Release Date: Wednesday – April 1, 2026
Archive, Bios, Description, and Transcripts for Episode 152: New Opportunities for Job Success for Workers who are Blind: The Monarch Rise Project
Disclaimer: Accessibility cannot be guaranteed for external websites. The Southeast ADA Center provides these resources as a courtesy and does not endorse, take responsibility for, exercise control of the organization, or monitor its website content.
Contents
- About Monarch RISE
- More Resources from American Printing House for the Blind (APH)
- National Research and Training Center on Blindness and Low Vision Resources
- ADA Live Podcasts and Resources on Employment and the ADA
- More Employment Resources for Blind or Low Vision
- More Education Resources for Blind or Low Vision
- Disability Employment Statistics
About Monarch RISE
For more information, contact:
Email Erin Sigmund: esigmund@aph.org
Phone: 502-515-9128
Web: aph.org/meet-monarch/rise/
Facebook: facebook.com/AmericanPrintingHouse
Monarch RISE and Monarch Student Pilot Project (MSPP) Applications:
Application Deadline: April 15, 2026, at 11:59 PM Eastern Time.
MSPP is accepting nominations for students entering 1st through 12th grade in Fall 2026.
Apply for the Monarch Student Pilot Project here
- Meet Monarch
A multiline braille device that renders tactile graphics integrated with braille on a 10-line by 32-cell refreshable braille display. It’s also a graphing calculator, a library, a brailler, and more.
Web: aph.org/meet-monarch - Monarch RISE Project
Monarch RISE is accepting new applications from college students, individuals who have just started in their career field (2 or fewer years), and individuals who are underemployed. If you are seeking competitive integrated employment by September 2028 – Apply for the Monarch RISE Project here.
Web: aph.org/meet-monarch/rise - Monarch Student Pilot Project (MSPP)
This project expands student access to cutting-edge refreshable braille technology. Select students across the U.S. and its territories who are blind or low vision use the Monarch to empower them to lead their own education journeys.
Web: bit.ly/3RbN1vm - First Year Summary of MSPP (DOCX)
Web: media.aph.org/app/uploads/2025/11/First-Year-Summary-of-MSPP.docx - One Year Later: Celebrating Year One of Monarch RISE
Web: aph.org/blog/one-year-later-celebrating-year-one-of-monarch-rise - Monarch is Making a Difference: Kristina Vannoy’s Story
Source: American Printing House (APH)
Web: aph.org/blog/monarch-is-making-a-difference-kristina-vannoys-story
More Resources from American Printing House for the Blind (APH)
- APH Hive
A variety of free online courses for professionals to increase their ability to respond to the needs of students with visual impairments. These courses can also be taken by parents, students, and consumers.
Web: aphhive.org - APH Career Connect Center
Web: aphconnectcenter.org/careerconnect - APH Career Connect Job Seekers Toolkit
https://aphconnectcenter.org/careerconnect/job-seekers/job-seekers-toolkit/ - APH Educational Resources
Web: aph.org/educational-resources - APH Connect Center
Web: aphconnectcenter.org - APH Accessible Textbooks
Web: aph.org/educational-resources/accessible-textbooks - APH Louis Database of Accessible Materials
Web: louis.aph.org/# - APH Library: Three Unique Collections
Web: aph.org/blog/aph-library-three-unique-collections - APH Large Print Guidelines
Web: aph.org/resources/large-print-guidelines
National Research and Training Center on Blindness and Low Vision Resources
- About National Research and Training Center (NRTC) on Blindness and Low Vision
Located at Mississippi State University, this center enhances employment and independent living outcomes for individuals who are blind or have low vision through research, training, education, and sharing information.
Web: blind.msstate.edu/about - NTRC Employment Resources
Web: blind.msstate.edu/our-products/employment-resources - NTRC Resources for Businesses (Employers)
Web: blind.msstate.edu/our-products/resources-for-businesses - NTRC Training Resources
Web: blind.msstate.edu/training - NTRC Resources for Professionals
Web: blind.msstate.edu/our-products/professional-resources - NTRC Braille Resources
Web: blind.msstate.edu/our-products/braille-resources - NTRC Transportation Resources
Web: blind.msstate.edu/our-products/transportation-resources - NTRC Current Research
Web: blind.msstate.edu/research/current
ADA Live Podcasts and Resources on Employment and the ADA
You can access all ADA Live! episodes with archived audio, accessible transcripts, and resources at ADAlive.org. Most episode transcripts are also available in Spanish. (Transcripciones de los episodios en español.) Listen on the SoundCloud ADA Live! channel at soundcloud.com/adalive.
