The TouchMath Story
50 years of Explict, Multisensory Math
1975-1979: TouchMath Is Founded
Janet Bullock, with three colleagues, outlined the sequences that developed into the TouchMath methodology, starting with simple counting and number recognition activities. Students learned to count dots on paper or match objects (like buttons or beans) to help them recognize numbers and understand quantity.
1980-1989: TouchMath Begins to Grow
After four years, Janet left her teaching job to run TouchMath full-time, starting in a spare bedroom in her home. It quickly expanded to two bedrooms and the garage before she rented a building in Manitou Springs in 1982 for her five employees. Using her retirement funds and working second jobs with co-founder Libby Yaple, they kept the company afloat. By the late 1980s, TouchMath became profitable!
1990-1999: Jack Riley Impacts TouchMath
TouchMath experienced rapid growth in the 1990s under the leadership of Jack Riley, who brought a wealth of experience in business, finance, and marketing. As CEO from 1989 until his passing in 2004, he played a pivotal role in the company’s expansion.
2000-2009: New Product Offerings Released
TouchMath consistently expanded its product offerings, supported by an increasing body of independent primary and secondary research that validates the fundamental principles of the TouchMath solution. The research pointed to a common conclusion: TouchMath’s multisensory approach and sequential strategy significantly enhances students' understanding and mastery of mathematics.
2010-2012: The Great Recession Occurs
TouchMath faced significant challenges following the Great Recession. Despite these hardships, Janet and her team were resilient in their efforts to provide accessible resources to students and teachers.
2013-2020: Digital Products Are Introduced
In response to the evolving demands of students to master technology, TouchMath focused on enhancing curriculum by developing innovative digital products and apps. TouchMath’s applications seamlessly integrated essential skills, such as counting, addition, subtraction, and other arithmetic concepts to deliver engaging and effective learning experiences for students.
2021: TouchMath Creates Its First Digital Intervention Solution
TouchMath created its first digital, personalized learning tool, aimed at supporting both General Education and Special Education students through flexible learning options. This adaptive tool employed TouchMath's multisensory approach, enabling students to learn at their own pace with materials available in both English and Spanish.
2022: New Digital Teacher Resources Are Rolled Out
TouchMath’s digital offering featured downloadable teacher resources, effective progress monitoring tools, and comprehensive reporting for administrators, teachers, caregivers, and students. These enhancements empowered educators to make data-driven decisions that effectively addressed their students' needs.
2023: Free-To-Use Dyscalculia Screener Is Released
TouchMath funded the development and launch of DySc, a fully-subsidized dyscalculia screener to ensure that educational teams, teachers, and caregivers have access to a no-cost screening solution aligned with DSM-TR-5.
2024: New Curriculum Enhancements Are Launched
TouchMath launched two innovative curriculum enhancements: the Dyscalculia Extension and TouchMath Extend. The Dyscalculia Extension provides targeted activities to assist students with dyscalculia, and TouchMath Extend is tailored to enhance learning during extended school year programs, summer school, and other enriched educational opportunities. Additionally for the 2024-25 school year, an enhanced MyTouchMath Digital Classroom will launch. It will include the new TouchMath Game Center and an improved experience for TouchMath Connect.
2025: TouchMath Acquires Classworks
The integration of Classworks and TouchMath presents a comprehensive suite of products that address the broad needs of special education and tiered intervention.
