Charting the Cs logo with black and blue text Charting the Cs Conference 2025: To Literacy and Beyond Cooperation Communication Collaboration Monarch Magic April 29, 2025 Kristi Portugue Holly Beckmann Amy Neils •Meet the Monarch •Learn the benefits •Student case studies oearly childhood oelementary ohigh school •What’s next? Learning Objectives The Monarch Monarch braille device What is the Monarch? The Monarch Braille Display is a groundbreaking device designed to make tactile reading more accessible for visually impaired users. Its magical aspects include: •Dynamic multi-line braille •Versatility in content •Innovative technology •Portability •Accessibility features The Why Behind the Monarch - Video In collaboration with the American Printing House (APH), HumanWare developed a revolutionary multiline braille device that renders tactile graphics integrated with braille on a 10-line by 32-cell refreshable display. With access to downloadable digital textbooks and APH’s Tactile Graphics Image Library (TGIL), the Monarch significantly reduces the time to fingertips for users who are blind or have visual impairment. The Monarch is more than a braille display – it’s a graphing calculator, an e-book reader, a brailler, and more! It represents a shift toward an inclusive landscape, breaking down barriers and paving the way for a future where everyone can enjoy equal access to information. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJdMAk-hN3A Mastering the Monarch From left to right: Kristi, Holly, and Amy holding boxes the Monarch comes in while attending the Mastering the Monarch training. 10 lines vs. one line Top view of Monarch with a red outline around the braille display. Top view of Braille Sense with 20-cell braille display outlined in red. Display Comparison with Print The sentence "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy brown dog." is repeated on 10 lines of braille and print. The sentence "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy brown dog." is repeated on 1 line of braille and print. Math Equations math equations sample 1 math equations sample 2 Tactile Images 1.Empowering accessibility through refreshable tactile graphics 2.Navigate and explore images 3.Cost and time effective 4.APH Tactile Graphics Image Library Tactile image of bee on the Monarch screen. A zoomed out image of a bee with more detail showing of the body and part of the wing. Rewrite, Redo, Revise A hand using a pencil to erase. Main Menu Braille Editor: KeyBRF Tactile Viewer Internet Browser: Ecosia (Beta) Word Processor: KeyWord Math: KeyMath File Manager: Files Victor Reader All Applications Other Benefits/Functions: 1.24-hour battery life after only 3-4 hours of charging time 2.Portable visual display connectivity via HDMI for teachers or peers 3.3840 Pins for detailed graphics 4.Infrared sensor 5.Internet access: Ecosia 6.Apps and games like chess Case Study: Early Childhood Student Young blonde girl with her fingers on the keys of the Monarch. Small fingers on the keyboard of the Monarch. Young blonde girl with fingers on the refreshable braille display screen of the Monarch. Case Study: Elementary Student Smiling elementary-age boy with his fingers on the keyboard of the Monarch. The attached monitor shows his display information in braille. Elementary-age boy with his fingers on the bottom corners of the Monarch. The attached monitor shows his display information in print. Elementary-age boy with his fingers on the keyboard of the Monarch. The attached monitor shows his display information of a Monarch butterfly outline and braille sentences below. Case Study: High School Student High school girl with one hand reading braille on the Monarch display and one hand on the editing keys. Hands of a high school student editing a paragraph on the monarch braille display. What’s Next? •Wing It •Monarch Transition and Employment Program (MTEP) •Developing terminal mode •Developing screen reader capabilities •New apps in development Resources https://www.aph.org/meet-monarch/ Video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJdMAk-hN3A Charting the Cs logo with black and blue text Thank you! Amy Neils, aneils@mnscsc.org Holly Beckmann,hbeckmann@mnscsc.org Kristi Portugue,kportugue@mnscsc.org