WEBVTT - Talking Vision 732 Week Beginning 10th of June 2024 0:00:51.908 --> 0:00:57.698 From Vision Australia. This is talking vision. And now here's 0:00:57.698 --> 0:00:59.648 your host, Sam Coley. 0:01:02.188 --> 0:01:05.368 Hello everyone. It's great to be here with you. And 0:01:05.368 --> 0:01:08.338 for the next half hour we talk matters of blindness 0:01:08.338 --> 0:01:09.448 and low vision. 0:01:09.478 --> 0:01:12.838 It was only when I started walking from the train 0:01:12.838 --> 0:01:16.498 to work, realizing why I was so scared in that 0:01:16.498 --> 0:01:18.838 walk all the time, and it was a bit scary 0:01:18.838 --> 0:01:21.478 because I couldn't work out. People would suddenly jump in 0:01:21.478 --> 0:01:23.488 front of me because I had a really good case 0:01:23.488 --> 0:01:26.398 of tunnel vision at that stage, and I thought they 0:01:26.398 --> 0:01:29.038 were jumping in front of me. They weren't. I just 0:01:29.038 --> 0:01:31.558 couldn't see them, didn't know they were there and it 0:01:31.558 --> 0:01:32.968 was all types of issues. 0:01:32.968 --> 0:01:37.378 Welcome to the program. This week we speak with Noel Gatti, 0:01:37.408 --> 0:01:41.908 who shares her experiences with Vision Loss after being diagnosed 0:01:41.908 --> 0:01:46.618 at 42, but also her work as a digital access 0:01:46.618 --> 0:01:51.718 advocate and her involvement on various podcasts and radio programs 0:01:51.718 --> 0:01:56.728 such as Kintsugi Heroes right here on Vision Australia Radio. 0:01:56.758 --> 0:02:00.118 That interview is coming up right around the corner, so 0:02:00.118 --> 0:02:03.088 make sure to stick around. And then after you hear 0:02:03.088 --> 0:02:08.308 from Noel, I speak with Associate Professor Matthew Butler from 0:02:08.308 --> 0:02:11.968 the faculty of it at Monash Uni, who's here to 0:02:11.968 --> 0:02:17.158 tell us all about a PhD scholarship in assistive technology. 0:02:17.428 --> 0:02:21.148 I hope you'll enjoy this week's episode of Talking Vision. 0:02:25.798 --> 0:02:29.008 Our first guest on Talking Vision this week is a 0:02:29.008 --> 0:02:34.648 passionate digital access advocate. She also has lived experience with 0:02:34.648 --> 0:02:39.358 vision loss, having been diagnosed later in life. But she's 0:02:39.358 --> 0:02:44.308 also telling her story on Kintsugi heroes right here on 0:02:44.308 --> 0:02:48.838 Vision Australia Radio. Her name is Noelle Gatti and she 0:02:48.838 --> 0:02:52.318 joins me now. Noelle, welcome to the show. Thank you 0:02:52.318 --> 0:02:54.028 very much for your time. 0:02:54.568 --> 0:02:57.178 Oh, Sam, it's lovely to actually meet you. 0:02:57.178 --> 0:03:00.898 And you too. Now, firstly, Noelle, why don't we get 0:03:00.898 --> 0:03:03.718 a little bit of an introduction from you? Tell us 0:03:03.718 --> 0:03:06.538 a little bit about yourself and your work. 0:03:06.568 --> 0:03:09.808 Yes, Sam, I'm in my late 50s now. I lost 0:03:09.808 --> 0:03:12.478 all functional vision about two and a half years ago, 0:03:12.478 --> 0:03:15.508 but I've got a deteriorating eye condition that was diagnosed 0:03:15.508 --> 0:03:18.898 when I was 42. And I'm a mum of three 0:03:18.898 --> 0:03:23.998 wonderful sons and very, very proud of my son. I'm 0:03:23.998 --> 0:03:27.778 a daughter. I'm a sister to my cousin, I'm a friend. 0:03:27.778 --> 0:03:35.308 And I'm also advocating for digital accessibility throughout the community 0:03:35.308 --> 0:03:38.938 because I see such a big, important need of it. 0:03:39.448 --> 0:03:44.518 Tell us a little bit about your digital accessibility work 0:03:44.518 --> 0:03:45.478 that you do. 0:03:45.808 --> 0:03:49.828 Yeah. Look, I volunteer with a company called Digital Access Solutions, 0:03:49.828 --> 0:03:54.808 assistive technology. We all have disability, so I see shapes. 0:03:55.108 --> 0:03:58.768 The director, Mike Muscat, these light and shade. And then 0:03:58.768 --> 0:04:02.248 the other director who's Alan Parker, he's dyslexic. And so 0:04:02.248 --> 0:04:05.818 Alan flies all over the world. He's dispute resolution expert 0:04:05.818 --> 0:04:09.088 and all types of things. And the three of us 0:04:09.088 --> 0:04:12.718 looked at our ages and realised in this day and age, 0:04:12.718 --> 0:04:18.268 there is no reason why people that use assistive technology 0:04:18.268 --> 0:04:23.038 in any form, and I'm talking people with cognitive brain impairments, dyslexia, 0:04:23.038 --> 0:04:28.888 autism spectrum, physical problems, anything. Auditory processing a lot. Why 0:04:28.888 --> 0:04:33.058 there's this gap where they can't access the information. The 0:04:33.058 --> 0:04:36.658 technical methods are doing it. Are there the guidelines the 0:04:36.658 --> 0:04:40.048 