14 DAY TRIAL // The $4.5 million offered to Vision Australia is the largest donation Microsoft has ever made in the country. Kevin Turner, chief operating officer for Microsoft, revealed that the 7 million Australian dollars was essentially a software grant designed to allow Vision Australia to upgrade its IT infrastructure. With an upgraded infrastructure, the organization helping blind people and those with low vision will be able to benefit from enhanced productivity. Vision Australia currently accounts for over 1,000 employees and in excess of 4,000 volunteers. In addition, Turner also indicated that Microsoft was committed to provide support to Vision Australia in order to increase the efficiency of fundraising activities.
“I’m excited to be able to announce this new grant for Vision Australia. I look forward to seeing the results of the work you do in Australia to serve people with vision impairments. I also look forward to continuing our joint efforts to develop a new generation of innovations that will increase the benefits that technology delivers be expanding accessibility for everyone,” Turner stated.
Statistics indicate that over 300,000 Australians are either blind or suffering from low vision. The software grant offered by Microsoft will enable Vision Australia to offer support to an increased number of visually impaired Australians. At the same time, the grant falls within Microsoft's strategy to turn to information technology as a pseudo-panacea for all “ailments.” With the new software from the Redmond company, Vision Australia will expand its services, which cover a wide range of areas from accessible information solutions to audio description services, but also community education, and even employment assistance, according to Turner.
“Our partnership with Vision Australia extends far beyond Microsoft’s commitment to provide support for the work that you do. Vision Australia is also a key research and development advisor to Microsoft. Your help and insights are vital to our efforts to make our products and services more user-friendly for people who are blind or have low-vision. We appreciate the expertise and knowledge you contribute to developing new innovations that will help people with a wide range of physical impairments,” Turner added.