SJM Junior Patrick Mon Pere creates App to complement Mom’s tactile learning screen

The mother-son team of Susan and Patrick Mon Pere is “touching” the lives of children and adults who learn differently with the creation of TacScreen and a soon to be released interactive app that utilizes fingertip stimulation to enhance the learning process.

TacScreen is a simple bumpy film screen cover designed for any touch screen tablet that delivers vital tactile stimulation for students or patients diagnosed with dyslexia, autism, ADHD, dysgraphia, or loss of cognitive functionality due to age or brain injury, Susan explains. 

“Multi-sensory stimulation is a vital part of education, and this is why I created TacScreen,” says Susan. “There is simply a need for the sense of tactile touch on touchscreen devices in order to increase the benefits of the learning apps already being used to supplement the educational needs of our children.”

When reading became difficult for Patrick at age seven and he required a tutor, Susan decided to make an app. “The tutors told me an app wouldn’t work because it needed to be tactile, so this is how TacScreen came to be,” she says.

Patrick got in on the act because he thought they should have their own app to go along with his Mom’s product.  The new app, still under development, will have several built-in capabilities such as upper and lower case letter tracing;  long and short vowel tracing; and a customized component called My Words Vision where someone can type in words prior to studying for a test, to help lessen the stress. Patrick says, “This provides an extra sense and helps to improve your muscle memory, thoughts, and word recognition.”

The Alpha app developed by Patrick will be rolled out at the International Dyslexia Conference along with his Mom’s TacScreen.  “Everyone learns differently, and that doesn’t mean they are less intelligent,” says Susan. “It is my hope that we can integrate the benefits of tactile learning early on in the educational process, before a child is lost or discouraged based on the simple fact that they learn differently.”

For more information, go to TacScreen.com or their Facebook page to find out when the app will be available to the public/app store.

Click here to watch Patrick and Susan on Your Central Valley.