LOUISVILLE, KY / AGILITYPR.NEWS / March 10, 2026 / Partnership with The WNET Group and Bridge Multimedia Expands Access and Accessibility for Gamers

First-ever accessible gaming app for all abilities represents inclusivity in gaming field.

Louisville, KY (March 10, 2026) – American Printing House for the Blind (APH), The WNET Group and Bridge Multimedia are pleased to announce a partnership that expands access and accessibility for the award-winning PBS KIDS Cyberchase game, Echo Explorers. With this partnership, the game can now be played on APH’s Monarch - a groundbreaking multiline braille device that renders tactile graphics integrated with braille. Access to the game in braille opens the world of gaming to children who are blind or low vision. Echo Explorers is also currently available on the PBS KIDS website and the PBS KIDS Games app. Download Cyberchase: Echo Explorers for the Monarch.

“Many sighted children learn through educational games, but students who are blind or low vision often lack equal access,” said Greg Stilson, APH Vice President of Digital Transformation. “With this partnership, students who are blind or low vision can play the PBS KIDS Cyberchase game, Echo Explorers, on the Monarch using braille and tactile graphics alongside sighted peers playing on tablets or computers. This shared experience fosters inclusion, socialization, and learning through play.”

In the award-winning Echo Explorers game, players must use echolocation, as well as their mapping and coordinates skills, to help free bats that are trapped in a cave. Players explore the math concepts of directionality, spatial sense, navigating a coordinate grid, and the science concepts of pollination and echolocation.

Echo Explorers is part of a collection of “born accessible” digital learning games developed by The WNET Group in partnership with Bridge Multimedia for the Emmy-winning PBS KIDS math and environmental adventure series, Cyberchase. The game gives children ages 6 to 8 a playful introduction to math and science concepts and was designed with accessibility features and universal design practices to support players with a wide range of physical and cognitive abilities and disabilities.

“This exciting new collaboration continues Cyberchase's efforts to create accessible games,” said Sandra Sheppard, Executive Producer of Cyberchase and Director of Kids’ Media and Education at The WNET Group. “It helps us further our mission of engaging a wide range of children in math and STEM learning through fun, high-quality media.”

“True inclusion means all children can learn and play together, no matter their abilities,” said Wendy Sapp, Project Director, Bridge Multimedia. “By making games accessible to blind and low vision students, we’re breaking down barriers and building a more connected, understanding community through shared experiences.”

The game can be played on the upcoming Echo Explorers app, which will be available on Monarch. Games and apps like Echo Explorer are available on Monarch's KeyUpdater app, where users can select individual apps they want to download, just like an app store.

About the APH Monarch

The Monarch is a revolutionary multiline braille device developed by the American Printing House for the Blind (APH), in collaboration with HumanWare and the National Federation of the Blind. Featuring a 10-line by 32-cell refreshable display that supports braille and tactile graphics, the Monarch transforms digital accessibility for students who are blind or low vision. Named one of TIME Magazine’s Best Inventions of 2025 in Accessibility, the Monarch functions as a braille display, graphing calculator, brailler, and digital library. It enables students to email, participate in Google Classrooms, browse the internet, and text, just like their sighted peers. The Monarch reflects APH’s mission to break down educational barriers through inclusive, innovative technology.

About Bridge Multimedia

Bridge Multimedia works with commercial, education, entertainment, government, and corporate sectors to make the 21st century media landscape available to ALL people. Bridge Multimedia has collaborated with PBS KIDS and with The WNET Group for over 15 years to create accessible educational content for children who are blind or have other disabilities. Five fully accessible educational games based on the Cyberchase franchise can be played for free on the PBS KIDS games app or at www.pbskids.org/games. Visit Cyberchase Echo Explorers main page.

About The WNET Group

The WNET Group creates inspiring media content and meaningful experiences for diverse audiences nationwide. It is the community-supported home of New York’s THIRTEEN – America’s flagship PBS station – WLIW, THIRTEEN PBS KIDS, WLIW World and Create; NJ PBS, New Jersey’s statewide public television network; Long Island’s only NPR station WLIW-FM; ALL ARTS, the arts and culture media provider; newsroom NJ Spotlight News; and FAST channel PBS Nature.Through these channels and streaming platforms, The WNET Group brings arts, culture, education, news, documentary, entertainment, and DIY programming to more than five million viewers each month. The WNET Group’s award-winning productions include signature PBS series Nature, Great Performances, American Masters, and Amanpour and Companyand trusted local news programs like NJ Spotlight News with Briana Vannozzi. Inspiring curiosity and nurturing dreams, The WNET Group’s award-winning Kids’ Media and Education team produces the PBS KIDS series Cyberchase, interactive Mission US history games, and resources for families, teachers and caregivers. A leading nonprofit public media producer for more than 60 years, The WNET Group presents and distributes content that fosters lifelong learning, including initiatives addressing poverty, jobs, economic opportunity, social justice, understanding, and the environment. Through Passport, station members can stream new and archival programming anytime, anywhere. The WNET Group represents the best in public media.