standards are there. Just people don't know about it. So 0:04:40.048 --> 0:04:43.948 we decided we'd do something. And Alan's closer to retirement 0:04:43.948 --> 0:04:46.288 than me. I was laugh and say, yeah, I've got 0:04:46.288 --> 0:04:50.278 about nine years to retirement and let's see what we 0:04:50.278 --> 0:04:54.088 can do. Let's educate. And it's we're educating small to 0:04:54.088 --> 0:04:57.928 medium businesses predominantly, but we'll talk to anyone. And the 0:04:57.928 --> 0:05:00.928 reason for that is most people with disability deal with 0:05:00.928 --> 0:05:04.288 small to medium sized businesses every day. You shop, know 0:05:04.288 --> 0:05:08.638 your small IGA, your cafe, your hairdresser, your anything and 0:05:08.638 --> 0:05:14.488 everything and they do. The NDIS service providers. Their small 0:05:14.488 --> 0:05:19.318 business and not one of these people seem to understand 0:05:19.318 --> 0:05:24.988 how digital accessibility gives independence. It enhances the communication. 0:05:24.988 --> 0:05:29.428 It certainly does. Noel. And speaking of communication, we will 0:05:29.428 --> 0:05:33.448 get back to the podcast that you're also involved with 0:05:33.448 --> 0:05:37.318 and the radio program Kintsugi heroes will come back to 0:05:37.348 --> 0:05:40.828 that later. And your involvement there. But I want to 0:05:40.828 --> 0:05:44.068 just go back and have a bit of a chat 0:05:44.068 --> 0:05:48.628 about your vision loss from age 42 and the feelings 0:05:48.628 --> 0:05:52.408 and how you overcame that, and how you managed life 0:05:52.408 --> 0:05:55.558 after the change and adapted your life in that way. 0:05:55.798 --> 0:05:59.938 Well, it was diagnosed at 42, but it's a genetic 0:05:59.938 --> 0:06:03.328 condition I've got. And, you know, I grew up right 0:06:03.328 --> 0:06:06.028 out bush on a cattle property and mum and dad, 0:06:06.028 --> 0:06:08.158 once they realised it was nine when I first got 0:06:08.158 --> 0:06:11.338 glasses and they thought it was just short sighted. And, 0:06:11.338 --> 0:06:13.618 you know, my sight kept deteriorating a bit, but they 0:06:13.618 --> 0:06:15.958 thought it was just, you know, it's just what happened, 0:06:15.958 --> 0:06:21.598 you short sighted. And then when I was 42, actually, 0:06:21.748 --> 0:06:24.268 I'd been driving that day. I'd been to work. I, 0:06:24.268 --> 0:06:27.178 you know, my kids were still teenagers, late primary, early 0:06:27.178 --> 0:06:30.358 high school. And I got a new set of glasses, 0:06:30.358 --> 0:06:33.418 went to the optometrist, said, oh, your glasses are a 0:06:33.418 --> 0:06:35.518 bit of a problem here. And she's also one of 0:06:35.518 --> 0:06:38.998 my very good friends. And I walked out legally blind, 0:06:39.118 --> 0:06:42.208 you know, space of 45 minutes. And, you know, I 0:06:42.208 --> 0:06:45.118 remember my husband actually drove us home, and I remember 0:06:45.118 --> 0:06:47.638 being pretty shell shocked in one way, but at the 0:06:47.638 --> 0:06:50.218 same time, it was mum hat firmly on. By the 0:06:50.218 --> 0:06:52.558 time we were halfway, only ten minutes back to the 0:06:52.558 --> 0:06:57.448 house and thinking okay, food, homework, but find out how 0:06:57.448 --> 0:06:59.818 the boys went, get the lunches ready for tomorrow, you know, 0:06:59.818 --> 0:07:03.778 get everything ready for the next day. And then I was, 0:07:03.778 --> 0:07:06.178 you know, I was back into being the mum mode. 0:07:06.178 --> 0:07:08.998 And I'm really proud. Two of my sons are on 0:07:08.998 --> 0:07:12.448 the autistic spectrum. So it was one of them had 0:07:12.448 --> 0:07:14.908 much higher needs than the other, but it was getting 0:07:14.908 --> 0:07:19.708 them there. And it was only like when I started 0:07:19.708 --> 0:07:23.578 walking from the train to work, realizing why I was 0:07:23.578 --> 0:07:26.578 so scared in that walk all the time. And it 0:07:26.578 --> 0:07:29.038 was a bit scary because I couldn't work out. People 0:07:29.038 --> 0:07:31.108 would suddenly jump in front of me because I had 0:07:31.108 --> 0:07:34.018 a really good case of tunnel vision at that stage, 0:07:34.018 --> 0:07:36.178 and I thought they were jumping in front of me. 0:07:36.178 --> 0:07:39.898 They weren't. I just couldn't see them, didn't know they 0:07:39.898 --> 0:07:43.078 were there. And it was all types of issues. And 0:07:43.078 --> 0:07:46.348 because being brought up at Bush, my dad was a 0:07:46.348 --> 0:07:50.548 World War Two veteran. We were really taught to be resilient, 0:07:50.788 --> 0:07:53.938 taught to think outside the square and just get on 0:07:53.938 --> 0:07:57.288 with it. So. I just had to. You know, it's 0:07:57.288 --> 0:08:00.858 