Context

The app's design aligns with established principles for assistive technology in mathematics education for individuals with visual impairments.

Associated research identifies significant challenges in mathematical learning for visually impaired individuals, underscoring the need for accessible technology-based solutions.
A systematic review of the field notes that effective digital solutions often integrate features like interactive feedback to enhance skill acquisition.
The authors of the review suggest that smartphone-based applications represent a convenient and affordable modality for delivering mathematical learning content to this population.

Intended Use & Scope

This system is intended for individuals learning the Cranmer abacus, including students with visual impairments, and for educators or support personnel facilitating their instruction. Its primary utility is as a supplementary practice tool for foundational arithmetic. UAbacus is not a formal assessment instrument and is designed to augment, not replace, structured pedagogical methods and direct instruction.

Studies & Publications

1 publication

Peer-reviewed research associated with this app.

Non-Evaluative Reference

Assistive technology-based solutions in learning mathematics for visually-impaired people: exploring issues, challenges and opportunities

Shoaib et al. (2023) · Multimedia Tools and Applications

Research evidence supports that audio feedback, tactile displays, and accessible math apps improve mathematical learning.

In the absence of vision, visually impaired and blind people rely upon the tactile sense and hearing to obtain information about their surrounding environment. These senses cannot fully compensate for the absence of vision, so visually impaired and blind people experience difficulty with many tasks, including learning. This is particularly true of mathematical learning. Nowadays, technology provides many effective and affordable solutions to help visually impaired and blind people acquire mathematical skills. This paper is based upon a systematic review of technology-based mathematical learning solutions for visually impaired people and discusses the findings and objectives for technological improvements. It analyses the issues, challenges and limitations of existing techniques. We note that audio feedback, tactile displays, a supportive academic environment, digital textbooks and other forms of accessible math applications improve the quality of learning mathematics in visually impaired and blind people. Based on these findings, it is suggested that smartphone-based solutions could be more convenient and affordable than desktop/laptop-based solutions as a means to enhance mathematical learning. Additionally, future research directions are discussed, which may assist researchers to propose further solutions that will improve the quality of life for visually impaired and blind people.

In the Media

Available Technologies

Tech Launch Arizona at the University of Arizona developed UAbacus, an educational app that teaches the "logic method" for abacus computation using a Cranmer abacus for addition and subtraction. The app helps learners practice computation skills with step-by-step assistance when they become stuck and verification of correct answers. Users who don't know abacus computation can support individuals who are abacus users by following the problem-solving steps, making the app available on iTunes.

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