Webinar: The DysCalculator
Presenters: Gary Sharpe, Philip Schlup, Michael Grawe, Keitha Sharpe
Date: Tuesday, 2nd July 2024
Webinar Recording and Bonus resources
No password required
Webinar recording available here
PPT available here
- DysCalculator homepage: www.dyscalculator.app
- E-Mail: info@dyscalculator.app
- Expression of interest for testing the Android app: https://forms.office.com/r/UCD9PbBiY2
- User feedback: https://forms.office.com/r/wEkUPqRhuV
- FB page: https://www.facebook.com/dyscalculator
- Linkedln page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dyscalculator/
Webinar Overview
The DysCalculator has been developed over many years through working with and observing people with high maths anxiety or dyscalculia. A common early response in educational circles was, “Get them to use a calculator properly; they’re just being lazy.” This attitude is the polar opposite of what is helpful for supporting those who struggle with numbers.
Initial work involved altering calculators to personalise their operation to the needs of individuals. This approach revealed commonalities in what assisted users, leading to the development of the DysCalculator app. It includes additional features to support other neurodiversities and physical challenges.
Dyscalculia affects an estimated 10-12% of the population, hindering their ability to understand numbers and perform basic maths. This impairment presents everyday challenges, from timekeeping and food preparation to banking and financial tasks. Dyscalculia is a developmental condition, posing a lifelong challenge in working with numbers. Many people with dyscalculia also have comorbid neurodiversities, such as dyslexia, which affects a person’s ability to read due to difficulties identifying speech sounds and learning their relationship to letters and words.
Conventional calculators, including physical devices, mobile phone apps, and web tools, don’t cater to the needs of people with dyscalculia, leaving a significant portion of the population at a financial disadvantage.
The DysCalculator is an innovative, customisable tool designed specifically for people with dyscalculia. It combines features to benefit individuals with other neurodiversities and physical challenges.