Bridge Multimedia, WNET, and the U.S. Department of Education, have partnered again to create a new Cyberchase video game called Echo Explorers. It is available to play, for free, on the PBS KIDS website. It can also be played on tablets and mobile devices. Echo Explorers is “Born Accessible,” which means it was specifically designed to incorporate accessibility features for children with physical and cognitive impairments.
The accessibility is incorporated into the design and visuals of Echo Explorers, with high-contrast options as well as easily readable text sizes and fonts. Players also have the option of customizing the difficulty-level of the game. Keyboard, mouse, or eye-tracking technology can be used to navigate the game. Captioning is also included.
According to Steve Noble, Mathematics and Science Specialist for Bridge, “Children with and without disabilities can play the game together. So, a sighted sister can play with her blind brother and both can enjoy the game. One player can change the settings at any point to maximize accessibility, and the next player can simply change them back to suit their individual needs.”
Bridge is thrilled to be continuing our accessible gaming initiative and look forward to further broadening our efforts in this field in 2021.