This week the Bridge Multimedia/WNET Group’s accessible educational video game, Cyberchase: Duck Dash, received a 2023 Kidscreen “Best Learning App, Branded Content” Award. Kidscreen is the leading business magazine serving the informational needs and interests of children’s entertainment executives. Their annual awards celebrate the year’s top achievements in children’s television and digital media.
Duck Dash Game Screens
Duck Dash, a STEM video game based on the wildly popular Cyberchase franchise was the culmination of a deep collaboration between the WNET Group, PBS KIDS, Bridge, and Relish Studios. According to Dr. Wendy Sapp, Bridge’s Senior Project Director,
We play-tested the game with children with disabilities and worked with the game developers at Relish Studios to ensure that Duck Dash incorporated inclusive features for children with physical and cognitive impairments. Bridge’s goal is to show digital developers how to utilize principles of Universal Design to help make the gaming industry accessible to the 61 million Americans with a disability.
Bridge has a successful history of working with WNET on innovative accessible video games, having previously developed accessibility for the award winning Cyberchase games, Railway Hero and Echo Explorers. Bridge’s accessible gaming initiative began in 2018 with funding support from the U.S. Department of Education’s (ED’s) Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). Bridge CEO Matt Kaplowitz said, “OSEP’s funding really helped us establish the foundation that Bridge is building upon to this day.”