so important that my boys were successful as much as 0:08:00.858 --> 0:08:03.468 I could assist them to be successful, but they had 0:08:03.468 --> 0:08:06.288 to learn all the things that teenagers have to learn, 0:08:06.288 --> 0:08:09.318 and that was important. And so I think our hardest part, 0:08:09.318 --> 0:08:11.388 it was only sort of later on when I'd go 0:08:11.388 --> 0:08:13.578 to read and I think, oh, I can't read anymore, 0:08:13.578 --> 0:08:16.608 and I love reading, or I used to do a 0:08:16.608 --> 0:08:21.348 lot of handicrafts, and that started having to stop and 0:08:21.348 --> 0:08:24.348 sewing and things. And then when I had to stop 0:08:24.348 --> 0:08:27.618 work because I couldn't literally do the work because my 0:08:27.618 --> 0:08:30.678 sight wasn't good enough. And that's when it really that 0:08:30.678 --> 0:08:33.138 was the hardest, because I had to sit because I'm 0:08:33.138 --> 0:08:35.568 very light sensitive with this as well. So I had 0:08:35.568 --> 0:08:37.818 to I basically was home for three months, sitting in 0:08:37.818 --> 0:08:41.298 a dark room while the headaches dealt settle down. And 0:08:41.298 --> 0:08:43.848 I think so. You know, the boys by that stage, 0:08:43.848 --> 0:08:47.208 they were independent and it was really, oh my gosh, 0:08:47.208 --> 0:08:50.028 how am I going to do this now? And that's 0:08:50.028 --> 0:08:53.598 when Mark Muscat, the other director of Digital Access Solutions, 0:08:53.598 --> 0:08:56.388 sort of said, stop being an idiot, gave me a 0:08:56.388 --> 0:09:00.108 bit of a talking to, but was it easy? At 0:09:00.108 --> 0:09:02.448 times it wasn't, but I didn't focus on it. I, 0:09:02.448 --> 0:09:05.508 you know, I was lucky. One of my good friends 0:09:05.508 --> 0:09:08.118 at the time, her brother in law was legally blind. 0:09:08.118 --> 0:09:10.638 So he got on the phone to me and I, 0:09:10.758 --> 0:09:13.938 I met some wonderful people, and I've done things that 0:09:13.938 --> 0:09:17.358 I would not have done if I hadn't had this issue. 0:09:17.388 --> 0:09:20.148 You know, I'd have probably still been out doing the garden, 0:09:20.148 --> 0:09:23.028 working full time, driving the car, doing the things I 0:09:23.028 --> 0:09:28.278 would have done. But because my life has changed so drastically, 0:09:28.278 --> 0:09:31.188 I'm doing things I would never have thought of doing 0:09:31.398 --> 0:09:34.638 and I'm having a ball doing it. Not that easy, no. 0:09:35.418 --> 0:09:38.028 Was it emotionally quite hard? Oh yeah. I've had a 0:09:38.028 --> 0:09:41.448 few counselling sessions talking my way through this, not being 0:09:41.448 --> 0:09:43.128 able to read and not being able to do my 0:09:43.128 --> 0:09:45.558 handicraft and not being able to do all these other things. 0:09:45.558 --> 0:09:47.748 And I am a hern. So I drove, I learnt 0:09:47.748 --> 0:09:50.418 to drive when I was about eight, so at 42 0:09:50.418 --> 0:09:53.298 having to hand my driving licence in and I did 0:09:53.298 --> 0:09:55.278 have a fair few speeding tickets, I was a bit 0:09:55.278 --> 0:09:57.738 of a hoon and I still love cars and I'll 0:09:57.738 --> 0:10:00.408 sit there and quite happily talk cars because I absolutely 0:10:00.408 --> 0:10:03.558 love them. You know, realistically, you've just got to get 0:10:03.558 --> 0:10:05.658 on with it, you know? Certainly. Is it easy? 0:10:05.658 --> 0:10:09.408 No, no. And there's a lot there that people don't 0:10:09.408 --> 0:10:12.318 really talk about. You know, you don't hear about so 0:10:12.318 --> 0:10:16.968 much the light sensitivity and those things you don't hear about, oh, 0:10:16.968 --> 0:10:19.788 I can't, you know, read my favourite book as much. 0:10:19.788 --> 0:10:23.178 But have you gotten into audiobooks and those sorts of 0:10:23.178 --> 0:10:26.718 things or. Um, I do, yeah. No, they're great aren't they? 0:10:26.718 --> 0:10:28.038 I flog audiobooks. 0:10:28.248 --> 0:10:28.728 Oh, they're. 0:10:28.728 --> 0:10:31.458 Fantastic that I used to love reading because I used 0:10:31.458 --> 0:10:33.978 to love a lot of Australiana. There's a really great 0:10:33.978 --> 0:10:37.188 author called Iris Portis. He wrote cattlemen, Few Others, and 0:10:37.188 --> 0:10:39.438 one of my favourite books, which is a book called Brigalow. 0:10:39.438 --> 0:10:43.398 And you cannot get that on audio. It just doesn't exist. 0:10:43.398 --> 0:10:46.098 The books that I really love. There was another Australian 0:10:46.098 --> 0:10:48.528 author called Eve Timms that wrote in the 20s and 0:10:48.528 --> 0:10:51.498 30s and 40s. Their books are not on audio, and 0:10:51.498 --> 0:10:53.928 you'll never get them on audio because they're books that 0:10:53.928 --> 0:10:56.358 have gone out of print, and they're old books and, 0:10:56.358 --> 0:10:58.728 you know, those really old, some of those old style books. 