Vision Australia's Further Education Bursaries have been generously provided by members of the public.
This year 23 bursaries have been awarded across Australia. This brings the total given out since the program began in 1996 to 167.
The bursaries open up a wealth of opportunities, enabling people who are blind or have low vision to study independently using adaptive technology, going a long way to eliminating barriers to information access and education.
Laptops, CCTVs, digital playback devices, voice recorders, scanners and screen magnification and screen reading software are just some of the technologies which help students with their studies.
Congratulations to all recipients on their outstanding achievements and to the generous supporters who are helping them to achieve their goals.ACT
Sharee PatonSharee is studying a Bachelor of Arts Psychology at Charles Sturt University.
The Bursary has provided Sharee with a laptop running JAWS screen reading software and a Victor Reader Stream which is a versatile DAISY player which can record lectures as well as download and play electronic books and MP3 files.
Tianna Park
Tianna is studying a Bachelor of Primary Education at the Australian Catholic University in Canberra. From the age of 14, Tianna has had a passion to work with children with disabilities and over the years has volunteered with the "Interchange school holiday" programme, been on work experience at a special school and has worked as a Teacher Assistant.
In January of last year she travelled to China and volunteered in an orphanage for children with disabilities. The Bursary has provided Tianna with a laptop running Magic screen magnification software with speech output, a Senseview Duo digital magnifier and Omnipage optical character recognition software.
NSW
Elliott Agnew
Elliott, of Armidale, is studying a Bachelor of Psychological Science at the University of New England for which he received early entry.
The bursary provided Elliott with a laptop, Zoomtext screen magnification and screen reading software and a compact plus portable hand held CCTV.
Lauren Davis
Lauren, of Penrith, is studying a Diploma in Community Welfare Work at TAFE NSW Hunter Institute Ourimbah Campus.
To quote Lauren, “My future goal is to work as a social worker with special needs kids and to show them that you can achieve what you set your mind to and to follow your dreams no matter what.”
Lachlan Drendel
Lachlan has a passion for radio and has had three work experience placements with radio stations and is now studying a Diploma of Broadcasting at Wodonga TAFE.
The Vision Australia Further Education Bursary has provided Lachlan with a laptop running Magic screen magnification software with speech output and a Senseview Duo digital magnifier.
Ashley Kadib
Ashley is a dedicated student who has already won many awards, such as the Caltex All Rounder award and the Archbishop of Sydney award for student excellence.She is currently studying a Bachelor of Socio-Legal Studies at the University of Sydney.
The Vision Australia Further Education Bursary has provided Ashley with a new laptop, Zoomtext screen magnification and screen reading software and a Smartview pocket video magnifier.
Leah Findlay
Leah is studying Arts\Law at the University of NSW. She has always wanted to get into law and to eventually have a career as a barrister in criminal law.
The Vision Australia Further Education Bursary has provided Leah with a laptop running Zoomtext screen magnification and screen reading software and an Acrobat LCD CCTV with 19-inch full colour display.
Gideon Kibret
Gideon, of Dulwich Hill, was born in Ethiopia and migrated to New Zealand in 1994. While in New Zealand Gideon completed a Law degree. In 2002 he moved to Australia.Gideon is currently studying a Bachelor of Social Work at the University of Sydney.
Vision Australia’s Further Education Bursary has enabled Gideon to purchase a laptop, JAWS screen reading software and a Victor Reader Stream which is a versatile DAISY player that can record lectures as well as download and play electronic books and MP3 files.
Daniel Martinoli
Daniel is studying a Bachelor of Information Technology at the University of Woolongong. In the past Daniel has received distinctions in the NSW computer skills and mathematics competitions.
The bursary has provided Daniel with a Senseview Duo digital magnifier, Zoomtext screen magnification and screen reading software, a printer, scanner and Microsoft Office Professional.
Robert Sawyer
Robert, of Seaforth, is studying for a doctorate in Tropical Environmental Management through Charles Darwin University. When he was 20 years old he sustained many injuries while fighting a bushfire, including central vision loss.
Robert has already purchased some adaptive technology but Vision Australia’s Further Education Bursary has enabled him to be able to run two large high resolution monitors each running separate programs with magnification.
Vision Australia and Robert are still in the process of fine tuning this setup to meet his needs.
QLD
Dean Bila
Dean is studying a Diploma of Information Technology (Systems Administration) at Kingscliff TAFE. In the future Dean is seeking to be self-employed and to travel to England and throughout Europe and visit relatives he has not caught up with since he was a child.
The Bursary has provided Dean with a laptop, an Optibook scanner, Openbook Version 8 scanning and reading software and a Victor Reader Stream which is a versatile DAISY player which can record lectures as well as download and play electronic books and MP3 files.
