JAWS Scholarship Program 2008 Winners

Each year Freedom Scientific and Quantum support a scholarship program across Australia which aims to help vision impaired Australians go on to either TAFE or Tertiary studies.

We are proud to announce the winners of the 2008 Scholarship.

Lisa Horne from North Ipswich, Queensland

Prior to having a car accident in 1986 which resulted in my loss of vision, I was working in Coles Supermarket and attending an evening course in Sound Engineering and hands-on training on weekends.

Since my loss of vision I have concentrated on adapting to my blindness while increasing my practical skills.

My future study is reliant upon my acquisition of the JAWS program in order to complete assignments- in particular as my chosen course for 2008 in Health Science is predominately theoretically orientated.

The field of Health Sciences has been my main passion for the past twenty years. I am committed to gaining further qualifications in this field which will further enhance my career prospects and enable my entry into the workforce in a professional capacity.

Steven Burley from Toowoomba, Queensland

After over 20 years of being unemployed, I decided to re-train changing my work direction in the hope of obtaining work in an area that I would both enjoy and in which I would achieve success. My short term goal is to complete a Certificate IV in Massage as a pre-requisite to the diploma in remedial Massage. It is my ultimate dream to eventually own my own massage therapy practice.

Unfortunately, this course is very expensive (over $500 per subject) and I do not own or have the funds to purchase all the equipment and programs I need to complete my studies. Being vision impaired (totally blind), it is virtually impossible to have access to required texts and other information without the adaptive technology. If I was successful in gaining this scholarship I would be able to complete all the requirements of my assignments and research for sources on the Internet and maintain contact with my lecturers through email. This would enable me to complete my qualifications independently and achieve my dream.

Martin Z'Graggen from North ryde, New South Wales

In 2008 I will attend the BA of Education in Adult Education, vocational educational training at the UTS city campus for 2 years (4 semester). Prior to my vision impairment I have done my career in the international hospitality industry as an Executive Chef for more than 18 years. Since returning back to Sydney, Australia in 2005 and after getting used to my vision impairment and settling in with my children (I am a single parent), I started lecturing at TAFE NSI commercial cookery, culinary arts and hospitality management (theory subjects).

In order for me to be and become a part of the community and as well passing on skills and experiences to young adults who want to become chefs and pursuing a career in the hospitality industry. I have found myself really enjoying that and have great satisfaction in order to give something back to society and from my previous career achievements. Now I have decided to take up the BA of Education in order to deepen my teaching qualifications in order to become more employable within the education / training section. Due to my vision impairment (deteriating condition) I will unfortunately lose my sight completely. Hence with having a BA of Education I can see myself in the future working, assisting and being involved in contract training for Vision Australia or and Guide Dogs Australia.

William O'Neil from Windale, New South Wales

I am currently studying Certificate IV in Community Services (Welfare) at TAFE/Newcastle campus.

I have completed first semester thus far, passing all subjects.

Everything I do is made more time consuming because currently I only have a demonstration version of JAWS. As you would be aware, the demo model shuts down after 40 minutes and I have to save what I am doing, restart my computer, resume what I was doing and then, just as I get back into my work I have to do this all over again.

To purchase a full version of jaws would be impossible for I am only on a pension. I support a family of 5.

Yuka Uchida from Rivett, Australian Capital Territory

I am a student in Year 12 so am completing my final year at school. Next year I hope to attend the Australian National University in Canberra. I plan to complete a combined degree in Commerce and Asian Studies.

Throughout my schooling I have been lucky enough to have been provided with access to a PacMate and to JAWS.

Moving out of the school system means that I now need to acquire equipment and programs of my own, if I am to maintain the level and quality of educational access that I am used to. This is quite a daunting prospect as costs are prohibitive.

JAWS increases independence, assists time management and will let me read my emails– all assets in the social life of a blind student.

Shannon Blakeley from Hove, South Australia

I am a 17 years old student currently completing my stage 2 SACE (South Australian Certificate of Education). In 2008 I expect to commence a course in the Business/Administration/IT areas at Adelaide TAFE.

Jaws has helped me with every aspect of learning in my school and personal life. I can’t imagine going to TAFE without it because I know that I would have extreme difficulty without the speech feedback it provides. Next year, with TAFE coming up, I will be financially challenged with fees and other equipment costs. It would be awesome to win a copy of Jaws Profession Edition to help my transition to tertiary study and my further life studies.

Linda Nancarrow from Yarraberb, Victoria

I have returned to University as a self funded post graduate student, studying Business Administration and Rural and Regional Planning.

My low vision is as a result of a condition called “cone dystrophy”, which has its greatest impact on central vision. Thus, anything more than a few minutes reading makes my eyes very tired and they become quite sore. Being able to 'listen' to the text, rather than to read it all, would not only make my 'reading' quicker, easier and more comprehensible and would prevent me getting as incredibly tired as I am getting at the moment.

I am certain that JAWS would help eliminate many of these difficulties, ensuring that the submissions, essays, reports, etc, are of a standard which reflects the quality of the work which I put into them.

This has placed a large financial burden on me, making the additional cost of purchasing tools such as JAWS impossible. To be fortunate enough to obtain a scholarship being offered by Freedom Scientific & Quantum Technology would remove financial constraint.

Being able to access a programme such as JAWS would enable me to successfully complete my studies, and to do so with much greater pleasure.

Kyle Cogan from Victoria

I have always used a borrowed copy of Jaws throughout my entire school life. Having my own copy of Jaws will help me to become independent enough to go to TAFE to complete Certificate 2 in Business. This copy of Jaws will also help me throughout my lifetime. This may include having several careers where I may need the use of a computer if the copy of Jaws has more than 5 activation keys then it will be all the more useful to me because it can be put onto as many computers as possible. Due to my lack of vision and having to borrow equipment, I need to be able to work independently in a mainstream environment with other peers that are sighted.

I attend hospital for dialysis and I am there for at least 6 hours a day three days a week.

I will be going to GO to TAFE (Goulbourn Ovens Institute of TAFE) in 2008 where I will undertake the Certificate 2 in Business and hence why I am applying for the Quantum Technology JAWS Screen Reading Scholarship Program.