0:10:58.728 --> 0:11:02.058 But I read all types of genre anyway, so I've 0:11:02.058 --> 0:11:06.318 just adapted because what choice do you have? But, you know, today, 0:11:06.318 --> 0:11:10.158 like watching TV, I used to love history and I 0:11:10.158 --> 0:11:12.648 still love history. And you know, I love my footy. 0:11:12.648 --> 0:11:15.648 But NRL is not the same. Watching it as listening 0:11:15.678 --> 0:11:18.318 to it, you know, I miss watching it because I 0:11:18.318 --> 0:11:20.928 used to get quite involved in the state of origin 0:11:20.928 --> 0:11:23.148 and all of those things, and I can't do it. 0:11:23.148 --> 0:11:25.368 And that freedom to be able to just hop in 0:11:25.368 --> 0:11:28.128 the car and go to the shop, I missed that. 0:11:28.128 --> 0:11:31.398 It is one of the hardest things, even to find 0:11:31.398 --> 0:11:35.058 different ingredients when you're cooking new ingredients, and that doesn't 0:11:35.058 --> 0:11:39.108 happen anymore, you have to adjust. You have to accept 0:11:39.108 --> 0:11:42.078 because it's, you know, people get old anyway. And I 0:11:42.078 --> 0:11:43.998 laugh and say, now, well, I'm just going to beat 0:11:43.998 --> 0:11:45.738 you to it. You know, you guys are going to 0:11:45.738 --> 0:11:47.598 have to learn. I've already done all that. I'm not 0:11:47.598 --> 0:11:49.908 going to be as hard on me when things change 0:11:49.908 --> 0:11:52.458 as they get older, because I've already lost my sight. 0:11:52.998 --> 0:11:55.428 It's just a different way of thinking. And you really 0:11:55.428 --> 0:11:58.158 do have to change your thinking because you've got two 0:11:58.158 --> 0:12:01.398 options sit in the corner and cry or laugh and 0:12:01.398 --> 0:12:05.748 crying hurts everyone. Laughing and getting on with it helps people. 0:12:05.748 --> 0:12:07.488 Which is the better way. Yeah. 0:12:07.668 --> 0:12:11.148 And you've talked a bit about your work and how 0:12:11.148 --> 0:12:14.328 you got involved there and, you know, the passion for 0:12:14.328 --> 0:12:19.278 digital accessibility that you do have. And that's also, of course, 0:12:19.278 --> 0:12:22.998 led on to the podcast that you've been doing and 0:12:22.998 --> 0:12:28.668 interviews and being involved with various programs and podcasts such 0:12:28.668 --> 0:12:34.698 as Kintsugi Heroes, but also the podcast addressing accessibility needs. 0:12:34.698 --> 0:12:38.328 So tell us a little bit about your work there 0:12:38.328 --> 0:12:39.828 behind the microphone. 0:12:39.828 --> 0:12:43.308 Yeah. So I've been in a few podcasts as guests, 0:12:43.308 --> 0:12:45.768 but the one that I run is called the Digital 0:12:45.768 --> 0:12:49.188 Access Show. And thank you to the wonderful Aldwin Oulton 0:12:49.218 --> 0:12:52.278 who helped us come up with the name. And it's 0:12:52.278 --> 0:12:55.498 all about digital accessibility, but it's looking. Looking at it 0:12:55.498 --> 0:12:58.498 from every point of view I can find, whether it's 0:12:58.498 --> 0:13:01.558 the small business trying to say, well, we actually can't 0:13:01.558 --> 0:13:04.348 afford to do it, we don't have that profit margin 0:13:04.348 --> 0:13:08.158 to do it to. Okay, well, what's the quick, simple 0:13:08.158 --> 0:13:11.038 way that you can do something small that costs nothing? 0:13:11.038 --> 0:13:14.668 And so we've had different businesses on we talk to 0:13:14.668 --> 0:13:18.898 people that have digital accessibility issues, like the wonderful Elise 0:13:18.898 --> 0:13:22.348 Carter Edwards who talked about her hearing impairment and just 0:13:22.348 --> 0:13:24.958 the issues she has going to the shop, because it 0:13:24.958 --> 0:13:27.328 is a huge issue with the tannoy. And she says 0:13:27.328 --> 0:13:31.138 shopping is just all she hears the sound and it's 0:13:31.138 --> 0:13:34.858 like she's been bombarded with it or like someone with 0:13:34.858 --> 0:13:38.998 a vision impairment living in regional Queensland. Well, Jean Ross, 0:13:38.998 --> 0:13:40.978 she has some. I mean, she had to stay at 0:13:40.978 --> 0:13:43.438 a stand at a train station for three hours in 0:13:43.438 --> 0:13:46.198 the dark because she had to get the train to 0:13:46.198 --> 0:13:50.248 the next town to go home. No one there. She 0:13:50.248 --> 0:13:52.468 can't read the signs, so she knew she just had 0:13:52.468 --> 0:13:54.688 to stay there, you know? And that would have been 0:13:54.688 --> 0:13:58.138 a little bit scary for her. Or pretty scary, actually. 