5 February 2025
Blind Citizens Australia (BCA) is excited to announce that applications are now open for the 2025 BCA Hugh Jeffrey Scholarship Program, offering up to $5,000 to support students who are blind or vision impaired in overcoming barriers to tertiary education.
This scholarship aims to address the accessibility challenges faced by students, particularly in online learning environments, by providing financial assistance for adaptive technologies and support services, ensuring equitable access to education.
Findings have shown that students with print disabilities have typically encountered significant accessibility barriers when using online learning environments and in some cases these barriers had resulted in participants abandoning their studies altogether, while others find studying extremely stressful, difficult or unrewarding. [1]
However, accessibility tools and adaptive technologies such as voice recognition, screen reading, voice recording, podcasts, e-books and digital Braille devices have increased opportunities for students with print disabilities to access online learning environments. [2]
Funded by the Jeffrey Blyth Foundation, BCA’s scholarship program aims to increase the opportunity for people who are blind or vision impaired to participate in tertiary education and raise awareness of how much value these students bring to mainstream education environments.
Now in its fourth year, the program continues to help students access the resources they need to succeed. A previous recipient, Samantha Alexander, was able to make crucial technological upgrades that helped her stay on top of her coursework while studying for a Bachelor of Law.
“Knowing that I had funds there to assist with daily expenses gave me the freedom to be able to focus solely on my work,” Alexander says.
“It also allowed me to purchase technology – it enabled me to update my iPad and get an app that allowed me to upload photos from my textbooks to give an indication of what the content was.
“Without updating the iPad, I couldn’t download the apps I needed to access my online lectures.
“I’m very grateful for being afforded the opportunity.”
Applications for the scholarships have opened today and will close on Wednesday, 26th February 2025. To be eligible, applicants must be enrolled in a post-secondary education program that results in a recognised qualification.
Those applying for an internship or graduate program may apply while waiting for confirmation of acceptance.
In addition to the grant money, recipients will receive support and advocacy as appropriate to ensure their study is accessible to them and access to BCA Peer Groups to support their skills development.
“At BCA, we are deeply committed to making education accessible and equitable for all students,” BCA CEO Deb Deshayes said.
“This scholarship program aims to provide the necessary resources to help students who are blind or vision impaired navigate the digital landscape of modern education, ensuring they can thrive academically without barriers or limitations.
“As the educational landscape continues to evolve, it’s crucial that students who blind or vision impaired are not left behind.”
[1] Vision Australia (2018). Online but off track: Barriers to online learning experienced by university students who are blind or have low vision. https://www.visionaustralia.org/community/news/24-10 2018/online-but-offtrack
[2] Cain, M., & Fanshawe, M. (2019a). “Talk to me!”: Empowering students with a vision impairment through audio e-assessment feedback. In C. Dann, & S. O’Neill (Eds.), Technology-enhanced formative assessment practices in higher education (pp. 1-19). https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-7998 0426-0
RELEASE ENDS
Blind Citizens Australia
Blind Citizens Australia is the national representative organisation of people who are blind or vision impaired. Its purpose is to achieve equity for people who are blind or vision impaired, so that they can live their lives in any way they choose, in a place that respects, recognises and responds to their uniqueness and diversity.
Jeffrey Blyth Foundation
The Jeffrey Blyth Foundation was established in 1995 through two contributions from David Blyth and Hugh Jeffrey. Its purpose was to create a capital base from which the work and independence of BCA could be supported. Since then, the capital has grown and has been supplemented by other contributions.
In 2017, The Association of Blind Citizens of NSW contributed around $2.4 million to the Foundation. This was done on the condition that a sub-fund to be known as the Shirley Fund be created, and that proceeds from that fund be distributed to the work of The Association, or its successors in NSW and the ACT, or to projects which would advance people who were blind or vision impaired in NSW or the ACT.
As a result, the Jeffrey Blyth Foundation has two funds: the General Fund, which is used for grants to BCA across Australia, and the Shirley Fund, which supports grants to BCA in NSW or the ACT, or similar purposes. The Shirley Fund is now merged with The Association.
Media Contact:
Amila Dedovic – Communications Coordinator
amila.dedovic@bca.org.au
0403 967 406