Each year Freedom Scientific and Quantum support a scholarship program across Australia and New Zealand 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.
Kye Urquhart from St George, Queensland
I believe WYNN (What you need now) would be great at helping me in my apprenticeship studies. At the moment I use a support person or Mum to read the information that I have trouble with so that I can hear it and think about it before I answer the questions in my TAFE booklets. I also talk about my answers before I write them down and I need help with spelling and making my sentences make sense.
I think with WYNN’s ability to read scanned information that I would be able to scan my TAFE books and information and respond using the computer. This would make things easier for me, and I would be able to be more independent in my work which I would really like.
We do have a computer at home and I would be able to use this to work on my TAFE modules without always needing Mum to check what I am doing.
Maxine Broadstock from Greenwidth, South Australia
I believe that the WYNN software program will assist me in my current and future studies as a mature aged student.
My goals are to work part-time at a business at home, so I need to be able to improve in letter writing and other reading and writing areas to deal with running a business.
Peter Walton from Erana, Western Australia
I am a 44 year old single father of 3 children. I gave up full time work to look after them; I have worked all my life in the rural industry which has given me a lot of skills and life skills.
I have always struggled with my literacy ability all through school and into my adult life, this has caused me great embarrassment at different times of my life.
I have been going to TAFE to improve myself. I have achieved Certificates 1 and 2 in General Education for Adults and I have gone on to study Certificate 3 in Community Services and my aim is to go on and do Certificate 4 in Community Services and my ultimate goal is to get a diploma in this field.
I also have been learning how to use a computer which has opened up a new world for me. I really struggle with my spelling which olds me back. My reading is slowly improving but I struggle with it at times.
This program would help with my reading and my comprehension of my work with its scanning option and its ability to allow me to change the text or just view it or read along with it. It is totally amazing.
It also can help me with my spelling and with the word prediction. It would help me build on my vocabulary and get those words out that I have not been able to use; it also has a dictionary which will help me understand the words I am using.
I have just been shown this program for the first time and I am surprised on how much it has on it and how much it can help me do. It will give me more confidence in myself to do so much more on a computer and help me with my studies and assist me to improve the quality of my work and assist me to do more thorough searches for information.
Sophia Alexander from Underwood, Queensland
The WYNN program will greatly assist me with my childcare studies. I have a reading and writing disability, currently classed as level 1, which is why I find studying such a challenge. I am presently completing my Diploma of Child and Children’s Services through Logan Tafe. I am having to re-submit most of my first batch of assignments due to my reading/writing disability. So far this year I have only been able to pass one book and have now handed in my second assignment re-done for marking. I also attend the Learning Centre at Logan Tafe to help me improve my reading/writing abilities and I also have a tutor to assist me.
my primary schooling was never completed as my mum pulled me out at a very young age and taught me from home. I did attend high school however did not complete it due to my difficulties and my teachers recommended I leave school. My mum pulled me out then and I never returned. I was never encourage by teachers or my mum because my reading/writing abilities were bad.
After many months of hard work and lots of tears, I completed my Certificate III in childcare studies and commenced working in childcare in 2003. There were many days when I was tempted to give it all up because I just found it so hard, but with encouragement and a lot of help in reading the material from my Aunt I managed to complete the course and graduate.
I am determined to complete the current course but I need help in reading the material. This program will enable me to study by myself at home after work. As I no longer live with my Aunt and Uncle I need the extra assistance that the WYNN program will provide so I can reach my goal. I believe the program will also assist in improving my reading abilities and help me with every day basics in my present role as a childcare assistant/relief group leader.
By the way, my Aunt is the one typing this for me, which is why there are no mistakes and you can read it.
Sophie's Thank you letter
I would like to say thank you for this amazing opportunity that you are giving me.
It will help me in so many ways that you don’t know, not just with my study but will help my whole life as I know it.
I am so excited that I have won this amazing program I cannot say enough to state how I feel. You have given me a chance to succeed in my studies/learning. Once again thank you so much.
Sincerely
Sophie Alexander
Kirsten Bowman from Dubbo, New South Wales
My dyslexia has caused me to have trouble with reading, writing and the comprehension of written language. There have been many attempts to lessen the affect that this has had on me through out my schooling. These have included coloured glasses, coloured paper, special classes, assistance with examinations, and forcing me to write with my right hand. Despite this there has been little improvement over the years. Yes I can now write and read but these have been stable for many years and this is not likely to happen in the future.
There have been many positive people involved in my education including my parents. There have also been many people who have given up on me, telling me that I will never graduate year12. Then that I will never be able to complete a Uni Degree.
I am proud to say that I finished a bachelor of Health Science (Pre-Hospital Care) with a Credit average, as an internal full time student. I am currently undertaking a Bachelor of Social Science (Emergency Management) part time by distance education.
My reading skills have been assessed as a level of a forth grader on paper and when the information is on the computer that level goes down to that of a second grade student.
So that leaves the question of how your program could help me. By being able to have the majority of the text read to me, the reading required for this subject is mostly on CD ROM or the subject website (I have an average of 8 hours of reading per subject per week – and I have two subjects a semester) I will be able to comprehend and understand the information quicker and easier this will reduce the time and effort needed for me to complete the course work.
In terms of assessment writing it will help me to be able to proof read my work better before it goes to my proof reader and reduce the time need to accomplish this.
Hopefully the ability to hear the assessment read to me will help the structure and perfect grammar as I find these hard to do with written work.
I am sure that as my knowledge and understanding of your program grows so will its helpfulness in my Uni studies.