0:13:58.138 --> 0:14:00.148 But you know what I mean. There's all these people 0:14:00.148 --> 0:14:03.208 out there, like there's a guy called Patrick Dillon, and 0:14:03.208 --> 0:14:06.958 he became a quadriplegic in his late 30s, I think 0:14:06.958 --> 0:14:10.588 mid late 30s, and he now works full time there. 0:14:10.588 --> 0:14:13.948 We've talked to disability employment specialists. We've talked to web 0:14:13.948 --> 0:14:18.388 developers about just how easy it is to incorporate digital 0:14:18.388 --> 0:14:22.738 accessibility designer web design people. Shannon Towle You know, we've 0:14:22.738 --> 0:14:25.978 talked to Alan Parker about dyslexia and his story, and 0:14:25.978 --> 0:14:28.918 it's an amazing story about how he's just lived his life. 0:14:28.918 --> 0:14:32.818 And Alan Stilgoe, I think he's early 70s. He's fantastic. 0:14:33.208 --> 0:14:36.298 He doesn't let anything stop him. Mark Muscott that just said, no, well, 0:14:36.298 --> 0:14:38.758 get on with life. And so we're talking to all 0:14:38.758 --> 0:14:41.668 these people we've got coming up like an NDIS service 0:14:41.668 --> 0:14:45.298 consultant about how he works with NDIS service providers and 0:14:45.298 --> 0:14:48.988 talking about his concepts and his thoughts about digital accessibility. 0:14:48.988 --> 0:14:52.558 Because the more different thoughts we can get, the more 0:14:52.588 --> 0:14:55.558 that people see that actually, it's not really hard to 0:14:55.558 --> 0:14:58.108 do and it should be done. The more we're going 0:14:58.108 --> 0:15:00.148 to enhance everyone's communication. 0:15:00.148 --> 0:15:03.928 And how did you get involved with people like Ian 0:15:03.928 --> 0:15:09.418 Westmorland and the Kintsugi Heroes crew and all of those people? 0:15:09.418 --> 0:15:13.648 It was interesting actually. I go to business networking meetings 0:15:13.648 --> 0:15:17.398 to talk about digital accessibility, and I met a guy 0:15:17.398 --> 0:15:20.458 there called Peter Ria. I think that was on one 0:15:20.458 --> 0:15:22.978 of the online ones, because I do a few online ones, 0:15:23.428 --> 0:15:26.818 and we got to talking and, you know, about different things. 0:15:26.818 --> 0:15:28.678 And he said, oh, I've got to introduce you to 0:15:28.678 --> 0:15:31.018 this bloke. And I said, oh yeah, I'll have a 0:15:31.018 --> 0:15:33.808 chat to anyone. And that's how I met Ian through 0:15:33.808 --> 0:15:37.078 that Ian that runs the Katsuki heroes. And then Ian 0:15:37.078 --> 0:15:40.918 started telling me his story and I was actually fascinated. 0:15:40.948 --> 0:15:44.278 It was probably my third career. Well, it is actually. 0:15:44.278 --> 0:15:50.188 But people change careers midstream. The reasons why they do it, 0:15:50.338 --> 0:15:53.428 you know, the passion they have for it is it 0:15:53.428 --> 0:15:56.518 just points out how people have different passions at different 0:15:56.518 --> 0:16:00.448 stages of their lives and how it directs their lives. 0:16:00.448 --> 0:16:04.528 And talking to Ian was really, really interesting. And then 0:16:04.528 --> 0:16:07.948 he asked me to be on Katsuji heroes, and I said, 0:16:07.948 --> 0:16:10.378 what's that? And he explained it and I said, yeah, okay, 0:16:10.888 --> 0:16:14.098 I'll do it. And I just thought, you know what 0:16:14.098 --> 0:16:18.538 he's done in getting Katsuki Heroes off the ground and running? 0:16:18.538 --> 0:16:23.038 I think it's phenomenal. Absolutely phenomenal, because it just points 0:16:23.038 --> 0:16:25.498 out that you can do anything if you want to. 0:16:25.498 --> 0:16:29.368 And we're looking forward to hearing you on Kintsugi Heroes. 0:16:29.368 --> 0:16:33.328 But in the meantime, Narelle, what's the best way for 0:16:33.328 --> 0:16:36.988 people to head along and listen to your program, the 0:16:36.988 --> 0:16:38.488 Digital Access Show? 0:16:39.148 --> 0:16:44.128 It's on Amazon, Spotify, the Apple Podcast. It can be 0:16:44.128 --> 0:16:47.818 found on any of the major podcast channels that you use. 0:16:47.818 --> 0:16:54.058 Just look for us, it's the digital digital access, a C, E, 0:16:54.058 --> 0:16:58.588 s show, and it is really about getting as many 0:16:58.588 --> 0:17:02.428 points of view across as possible, because if we can, 0:17:02.428 --> 0:17:06.268 it's all about education and educating from different points of view. 0:17:06.268 --> 0:17:10.018 Even down to there was a lady called Amber Adcock 0:17:10.018 --> 0:17:14.308 who's got a son that's on the autistic spectrum, level 0:17:14.308 --> 0:17:18.808 three non-verbal, and how she communicates with him and the 0:17:18.808 --> 0:17:22.438 issues and where she sees things going. And yeah, fantastic. 0:17:22.438 --> 0:17:24.748 Just the people I'm meeting are wonderful. 