Geoffrey Cooper
Geoffrey graduated with a Bachelor of Social Science from Queensland University of Technology in 1998 and is now studying a Master of Divinity at Malyon College. Losing 90% of his sight seven years ago lead Geoffrey to re-examine his career and he has decided to devote himself to Christian counselling.
The Bursary has provided Geoffrey with an Idex video magnifier which attaches to a computer or laptop, a 26 inch widescreen monitor and a Victor Reader Stream.
Haley Kitchener
Hayley finished a Bachelor of Music at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music in 2006 and is now studying a Bachelor of Theology at Trinity Theological College. Her personal motto is "Be The Change You Want To See In The World."
The Vision Australia Further Education Bursary has provided Hayley with a KNFB reader which is a mobile phone which reads text and has been coupled with Wayfinder Access GPS software as Hayley in the course of her studies will need to travel to various churches and visit people in the community.
Raissa Martin
Raissa is studying a Bachelor of Business at Queensland University of Technology. As well as being academically inclined and winning a Principal's Award at Hervey Bay State High School she has also won many medals over the years in athletics.
The Vision Australia Further Education Bursary has provided Raissa with a laptop running Zoomtext screen magnification and screen reading software, a Compact Plus hand held CCTV and a Victor Reader Stream.
Cassandra Waterworth
Cassandra is studying a Bachelor of Arts focusing upon Psychology and social work. She wants to specialise in counselling for sudden disability rehabilitation and alcohol and drug rehabilitation.
The Vision Australia Further Education Bursary has provided Cassandra with Zoomtext screen magnification and screen reading software, an Idex video magnifier which attaches to a computer or laptop and a Compact Plus hand held CCTV.
VIC
Kathryn Beaton
Kathryn was often told she needed extra help and didn't want it. By year 9 she had changed her mind and started to look into using a laptop because she couldn't read her handwritten notes.
Kathryn has a natural talent for scriptwriting and is currently studying a Bachelor of Arts (Professional Writing) at Victoria University. Now with a new laptop and portable cctv Kathryn feels that the technology has put her on an even playing field with her sighted peers.
Rory Burnside
Rory's goal is to be a professional musician with an academic background. If you have not heard of his band Rudely Interrupted, you will soon. He is currently studying an Advanced Diploma in Music Performance, 2nd year at Box Hill TAFE.
Although he can already play a number of instruments, Rory feels that a tertiary level music qualification will enhance his chances of employment in the future. The Bursary has provided Rory with a scanner and desktop computer. This technology will ensure that Rory can do his own research and access the work from the TAFE at home.
Sam Byrne
Sam is a dedicated student who has been blind since the age of 2. While Sam never let vision loss get in the way of achieving anything, it became obvious that his vision loss restricted his ability to learn the same material as his sighted classmates especially in the fields of maths and science.
Sam is now studying a Bachelor of Environments at the University of Melbourne. This bursary has provided Sam with JAWS screen reading software, a Victor Reader Stream and a multifunction printer to facilitate the further progress of his education.
Melissa Colvin
Melissa is one of least three other Vision Australia clients who also successfully completed their VCE (Victorian Certificate of Education) last year, with scores of eighty and above. Melissa is on the path to her dream career in Criminal Justice, after starting a Bachelor of Legal Studies at La Trobe University.
The Bursary has provided Melissa with a laptop and JAWS screen reading software. This adaptive technology will allow her to access the course curriculum efficiently, and continue to succeed in her future studies.
Tessa Herbert
For Tessa, being totally blind has presented a number of challenges which have impacted significantly on her studies. Tessa has moved from Barham NSW to attend Melbourne University where she is studying a Bachelor of Arts.
She is hopeful that this course will lead to a career in journalism, politics or psychology. With the assistance of the necessary adaptive technology, Tessa feels she has the potential to succeed in the course and we are sure that the laptop, Victor Reader Stream and scanner that the Vision Australia Further Education Bursary has provided her will be of great assistance.
Alana Jovanovski
Alana is a diligent student who has recently started studying Legal Studies at Latrobe University. The Vision Australia Further Education Bursary has provided Alana with a laptop and Duxbury Braille translation software.
This equipment will give Alana wider access to information at University and integrate well with her own braillenote and embosser.
Amie Nihill
Amie is extremely passionate about art and design, particularly fashion design. She loves it when an idea just pops into her head and loves the challenge of transforming that idea into reality.
Amie has started a course in fashion design at the Melbourne School of Fashion. She is eager to learn all that she can about all aspects of the fashion industry and her new laptop and Senseview duo magnifier will help her with her studies.
Alice Verrall
Alice is passionate about the environment and is currently studying a Diploma of Conservation and Land Management at Swinburne - Lilydale. Alice has said that the bursary allows her to look forward to future studies with a more positive outlook.
The Bursary has provided Alice with a Zoom ex which attaches to her laptop and allows her to convert any printed text into multiple accessible formats like speech, large print, sound or a text file in seconds.