- Episode 146: In Celebration of National Disability Employment Awareness Month: Transforming Disability Employment Services in Rhode Island | Episode 146 Resources
Podcast: adalive.org/episodes/episode-146
Resources: adalive.org/resources/episode-146-resources - Episode 130: RETAIN Kentucky Helps Employees Stay at Work or Return to Work | Episode 130 Resources
Podcast: adalive.org/episodes/episode-130
Resources: adalive.org/resources/episode-130-resources - Episode 129: Employment Discrimination and the ADA: Insights from the EEOC | Episode 129 Resources
Podcast: adalive.org/episodes/episode-129
Resources: adalive.org/resources/episode-129-resources - Episode 125: Applying the ADA’s Integration Mandate and Olmstead v. L.C. to Sheltered Employment and Day Services for People with Disabilities | Episode 125 Resources
Podcast: adalive.org/episodes/episode-125
Resources: adalive.org/resources/episode-125-resources - Episode 120 Resources: Federal Government Schedule A Program and Hiring Workers with Disabilities | Episode 120 Resources
Podcast: adalive.org/episodes/episode-120
Resources: adalive.org/resources/episode-120-resources - Episode 112: A Successful Path to Employment with the Innovative Supports for Autistic Workers (ISAW) Project | Episode 112 Resources
Podcast: adalive.org/episodes/episode-112
Resources: adalive.org/resources/episode-112-resources - Episode 111: Supporting Our Veterans: Tips for Job Seekers and Returning Workers | Episode 111 Resources
Podcast: adalive.org/episodes/episode-111
Resources: adalive.org/resources/episode-111-resources - Episode 110: Ensuring Equity in Employment: A Celebration of National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) | Episode 110 Resources
Podcast: adalive.org/episodes/episode-110
Resources: adalive.org/resources/episode-110-resources - Episode 109: Workplace Accommodations and the ADA | Episode 109 Resources
Podcast: adalive.org/episodes/episode-109
Resources: adalive.org/resources/episode-109-resources - Episode 104: Employment, ADA, and Post-COVID Health | Episode 104 Resources
Podcast: adalive.org/episodes/episode-104
Resources: adalive.org/resources/episode-104-resources - Episode 102: Improving Employment Outcomes for People with Disabilities | Episode 102 Resources
Podcast: adalive.org/episodes/episode-102
Resources: adalive.org/resources/episode-102-resources - Episode 99: Honoring Our Veterans – Services and Support for Veterans and Their Families | Episode 99 Resources
Podcast: adalive.org/episodes/episode-99
Resources: adalive.org/resources/episode-99-resources - Episode 86: Celebrating 100 Years of Vocational Rehabilitation with Commissioner Schultz | Episode 86 Resources
Podcast: adalive.org/episodes/episode-86
Resources: adalive.org/resources/episode-86-resources - Episode 73: Do You Want a Job or a Career? Reflections on National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) | Episode 73: Resources
Podcast: adalive.org/episodes/episode-73
Resources: adalive.org/resources/episode-73-resources - Episode 61: Employment First and the ADA: Working Together | Episode 61 Resources
Podcast: adalive.org/episodes/episode-61
Resources: adalive.org/resources/episode-61-resources - Episode 49: The Process of Customized Employment | Episode 49 Resources
Podcast: adalive.org/episodes/episode-49
Resources: adalive.org/resources/episode-49-resources
More Employment Resources for Blind or Low Vision
- Employment Initiatives and Research
Source: American Foundation for the Blind (AFB)
Web: afb.org/research-and-initiatives/employment - Digital Accessibility Internships
Source: American Foundation for the Blind (AFB)
Web: afb.org/internships - Career Readiness Resources
Source: Perkins School for the Blind
Web: perkins.org/resources-stories/career-readiness - Customized Employment Resources
Source: Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP)
Web: dol.gov/agencies/odep/program-areas/cie/customized-employment - Helen Keller National Center
Source: Helen Keller National Center
Web: helenkellerintl.org
More Education Resources for Blind or Low Vision
- BARD: Braille and Audio Reading Download
Downloadable books and magazines. Eligible readers will need to create an account to use this free service.
Source: National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled
Web: nlsbard.loc.gov/nlsbardprod/login/NLS - Education Initiatives, Toolkits and More Information
Source: American Foundation for the Blind (AFB)
Web: afb.org/research-and-initiatives/education - Accessible Education Resources
Source: American Foundation for the Blind (AFB)
Web: afb.org/blog/entry/accessible-education-resources - Resources for Parents and Teachers of Blind and Visually Impaired Children
Source: American Council of the Blind (ACB)
Web: acb.org/resources-parents-and-teachers-blind-and-visually-impaired-children - Perkins School for the Blind
Web: perkins.org - Ten Important Websites for Educators and Parents of Students with Visual Impairment
Source: Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
Web: tsbvi.edu/tx-senseabilities/issues/summer-2017/ten-important-websites-for-educators-and-parents-of-students-with-visual-impairment - Accessibility Resources for Creating Educational Materials
Source: National Clearinghouse of Rehabilitation Training Materials (NCRTM)
Web: ncrtm.ed.gov/accessibility-resources
Disability Employment Statistics
- The Unemployment Rate for People with Visual Impairment: Debunking the Myth [PDF]
This data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the National Research and Training Center on Blindness and Low Vision reveals an overall 24 percent gap in employment.
Web: bit.ly/4rFq2cB - Reviewing the Disability Employment Research on People who are Blind or Visually Impaired: Key Takeaways
Source: American Foundation for the Blind (AFB)
Web: afb.org/research-and-initiatives/employment/reviewing-disability-employment-research-people-blind-visually