0:17:24.838 --> 0:17:30.478 I've been speaking today with Noel all about her journey 0:17:30.478 --> 0:17:35.668 with vision loss, how she overcame various barriers, but also 0:17:35.668 --> 0:17:42.028 the fantastic work she's currently doing in the digital access space. Noel, 0:17:42.028 --> 0:17:44.698 thank you so much for your time today. It's a 0:17:44.698 --> 0:17:47.248 pleasure to have a chat with you and look forward 0:17:47.248 --> 0:17:50.008 to hearing you on Kintsugi Heroes in the not too 0:17:50.008 --> 0:17:51.118 distant future. 0:17:52.028 --> 0:17:54.368 Well. Thanks, Sam. Look, it really has been a pleasure 0:17:54.368 --> 0:17:55.898 to meet you. Thank you so much. 0:18:02.868 --> 0:18:06.528 I'm Sam Kelly and you're listening to Talking Vision on 0:18:06.528 --> 0:18:11.658 Vision Australia Radio, associated stations of the Reading Radio Network, 0:18:11.658 --> 0:18:15.858 and the Community Radio Network. I hope you enjoyed that 0:18:15.858 --> 0:18:19.938 interview there with Noel Gatti. If you missed any part 0:18:19.938 --> 0:18:22.818 of that chat with Noel or you'd love to listen 0:18:22.818 --> 0:18:26.958 to it again. Talking vision is available on the Vision 0:18:26.958 --> 0:18:33.828 Australia Radio website at VA radio.org. That's VA radio.org. Or 0:18:33.828 --> 0:18:36.948 you can find the program on the podcast app of 0:18:36.948 --> 0:18:41.418 your choice or through the Vision Australia library. And now 0:18:41.418 --> 0:18:46.458 coming up next, my chat with Associate Professor Matthew Butler. 0:18:47.118 --> 0:18:51.138 Our next guest is an associate professor at the Faculty 0:18:51.138 --> 0:18:57.138 of Information Technology at Monash University. But he's also involved 0:18:57.138 --> 0:19:02.658 in the Monash Assistive Technology and Society Centre, which is 0:19:02.658 --> 0:19:09.048 offering a PhD scholarship in assistive technology and disability. His 0:19:09.048 --> 0:19:13.338 name is Matthew Butler, and he joins me now. Matt, 0:19:13.338 --> 0:19:16.428 welcome back to Talking Vision. Great to have you. 0:19:16.458 --> 0:19:18.498 Thank you so much for the opportunity. Sam. It's great 0:19:18.498 --> 0:19:19.428 to chat with you again. 0:19:19.458 --> 0:19:24.948 Now we're talking about the PhD scholarship in assistive technology 0:19:24.948 --> 0:19:29.958 and disability today, Matt, as part of the Matt centre 0:19:29.958 --> 0:19:33.498 where the candidates will be working. So tell us a 0:19:33.498 --> 0:19:35.808 little bit about the Matt centre. 0:19:35.808 --> 0:19:39.108 Yeah very happy to. So the Matt centre. So Matt's 0:19:39.108 --> 0:19:43.668 stands for Monash Assistive Technology and Society Centre. So it's 0:19:43.668 --> 0:19:47.208 a fairly recently formed centre. We're about 18 months old 0:19:47.208 --> 0:19:50.688 now I guess located at Monash University. And I guess 0:19:50.688 --> 0:19:55.158 the idea behind the centre is to bring together academics 0:19:55.158 --> 0:19:59.808 and PhD students and researchers of all kinds across the 0:19:59.808 --> 0:20:02.658 whole of Monash, who have some kind of interest or 0:20:02.658 --> 0:20:08.028 focus on assistive technology and disability support quite broadly. So 0:20:08.028 --> 0:20:11.028 we're not just technologists, a good number of us are, 0:20:11.028 --> 0:20:13.128 but we also try to look at some of the 0:20:13.128 --> 0:20:16.788 social aspects of it, the business side of things from 0:20:16.788 --> 0:20:20.958 an education perspective as well. So we've got around about 0:20:20.958 --> 0:20:24.438 100 academics across the university who are all doing work 0:20:24.438 --> 0:20:27.228 in this area. And what is exciting about that is 0:20:27.228 --> 0:20:30.288 it lets us think about assistive technology in a, in 0:20:30.288 --> 0:20:32.088 a much more broader sense. 0:20:32.088 --> 0:20:35.538 And following on from that, Matt, tell us a bit 0:20:35.538 --> 0:20:40.308 about the PhD scholarship itself. What are some details that 0:20:40.308 --> 0:20:43.818 you'd love to let people know about as an overview 0:20:43.818 --> 0:20:45.018 in general? Yeah, for. 0:20:45.018 --> 0:20:47.838 Sure. So we're very fortunate to be able to offer 0:20:47.838 --> 0:20:51.708 a PhD scholarship in or related to, I guess, assistive 0:20:51.708 --> 0:20:55.068 technology and disabilities. So for those of you who are 0:20:55.068 --> 0:20:57.438 interested in PhD, so at Monash, it's about a three 0:20:57.438 --> 0:20:59.838 and a half year process, has a little bit of coursework, 0:20:59.838 --> 0:21:03.738 but it's mostly focusing on a research project and why 0:21:03.738 --> 0:21:06.048 we're really excited about this is we're seeing this as 0:21:06.048 --> 0:21:10.608 an opportunity to get some people in, and candidates who 0:21:10.608 --> 0:21:14.088 have a really strong interest in assistive technology. We're really 0:21:14.088 --> 0:21:17.298 encouraging people who identify as having some form of disability 0:21:17.298 --> 0:21:21.108 to apply, because any PhD topic that we do in 0:21:21.108 --> 0:21:23.898 this space, and we're actually quite flexible in what the 0:21:23.898 --> 0:21:27.138 nature of the project is, we really want to come 0:21:27.138 --> 0:21:29.958 from the community and be in support of the community. 