Impactful solutions and tools that can be used or adapted to improve reading outcomes for children in low-resource contexts
We believe that education in the 21st century must leverage innovation and technology to help children learn to read, complete school and escape poverty.
Over the last 10 years, we have identified and brought to scale the most promising EdTech solutions. These open source and accessible solutions can be adapted, scaled and implemented in programs in regions all over the world.
Browse EdTech solutions and learn how our solutions are developed below–or visit the Solutions Hub now!
Featured Solutions
Education in Emergencies
Sema
Learn letter sounds and how to write letters through fun game-based apps.Antura and the Letters (English)
Learning becomes an adventure with Antura, the fun-loving dog. Catch English letters hidden around the world, while solving puzzles and earning gifts. Available on Android, iOS and Windows.Feed the Monster (50+ languages) – GooglePlay
Kids learn reading and writing fundamentals while collecting and growing their pet monsters in this smartphone-based app, now available in more than 45 languages.
Featured Solutions
Children with Disabilities
Standards for Sign Language Storybooks
Standards to spur the development of high quality sign language storybooks that address the “book gap” and enhance literacy learning for children with disabilities.KitKit School
A tablet-based early learning program, includes a suite of games, books, videos, and art and music tools to support children in developing countries in learning literacy and math skills independently.World Around You
Open source software that enables communities to create literacy content in local and national sign languages to be shared via an open-content digital library of folktales.
Featured Solutions
Digital Libraries
Bloom Library
Bloom Library is a global collection of more than 12,000 free books in more than 500 languages to read, listen to or download and print. USABILITY/STATUS: In Use INNOVATOR: SIL International GEOGRAPHILet’s Read – Digital Library of Children’s Books
An early learning app that aims to teach all children early reading, writing and math.Bloom Library
A global collection of books created with Bloom software. Bloom makes it easy to create simple books and translate them into multiple languages.
Featured Solutions
Book Creation and Publishing Tools
World Around You
Open source software that enables communities to create literacy content in local and national sign languages to be shared via an open-content digital library of folktales.Bloom
Bloom software makes it easy to create children's books and translate them into multiple languages, or create accessible and sign language books.iLoominate Storybook App
Use this free, open-source app to write children's books, draw images and print stories while offline.
Looking for more?
Try these
OpenEMIS
An open-source solution, available online and offline, that tracks the delivery of items to schools using a web interface, a mobile app and SMS technologies.Bookshare
Benetech is an online library of accessible content for people with print disabilities.3asafeer
Smartphone app offering free reading content and premium services to schools that include tracking and analytics, lesson plans, and interactive exercises.
A Sandbox for Innovation
How Solutions Are Developed
For over a decade, ACR GCD has catalyzed innovation by assuming the risks of research and development to support and strengthen innovators developing EdTech solutions and tools.
As one of the 10 Grand Challenges for Development, our mission is rooted in sourcing new solutions, testing new ideas and scaling what works. Through a series of competitions, ACR GCD invests in the most promising edTech innovations and approaches to address gaps and barriers to child literacy, partners with leading education researchers to measure the impact of those innovations, and advances innovations with the greatest potential to improve reading outcomes for children in low-resource contexts.
To learn about our past competitions, visit our Competitions webpage–or learn about our active competitions below.
Active Challenges
Begin With Books
Creation of early grade reading books in underserved spoken and signed languages.Ready2Read Challenge
EdTech solutions to support foundational language and literacy skills in children ages 4 to 6.UnrestrICTed Challenge
ICT for education solutions grounded in Universal Design for Learning to improve literacy for children with disabilities.
