Michelle Francisco says Vision Australia’s Further Education Bursary Program gave her the independence and flexibility she needed to continue her tertiary studies.
Michelle, who has low vision caused by glaucoma and is now the Coordinator of Volunteers at Vision Australia's Perth centre, is studying for a Bachelor of Social Sciences Degree at Perth’s Edith Cowan University.
When she began studying, she had only a desktop computer.
Michelle was a recipient of a Vision Australia Further Education Bursary in 2016, which provided her a new laptop computer with JAWS screen-reading software, an iPhone and iTunes vouchers for the purchase of accessibility apps.
The course has online and classroom components, including group work, Michelle says.
“(The bursary) has made an enormous difference,” she says.
“Prior to receiving the laptop, I couldn’t participate in group work because I couldn’t bring in my desktop computer and keep it on my lap,” she says.
“I struggled to keep up, but with the laptop I can participate fully now.”
Michelle says she relied on transcribing tapes or people taking notes on her behalf for classwork.
“Now I can take my own notes on my laptop in class, and I have an app that can email study materials to my other devices. It’s brilliant.”
* Since 1996, Vision Australia has supported young people who are blind or have low vision to further their studies through the Vision Australia Further Education Bursary Program.
Bursaries have been awarded to more than 350 students since then.
These offer students support to purchase assistive technology with the aim of ensuring the students can participate fully and succeed in their chosen field of study.
Applications for the Vision Australia Further Education Bursary Program are now open and must be received by close of business on Wednesday, 31 October.
For information about eligibility requirements and how to apply, please follow this link to the Vision Australia website.