0:21:29.958 --> 0:21:33.108 So it is about working with some of our academics 0:21:33.108 --> 0:21:36.918 in the centre. And yeah, working on a research project 0:21:36.918 --> 0:21:38.748 for the next three and a half years or so, 0:21:38.748 --> 0:21:41.118 funded with, I guess, a kind of like a living 0:21:41.118 --> 0:21:42.528 allowance type aspect to it. 0:21:42.528 --> 0:21:46.098 And there's quite a few themes that the Matt Centre 0:21:46.098 --> 0:21:50.478 is exploring and sort of things that prospective candidates can 0:21:50.478 --> 0:21:55.218 look forward to. And I understand there is roughly four 0:21:55.218 --> 0:21:57.558 of those. So could you tell us a little bit 0:21:57.558 --> 0:21:58.488 about them? 0:21:58.698 --> 0:22:02.388 Yeah for sure. So I think the different themes are 0:22:02.388 --> 0:22:04.998 reflective of our centre more broadly. And the reason we're 0:22:04.998 --> 0:22:07.758 putting together or putting forward a number of themes is 0:22:07.758 --> 0:22:11.088 to allow a bit of discussion with potential candidates for 0:22:11.088 --> 0:22:14.478 what areas of interest they have and what expertise that 0:22:14.478 --> 0:22:18.348 they bring. So some of the themes span from very 0:22:18.348 --> 0:22:22.968 technology driven. So working very closely with new and emerging 0:22:22.998 --> 0:22:27.018 technologies to support real world needs for people with disability. 0:22:27.018 --> 0:22:30.348 So that could be things like conversational agents like Siri 0:22:30.348 --> 0:22:34.098 and Alexa, could be wearable technologies and the like. We 0:22:34.098 --> 0:22:37.668 then actually move from being very projects, being potentially very 0:22:37.668 --> 0:22:42.438 technology focused and development through to the more social side 0:22:42.438 --> 0:22:46.038 of technology. So reflecting on the role of technology and 0:22:46.038 --> 0:22:50.388 its use, considering the adoption of technology or barriers to access. 0:22:50.388 --> 0:22:52.608 So coming at it from more of a social perspective, 0:22:52.608 --> 0:22:57.528 one of the other themes is around supporting participation in Stem. 0:22:57.528 --> 0:23:01.768 So representation in Stem is often quite low. And so 0:23:01.768 --> 0:23:04.228 we're looking at research that can look at trying to 0:23:04.228 --> 0:23:08.368 identify and address the barriers to participation in science, technology, 0:23:08.368 --> 0:23:12.058 engineering and medicine. And then the fourth theme is around 0:23:12.058 --> 0:23:16.408 community and workplace participation. So considering again the role of 0:23:16.408 --> 0:23:20.698 technology that can support cultural activities, sporting activities, other types 0:23:20.698 --> 0:23:24.178 of community activities or technologies that can help address barriers 0:23:24.178 --> 0:23:28.528 that might currently restrict employment. So hopefully your listeners can 0:23:28.528 --> 0:23:31.468 hear that just because we have assistive technology in the title, 0:23:31.468 --> 0:23:33.298 don't be scared if you don't come from a very 0:23:33.298 --> 0:23:36.928 technical background. We want to consider technology both at a 0:23:36.928 --> 0:23:39.808 very technical level but also at a very social level. 0:23:39.808 --> 0:23:44.548 And of course, you are looking to get people involved 0:23:44.548 --> 0:23:49.558 who have lived experience of disabilities, but there are a 0:23:49.558 --> 0:23:54.148 lot of other people who are eligible to take part. 0:23:54.148 --> 0:23:58.078 So if people out there are interested and thinking, oh, 0:23:58.078 --> 0:24:01.498 I'd love to, you know, get involved in this opportunity, 0:24:01.528 --> 0:24:05.218 who is eligible to take part in the scholarship? 0:24:05.218 --> 0:24:08.488 So that's a really great question. So the opportunity is 0:24:08.488 --> 0:24:12.418 focused on Australian citizens, people who have permanent residency in 0:24:12.418 --> 0:24:16.648 Australia or and also New Zealand citizens. While as you mentioned, 0:24:16.648 --> 0:24:19.648 we really are strongly encouraging people who identify as having 0:24:19.648 --> 0:24:22.708 a disability to apply, ultimately, anyone who kind of fits 0:24:22.708 --> 0:24:26.788 the Australian criteria can apply. Why we do. You know, 0:24:26.788 --> 0:24:29.308 I guess we're strongly encouraging the people who identify as 0:24:29.308 --> 0:24:32.098 having a disability, or certainly people who are familiar with 0:24:32.098 --> 0:24:34.378 that context is we do really want to ensure that 0:24:34.378 --> 0:24:38.248 any PhD project that we work on does come from 0:24:38.248 --> 0:24:40.588 a place of genuine need and a place of community. 