Scenes from the newly launched games. (Source: Arka)

YEREVAN (Arka) — ArmenTel telecom (trading as Beeline) and the Child Development Foundation (CDF) have announced today the launch of two Armenian-language mobile gaming applications, designed to boost the intellectual development of school students and help children with disabilities.

According to an ArmenTel press release, the gaming applications have been created as part of a joint project called Knowledge for Prosperity. They have been available for free in the Google Store since February 2016.

The first application called “Our Day” is the first Armenian-language learning app, designed primarily for children with disabilities. Its main characters are introduced every day to new objects around them, learn their names and colors, etc. This game also contributes to the development of speech abilities of children and their cognitive skills. The app will be useful also for professionals who work with preschool age children.

The second application called “Let’s think” is designed for school students. It helps them develop their logical and critical thinking. It has different levels of difficulty and the questions and tasks develop their outlook and improve their overall education level.

“This project is very helpful for parents, educators and children themselves. The latter get professional help and improve their skills. It is very important that the applications are available to all. The learning process conducted in the form of a game makes it easier and enjoyable,” ArmenTel CEO Andrey Pyatakhin said.

Child Development Foundation head Lusine Simonyan, in turn, noted that special techniques for teaching children with disabilities are becoming widely available thanks to new technologies and devices.

“Parents and teachers can gather a lot of useful tips from the applications. As for children, they traditionally take great interest in this type of learning,” she said.

Beeline and the Child Development Foundation have been implementing joint social programs since 2011. Together they established the inclusive children’s theater troupe “We” and conducted also art therapy courses that help these children integrate into society.

Last year they launched a new hotline -0-8000-1007, designed for parents seeking professional consultation, information or advice concerning their children. The initiative is supposed to improve protection of children’s rights through the provision of information and prompt response.

ArmenTel, owned by VimpelCom provides fixed and mobile telephony services, high-speed Internet and IPTV.

The Child Development Foundation (CDF) was established in September 2009. Before that, since 2002 the Foundation operated as a Child Development Centre (CDC) within World Vision Armenia’s Inclusive Education Project.

Today, the CDF contributes to the protection of child rights, promotes children’s healthy development and inclusion of vulnerable groups into society. The Foundation actively provides professional services to support vulnerable children and their families, and works to enrich the methodology by developing various useful resources for parents, children, specialists and educators working with children.