Free Tech Support

Free Technical Support for Disabled People

There are Organisations around the UK which offer free technical support to disabled people.

IT Can Help

IT Can Help was founded in 1994 and are a network of volunteers who provide FREE computer support to disabled people. They visit people in their own homes and at other locations such as residential homes and day centres. In the past three years alone, volunteers have made 3,000 visits, solving many hardware and software problems and helping people to gain confidence using a computer. IT Can Help can help you in the following ways: Provide impartial advice on computer hardware and software Install new equipment and software Help you to get connected to the internet and use email Get you started with standard packages such as word processing Solve technical problems that may arise Give advice and assistance with hardware and software upgrades Help you to get the best out of your computer and software For free technical help, call 0800 269545, or for more information about It Can Help, Goto> www.itcanhelp.org.uk
Some IT Can Help case studies: Case 1. The client is a wheelchair user with severe mobility impairment, and has somehow lost all her emails, swallowed up from her desktop, apparently, by AOL. Our volunteer in that area manages to retrieve them, and as a bonus re-commissions her defective laptop. Case 2. The client virtually lives on the floor. Her legs are useless and spasms, make sitting uncomfortable, but with laminated floors, she can slide and crawl around. Before she was so badly disabled, she had a computer, but it's not working now and up on the table out of sight. Our volunteer brought the processing unit back to life, but declared the monitor to be beyond repair. We kept an eye on the web site donateapc and found a 17” CRT monitor for her only ten miles away. We telephoned U-Can-Do-It, who will give her a few lessons, and a charity called REMAP which specialises in custom-built furniture and equipment for the disabled. Case 3. AbiltyNet says client is vision-impaired since a stroke and is having problems seeing the icons and text on the screen of her laptop. Could we help her make these larger? Perhaps even find a magnifier for her? This is a welcome first job for a volunteer who lives not far away. He reports, “Hi, visit carried out. Client happy with the MS internal magnifier, set up and explained”.

RNIB - Volunteer Unit (Technology)

The RNIB`s Volunteer Unit for technology issues sources volunteers from all over the country who can visit registered blind or partially sighted people in their homes to assist with computer and IT problems such as PC set-up and general troubleshooting throughout the UK. The Volunteer Unit co-ordinates all requests for help and IT Home Visitor call-outs.g1Volunit@rnib.org.uk

0845 766 9999 Helpline (for support)

0845 604 2341 Technology Vol. www.rnib.org.uk


The Aidis Trust

Are you having problems with your computer and/or adaptations? Would you like some friendly free advice? Aidis has a Big Lottery funded technical supported helpline. Aidis gives advice, assessment, installation, and, perhaps most importantly, training and support to disabled people. Over the last year Aidis has helped over 2,000 disabled people, approximately two-thirds of whom were children. Their technical support page includes some guides on how to fix problems on your computer and keep it running well. This ranges from information on viruses to reinstalling your computer. It's been split it into 4 sections: Healthy PC - how to keep your computer happy and running smoothly; Problem Solving - what to do when things do go wrong; Tips & Tricks - how to do some useful things with your PC, Screen Casts - on-screen tutorial for installing and using some of the most common special needs software and freeware. More about the Aidis Trust . . .