FAQ and troubleshooting
Answers to the common questions about the MCP server, the dataset and the games, and fixes for the problems people hit most often.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Dyscalculia.io MCP server?
A free, read-only Model Context Protocol server that lets an AI assistant look up the figures on Dyscalculia.io's statistics page: prevalence from population studies, the studies themselves with their sources, how the free screening test is built, and how to cite it. The code is MIT-licensed; the compilation is CC BY 4.0.
Does it test my child or tell me whether they have dyscalculia?
No. It returns published figures and a description of the test, never a result. The free screening test on dyscalculia.io is a screening, not a diagnosis; only a qualified professional can diagnose dyscalculia.
Do I need an account or an API key?
No. The hosted server needs no sign-up, key or credit balance, and all six tools are read-only.
Where do the numbers come from?
From the published studies listed on the statistics page. Each figure carries its data year and a source key, and the server returns both, so an assistant can cite them. Figures we calculated ourselves from a source are marked as ours.
Hosted or local: which should I use?
Use the hosted URL unless you need to work offline or want to inspect the code you run. Both expose the same six tools. The hosted server needs no Node.js and works in ChatGPT and in Claude's custom connectors, which cannot launch a local npx process.
Which AI clients does it work with?
Any client that speaks MCP: Claude (claude.ai, Desktop and Claude Code), ChatGPT through Developer mode connectors, Codex, Cursor, VS Code, Gemini CLI and others. The setup commands for each are on this page, taken from the clients' own documentation.
May I reuse the figures?
The compilation (tables, charts and text) is licensed CC BY 4.0: credit Dyscalculia.io and link the statistics page. Each underlying figure belongs to the source it cites.
Is the code open source?
Yes. The data package and the MCP server are MIT-licensed code in public repositories at github.com/Dyscalculia-io.
Are the statistics free to use in a report or an app?
Yes. The compilation (tables, charts and text) is licensed CC BY 4.0: credit Dyscalculia.io and link the statistics page. Each underlying figure belongs to the source it cites.
How current is the data?
The files are built from the same content as the statistics page, so they match what the site shows. Each figure carries its data year, and the page states when it was last reviewed.
Do the files include the screening test results?
No. The test runs in the browser and its answers stay on the device. The test description file lists the items and the scoring rules, not anyone's answers.
Can I put the number games on my own site?
Yes. Five free practice games can be embedded in six languages. They are practice, not a test: they show no score and no result. See the embed page for the code.
Troubleshooting
The tools do not appear in my client.
Quit the client completely and reopen it; many clients read their MCP configuration only at start-up. Then check the JSON or TOML syntax: a trailing comma or a missing quote silently drops the server. In Claude Code claude mcp list shows whether it is connected, in Cursor the MCP settings page does, and in VS Code the status line above the server in .vscode/mcp.json does.
Opening the MCP address in a browser shows 405.
That is expected. The server accepts only the POST /mcp request MCP clients send. To see that it is running, open https://mcp.dyscalculia.io/health (it answers ok) or run the curl command on this page.
ChatGPT or Claude does not show the custom connector option.
Custom connectors depend on your plan and your organization's settings. In ChatGPT, Developer mode must be on, and on Business, Enterprise, Team and Edu accounts an admin has to allow connectors. Clients rename menus: search their help pages for custom connector to find the current path.
A tool returns an error.
The input was invalid, for example a reference key that does not exist. The error message lists the valid choices; list_studies shows the available studies.
A game does not show on my page.
Some platforms remove <script> tags, for example free plans of some site builders. Use the plain iframe code from the embed page and add the credit line yourself. Notion takes an address only: paste the game address after /embed.