You Need
British Computer Society Disability Group
IT CAN HELP
The British Computer Society Disability Group is a membership
organisation which promotes the way technology can effectively assist disabled
people. Its chairman, Dr Geoff Busby MBE, is both a Fellow of the Society and a
disabled person. Consequently the group has a valuable insight into the
problems that IT is increasingly effective in solving.
The aims of
the group are:
to demonstrate to society that IT is a tool for equality, challenging
the preconceptions surrounding disability.
to work with the computer
industry to show that everyone can benefit when access for disabled people is
considered in product design. Voice-activated computing is one example.
to identify, and influence, shortfalls in the general provision of
computer equipment and related services for disabled people.
to
encourage the active involvement of disabled people in the work of the group so
that they can have a direct input into decisions that affect them. One way is
through membership of the group.
They publish 'Ability', a quarterly journal for members. Regular
meetings are held to discuss topical issues and they organise and contribute to
national and international conferences and exhibitions.
IT-Can
Help
IT-Can Help is a network which offers computer assistance to
individuals in their own homes and at other locations such as day centres. They
will give practical help and advice to those who find the official sources of
support to be ineffective.
The network helps individuals with their
immediate IT problems and assists them in building their own local support
structure.
For more information about BCS and IT-Can Help contact: www.ksap.demon.co.uk/itcanhelp