:Inclusive Numeracy: A Kalimani-Enabled Teacher Model, Strengthening Foundational Numeracy Through Sign-Supported Inclusive Pedagogy in Kenya and Tanzania.

Inclusive Numeracy: A Kalimani-Enabled Teacher Model, Strengthening Foundational Numeracy Through Sign-Supported Inclusive Pedagogy in Kenya and Tanzania.

A two-country pilot evaluating sign-supported instruction, delivered through the Kalimani App and complemented by inclusive teacher professional development, to improve foundational numeracy among deaf and hard-of-hearing learners in Grades 2 and 3 attending mainstream schools in Kenya and Tanzania.


The pilot is implemented by The Jenga Hub in Tanzania and The Action Foundation in Kenya, with cross-country evaluation led by eBASE Africa under the Daara 2.0 Innovation Fund.

Nine out of ten children in sub-Saharan Africa cannot read with comprehension by the age of ten. For deaf and hard-of-hearing learners, the numeracy gap is even wider, because so much of early mathematics teaching depends on spoken explanation, and so few teachers have the tools to make abstract concepts visible through sign language and visual content. The Kalimani Inclusive Numeracy Pilot is one African-led response, tested across Kenya and Tanzania.

The Challenge

Across Kenya and Tanzania, governments have made significant commitments to inclusive education. Yet many deaf and hard-of-hearing learners continue to encounter barriers to learning in mainstream classrooms. While teachers are expected to deliver inclusive instruction, many have limited access to practical training, sign-supported teaching strategies, and accessible learning resources. These challenges are particularly evident in foundational numeracy, where abstract mathematical concepts often rely heavily on spoken explanations. Closing this gap requires practical solutions that strengthen classroom practice while building on existing education systems.

Our Approach

The project brings together digital innovation, inclusive pedagogy, and evidence generation through three complementary components:

  • Sign-supported digital learning: The Kalimani App provides visual, sign-supported numeracy content aligned with the curricula of Kenya and Tanzania.
  • Teacher professional development: Teachers receive practical training and ongoing support to integrate inclusive teaching strategies and sign-supported instruction into everyday mathematics lessons.
  • Learning through evidence: eBASE Africa is evaluating the pilot across both countries to understand how the approach influences teacher practice, learner participation, and foundational numeracy, while identifying lessons to inform future scale-up.

Why Kalimani?

The Kalimani App was designed to make learning more accessible for deaf and hard-of-hearing learners through interactive, visual instruction.

Key features include:

  • Curriculum-aligned numeracy lessons
  • Kenyan and Tanzanian Sign Language support
  • Interactive visual learning activities
  • Offline functionality for low-connectivity environments
  • Teacher support tools and formative assessment features

By combining digital learning with teacher support, the project aims to make inclusive teaching practical within everyday classrooms.

Expected Outcomes

The pilot seeks to:

  • Strengthen teachers’ capacity to deliver inclusive numeracy instruction.
  • Improve participation and engagement among deaf and hard-of-hearing learners.
  • Generate evidence on the feasibility and effectiveness of sign-supported digital learning.
  • Inform government efforts to strengthen inclusive education systems in Kenya and Tanzania.