Teaching Tools:  

This program uses text and animation to teach its lessons. The text is simple and informative while the animations are engaging and enhance the text’s message. It would be nice if they had a game or two because not everyone is interesting in the meat and potatoes of a math problem. Some students would prefer something to break up the monotony of a series of problems. For those who are interested in math presented this way, you’re going to have an excellent time. But, let’s face it, that’s not a majority of the population. The rest of us will have to learn to like it because the information is worth learning.

Homework Help:  

Math Success Deluxe tries to make up for the lack of homework help features within the program by offering free access to Tutor.com, an online homework help organization. However, you’re only given 30 minutes with a professional tutor, which does nothing for the students who are assigned a lot of problems, or need a lot of help. Nobody wants to rush through their problems. They want to take their time, learn how to do each one backwards and forwards and develop an in-depth understanding of the topic as a whole. The amount of information you learn in a rushed 30 minute session would only help for about 30 minutes.

Tack on $10 more to the price and add a special feature to allow students to connect with tutors within the program. If you want to stick with Tutor.com, give the student the option to have a semester or an entire school year free. Grades in Algebra classes across the country would spike if this offer was implemented.

Topics Covered:  

Each program of the algebra section is laid out as if it were a textbook, which helps when it comes to the thoroughness of the program. There is an average of 10 chapters per program, making for a total of a little over 30 chapters. All chapters include a series of lessons, which break down each chapter into manageable sections. More lessons could’ve been offered, but they cover what’s taught in most algebra classes.

Up-to-Datedness:  

Math Success Deluxe does come with a program to download updates, but it doesn’t appear they release any.

Ease of Use/Support:  

Our only objections as far as ease of use go were the long load times starting and closing the program and loading the various lessons and quizzes. Having the same interface for every program didn’t help either.

TOPICS Entertainment’s customer service is excellent. They answered whatever questions we had quickly and in a way we could understand.

Math Success Deluxe is excellent Algebra software for struggling students. Although it doesn’t make the subject entertaining, it’s informative and effective in teaching its lessons.