The National Federation of the Blind UK has chosen Dr Sarah Morley Wilkins as this year's recipient of the Grimshaw Award. This is a medal awarded annually to someone who has made an outstanding contribution in the field of blind welfare.
Sarah is the Principal Manager of RNIB's Centre for Accessible Information, based in Birmingham, and was nominated for:
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her groundbreaking books on Windows software for blind and partially sighted people
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her research into non visual information systems and
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leading the merger and creation of UKAAF (the UK Association for Accessible Formats).
Presentation of the Grimshaw Award will be in October at the National Federation of the Blind UK conference in London.
Sarah's background
Since 1993, as a psychologist, Sarah's work for blind people has always been user based; starting with research into non visual information systems for blind users on the first Windows screen readers, web browsers and DAISY players. She gained her PhD in this area in 1999.
Her groundbreaking approach to writing books to help blind and partially sighted users to learn about Windows won her the prestigious SAP/Stevie Wonder Vision Pioneer of the Year award in 1998, with her books being translated into numerous languages and used around the world and known as "the computer bible for users and trainers alike." RNIB has just published her fifth book in the series, on Windows 7 and Vista, co-authored with Digital Accessibility colleague Steve Griffiths.
Sarah recently instigated and led a unanimously supported merger of three industry associations (two of them charities) and formed a brand-new charitable company, the UK Association for Accessible Formats. This has created a more effective single voice for accessible format standards in the UK, helping transcribers, service providers and users. She continues to drive their agenda as Vice Chair as well as working with international standards bodies on accessible format standards and solutions.
Centre for Accessible Information
Sarah's team at RNIB, the Centre for Accessible Information, continues with this user-driven and empirical approach, helping to drive the industry forward and improve the accessible information available to people with sight loss for education, work and everyday living.