Expanding the Monarch’s Impact with the Monarch Student Pilot Program

In September, APH launched the Monarch, a first-of-its-kind 10-line by 32-cell refreshable display that renders braille and tactile graphics on the same surface. A robust suite of apps including a book reader to a tactile graphing calculator, facilitate a wide world of learning. To discover all the ways in which it can positively impact inclusive education, we created the Monarch Student Pilot Program (MSPP), an initiative that allows us to observe how the device can influence students’ academic outcomes. 

APH accepted over 100 students in 6th-11th grade from 48 states and territories to participate in the MSPP. The students received their Monarchs by the end of September. As the program progresses, teachers will provide feedback on their students’ experiences with the Monarch, classroom engagement, as well as their own unique perspective. . 

Student Excitement 

The students selected for the program are ecstatic to take part and use the Monarch in school. One said, “I’m very excited to try out my first multi-line braille display, and the possibilities offered by this functionality.” Another student agreed and said, “The immediately accessible tactile representation of the graph will help me keep up with my classmates much easier. I also am excited to read for fun on the multi-line display.” 

Other students shared what they wish to gain from utilizing the Monarch. “I hope to be able to do more work with more accuracy,” explained one student. “This means a lot to get into this program, and I hope this will help in the future.” A second student added their long-term goal for working with the Monarch. They said, “I hope to learn new things and to gain more confidence in my skills, and I hope to be able to share this device with others around me.” 

MSPP and eBraille 

MSPP participants will be among the first to have access to eBraille, a new braille file standard that allows users to read textbooks containing both braille and tactile graphics digitally on the Monarch. This will ensure students who are blind or low vision have the same materials as their peers in a timely manner and that their textbooks will be in a more portable format.  

One 11th grader explained that their textbook for Accounting 1 is not available in braille. They said, “My TVI has reached out to five companies to get it done as soon as possible, and none of them will adapt the book right now. This has impacted me by making my para have to adapt many of the book pages verbatim as they are accounting spreadsheet snapshots that we use in class.”  

Another high school student mentioned that their sighted peers have a math ebook while they have a physical copy that is 33 volumes. Their peers can do their homework at any time, anywhere while this student has to keep their textbook at school. “I must do my math homework only in my allotted class time or study hall periods,” they explained. “This means I have much less time to complete assignments and can’t even start working on them until the next day when I have my study hall after they are assigned.” With the Monarch, students and teachers will not need to constantly advocate for and adapt materials into a different format. Learning will continue uninterrupted, moving at the same pace as everyone in the classroom. 

We look forward to seeing the Monarch soar as students in the program become more successful in school. If you have a Monarch or are supporting a student with a Monarch, join the Monarch Users Facebook group to connect with others, learn more about the device, find resources, share ideas, and more.