0:24:40.588 --> 0:24:42.898 So that's where we've put a bit of that focus. 0:24:42.898 --> 0:24:46.498 But certainly anybody who does have an interest or has 0:24:46.498 --> 0:24:49.558 some prior work that they've done in anything more broadly 0:24:49.558 --> 0:24:52.378 related to assistive technology, is very much encouraged to reach 0:24:52.378 --> 0:24:53.338 out and get in touch. 0:24:53.338 --> 0:24:57.808 Okay. And speaking of getting in touch, Matt, how can 0:24:57.808 --> 0:25:01.918 people get in touch with you or the MIT center 0:25:01.918 --> 0:25:06.298 to possibly apply and or find out a little bit 0:25:06.298 --> 0:25:09.778 more about the scholarship? What's the best way to do that? 0:25:09.778 --> 0:25:11.668 Yeah, look, the best way is probably just to get 0:25:11.668 --> 0:25:13.498 directly in touch with me, I think is a start. 0:25:13.498 --> 0:25:16.978 So email is is usually my best point of contact. Uh, 0:25:16.978 --> 0:25:18.418 I'm kind of in and out of the office quite 0:25:18.418 --> 0:25:21.808 a bit. So my email address is Matthew with two 0:25:21.808 --> 0:25:28.438 T's dot Butler butler@monash.edu if you drop me an email 0:25:28.438 --> 0:25:30.988 if you've heard this I can certainly send you a 0:25:30.988 --> 0:25:33.538 bit more information. We can discuss a little bit about 0:25:33.538 --> 0:25:37.918 your background topics that you might be interested in. And look, 0:25:37.918 --> 0:25:40.048 applying for a PhD is a bit of that kind 0:25:40.048 --> 0:25:43.018 of discussion. So sometimes a PhD is a very fixed 0:25:43.018 --> 0:25:45.958 project that you might come on to here. We're very 0:25:45.958 --> 0:25:50.038 open to exploring the different potential projects that are a 0:25:50.038 --> 0:25:51.448 candidate might take on. 0:25:51.568 --> 0:25:57.238 And finally, the closing date for the scholarship applications is 0:25:57.238 --> 0:26:00.568 the 3rd of July. Now is that still the case? 0:26:00.568 --> 0:26:02.998 No. So that is that is still the case. We 0:26:02.998 --> 0:26:06.838 tend to look. So PhD applications are usually often not 0:26:06.838 --> 0:26:10.048 fixed by a particular kind of hard deadline I guess 0:26:10.048 --> 0:26:12.628 we've got this date so that we can consider the 0:26:12.628 --> 0:26:15.868 different applicants and who might be most suitable. So if 0:26:15.868 --> 0:26:17.878 people can aim for that. But I would say if 0:26:17.878 --> 0:26:20.608 you do come across this just that little bit too late, 0:26:20.608 --> 0:26:23.068 it's certainly worth reaching out because there still could be 0:26:23.068 --> 0:26:26.128 other opportunities related to doing a PhD in this space. 0:26:26.128 --> 0:26:30.868 Okay, that's fantastic news. I've been speaking today with Matthew 0:26:30.868 --> 0:26:36.178 Butler from the Mat Centre at Monash University, chatting to 0:26:36.178 --> 0:26:41.308 me all about the centre and the upcoming applications for 0:26:41.308 --> 0:26:46.978 the PhD scholarship in assistive technology. Matt, thank you so 0:26:46.978 --> 0:26:48.928 much for your time today. It was a pleasure to 0:26:48.928 --> 0:26:52.318 catch up with you again and chat all about the scholarship. 0:26:52.708 --> 0:26:54.478 And it was great to chat with you, Sam, and 0:26:54.478 --> 0:26:56.968 as always, we really appreciate the support we get from 0:26:56.968 --> 0:26:57.568 your end. 0:27:04.478 --> 0:27:07.568 And that's all the time we have for today. You've 0:27:07.568 --> 0:27:11.798 been listening to Talking Vision. Talking vision is a Vision 0:27:11.798 --> 0:27:15.968 Australia radio production. Thanks to all involved with putting the 0:27:15.968 --> 0:27:20.168 show together every week. And remember, we love hearing from you. 0:27:20.168 --> 0:27:23.468 So please get in touch any time on our email 0:27:23.468 --> 0:27:28.778 at Talking Vision. At Vision australia.org. That's talking vision all 0:27:28.778 --> 0:27:33.548 one word at Vision australia.org. But until next week it's 0:27:33.548 --> 0:27:35.888 Sam Colly saying bye for now. 0:27:39.408 --> 0:27:43.158 You can contact Vision Australia by phoning us any time 0:27:43.158 --> 0:27:52.728 during business hours on 1300 847 406. That's one 308 474106 or 0:27:52.728 --> 0:27:57.738 by visiting Vision Australia. Org that's Vision australia.org.