FAQs - Frequently Asked Questions
IT Equipment & Support
For people wishing to gain IT skills or for those who already have them but would like to learn more, there are several ways to do this in Surrey.
AbilityNet is a charity which provides free advice and information on computer technology for disabled people. They also assess individuals to determine the most appropriate software & hardware to meet their needs.
Brooklands College has an accessible IT centre with a range of courses. Woking College run IT courses at the college and in Woking via the adult education service. East Surrey College also run a number of IT courses. Many of these courses are part time, but some are full time.
ITCH Network (Information Technology Can Help) is a network of computer professionals working as volunteers who will help disabled people to choose equipment & software, solve technical problems and use standard software.
Pamela Wickham Communications Training Centre, 01737 224454, run free computer courses sponsored by Surrey Learning & Skills Council.
Surrey Association for Visual Impairment (SAVI) assist blind & visually impaired people with training on computers with speech output and magnification as an alternative to pen and paper.
The Computer Centre for People with Disabilities carries out needs assessments & specialist training for disabled students wishing to claim Disabled Students’ Allowance.
The National Network of Assessment Centres runs centres around the country that enable disabled people to experiment with computer equipment to facilitate access to education, work and training.
The Aidis Trust assists people with severe physical disabilities to find the right computer software and hardware adaptations to enable them to use computers.
Recycle-IT! refurbish donated computer equipment which they supply to charities, churches, businesses just starting up and disabled individuals. Computers for the Disabled supplies computers at low cost to disabled individuals and community groups & charities.
U Can Do I.T. enables blind, deaf and disabled people to learn computer skills with one-to-one tuition in their own homes.
The Karten Computer Centre is a fully accessible computer centre for physically disabled people based at White Lodge in Chertsey. They offer courses on computing, word processing and the internet.
The Learning Shop 01372 729286 provides training on the main software packages to beginners or more experienced computer users. Courses can be started at any time and can lead to a recognised qualification.
Tech-it-up will run drop-in computer sessions for community groups in Surrey. Sessions last up to three hours and can include word processing, spreadsheets, internet & email, etc.
The Access to Work scheme can pay for specialised software and hardware to enable you to do your job if you have a disability and are in employment or wish to return to work. Contact the Disability Employment Adviser (DEA) at your nearest jobcentre for more information on this government scheme.
+ Additional Information: Accessible technology
More information on living with a disability in Surrey can be found at www.askenid.org.uk and in the leaflet ‘Information for You’ available from SID (Social Information on Disability), 0800 0439395.