A Historic Leap: Monarch Gains Multiline Screen Reader Support and Premieres First Public eBraille Book

The latest Monarch update marks a defining moment in the evolution of braille technology. For the first time ever, mainstream screen readers—JAWS and NVDA—now support multiline braille output on Windows through the Monarch. This isn’t just a technical milestone—it’s the gateway to a richer, more intuitive digital experience for braille users across the world. 

A New Era of Multiline Screen Reader Support 

Traditional screen readers have long been designed around one-line braille displays. But that model limits how much information a user can absorb at once—think of reading a web page or navigating an app one tiny sliver at a time. Now, imagine being able to see entire blocks of content—menus, forms, math problems, tables or multi-paragraph text—all at once. That’s the power of multiline braille. 

With this update, Monarch users can connect their device to a Windows computer and experience multiline braille feedback in real time from JAWS (currently in beta), or NVDA. Web browsing, document editing, and even navigating spreadsheets are dramatically transformed. Information is laid out spatially rather than sequentially. APH continues collaboration with all screen reader providers to ensure everyone has access to a multiline braille experience.  

This support also opens the door for more accessible and efficient work in fields like software development. Coding is a task where spatial layout matters—indents, brackets, and structure all carry meaning. With multiline braille on the Monarch, blind developers can now read and navigate entire blocks of code more naturally, seeing the shape of a function or the flow of a loop without scrolling line by line. This shift transforms programming from a tedious, linear task into a tactile experience with code that is structured, scannable, and dynamic. 

Treasure Island Sets Sail: The First Public eBraille Title 

To celebrate this evolution in braille access, the Monarch now comes preloaded with a groundbreaking gem: Treasure Island, the first-ever public release in the new eBraille format. 

eBraille is a reimagining of how digital braille documents are structured. Unlike static BRF files, eBraille offers rich semantics, support for navigation, and adaptive display on devices like the Monarch. Think of it as the EPUB of braille—lightweight, versatile, and future-ready. 

What better way to debut this than with Treasure Island, a swashbuckling classic? Readers can now enjoy the story with dynamic formatting, imbedded tactile graphics, and structured navigation. It’s not just a book—it’s a demonstration of what modern digital braille can feel like: smooth, responsive, and elegant. 

It also includes an interactive tactile graphic of the famous “X marks the spot” map from Treasure Island! 

More in the Release (Quick Highlights) 

• A new One-Handed mode enables those with use of one hand to operate the Monarch 
• Bug fixes and stability improvements mean smoother day-to-day use. 
• Updated braille translation tables ensure accuracy across more languages and subjects. 

Looking Ahead 

With mainstream screen reader support and the first public eBraille book now available, the Monarch isn’t just a braille display—it’s a platform. A platform for accessible reading, writing, learning, and creating in ways that were never before possible. 

For more information about software update 1.3, you can find the release notes on the Monarch product page under Manuals & Downloads.