FAQs

What is the purpose of the Equipment Loan Bank?
How much does it cost and how do I join?
What do members get for their fee?

What can be borrowed?

Who can join?

• Access to equipment which may enable a student with additional support needs to successfully participate in learning
• Support for staff when assessing a student’s needs and implementing the equipment
• Security in the knowledge that equipment is suitable for the student and will be used
• Embedded technology skills in institutions by enabling staff to gain experience
• Time to thoroughly evaluate the usefulness of equipment in context

Equipment is provided for evaluation purposes. It does not replace the need for institutions to purchase equipment for ongoing use. If an item proves to be effective, BRITE will provide information about suppliers and costs. This “try before you buy” facility gives members confidence that money is being well-spent - funds are unlikely to be wasted on equipment which lies unused until it becomes obsolete.

To join, contact the EQLB administrator or use the EqLB enquiry form.

What do members get for their fee?

• Help with identifying appropriate equipment for a student to try
• Entitlement to borrow up to 3 items for 12 weeks at a time
• Equipment promptly dispatched direct to the institution via courier or Special Delivery
• Half-day of assistive technology training, worth £350, either face-to-face* or online
• On-going support via phone, email or our online training platform, Adobe Connect
• Access to user guides for selected devices and to fellow members’ equipment reviews

*Travel expenses payable by member institution

The range of assistive technology available is broad and may be as simple as an alternative keyboard or mouse, or items such as digital recorders or portable magnifiers. High tech devices such as listening aids for Cochlear Implant users, Braille note-taking devices and some examples of voice output communication aids are also available.

Take a look at some of the links on the BRITE website, featured case studies and articles on the Blog to get an idea of the range of assistive technology. Also have a look at the Tips for Choosing and Using AT before initiating a loan.

Unsure whether we lend an item you have in mind? Just ask!

We keep a number of varied types of technology and aids to learning in stock. A list of currently available equipment is available to members. A member username and password is required to access this list.

It is important that students access technology that is appropriate for their specific needs; therefore members should not feel they are restricted to equipment currently in stock. We welcome requests for new equipment, but if you are unsure what you need, our Assistive Technologists can help you identify possible devices.

Can an item be borrowed for more than 12 weeks?
If an item is valued at more than £1350, an extension may be requested. If the item has not been reserved by another member, it may be possible for the item to be retained for a further agreed period, or until another borrower requests the item.

For single items valued at more than £2700, or where a high degree of customisation to suit an individual student is necessary, BRITE is willing to consider a longer-term loan (up to a full academic year).

Are there any items BRITE is unable to lend?
We consider every request for new equipment carefully. On rare occasions we have been unable to provide the equipment initially requested and instead provided advice. Below are some examples of requested items we do not lend, and why:

• Software A selected number of software titles are available on USB. We also lend software when it is required to drive or effectively use a device e.g. Braille translation software is issued with a Braille embosser. However, software licensing makes lending disks and licence codes very complicated. The good news is that most software developers provide free demonstration copies of software which may be used for evaluation. BRITE’s assistive technologists can direct you to relevant software.
• Hoists Such devices must be properly installed and operated by trained people. They are also too large to easily post out. A small number of colleges do have hoists installed. These should only be used by trained individuals and an Occupational Therapist should conduct an assessment prior to use with a student. Contact an institution directly to ask whether there is a hoist and what the conditions of use are. The Profound and Complex Needs project team at Scotland’s Colleges may have further information.
• Fire alert systems (e.g. vibrating pagers for Deaf visitors) Fire alert systems need to be properly installed and integrated into a building’s existing fire alarm system. Advice on fire alert systems for deaf students, staff and visitors can be found in the Furthering Access to Education for Deaf Students guide.

(List above for examples only and is not exhaustive.)

What is the most expensive item in the loan bank and how many times has it been borrowed since it was purchased?
The highest value item is the Say IT Sam communication aid which was £4035 new and has been on two long term loans since purchase.

Much of the value in the EqLB lies not in the most expensive items, but in the mid-range. Such equipment is nevertheless costly for a college to own when it may only occasionally be used for trials. One example of this is FM systems for students who use hearing aids or cochlear implants. These systems are frequently on loan.

How many items, on average, are scrapped/lost/damaged/become obsolete each academic year?
The average is very low as generally equipment is well looked after by colleges and students when on loan. Not many items are scrapped as even when they are superseded by a newer model they are often still suitable for a student to trial.

One good example of this is the Lightwriter communication aid. To replace it with the newer model would cost around £3000, but the old and new versions operate in much the same way. Literature about the newer model is sent out with the loan as there are significant cosmetic differences.

A recent inventory resulted in the removal of seven items which were no longer suitable due to obsolete technologies (audio cassette, MiniDisc etc.)

Loans are administered via a named contact(s) in the member institution. Typically, the named contact is someone who has completed a BRITE Professional Development Award. The named contact should have experience in assessment of needs and effective implementation of assistive technology. Qualified individuals are known as BRITE Links.

In the BRITE People area of the website, you can find out who the BRITE Links are in your institution. Where an institution has more than one BRITE Link, all Links should be in agreement and have good communication with one another when applying for a membership.

If your institution does not currently employ a BRITE Link, a suitably experienced member of staff may be nominated as the named contact, e.g. an assistive technologist. See our e-prospectus for information on BRITE professional development options.

I don’t work in Scottish further or higher education, but would like to join.
Other types of education providers and NHS Trusts interested in participating in a pilot, should contact us to discuss eligibility. The loan bank currently does not operate beyond Scotland.

What are my responsibilities as a member?
By joining the BRITE Equipment Loan Bank, institutions and named contacts agree to:

• Return borrowed items to BRITE by the agreed date
• Pay courier/postage costs to return the item (BRITE covers the cost to post it out to you)
• Complete a short online evaluation of the equipment borrowed. Only when this evaluation has been completed can further equipment loans be authorised.
• In the event of damage, loss or theft, the member institution should either purchase a replacement, or pay BRITE the cost of a new item. Items are not insured by BRITE once they leave us. Institutions may add loan bank items to their own insurance policy if they wish.

Tips for Choosing and Using Assistive Technology

Place the student at the centre
The student should be at the centre of any assessment process or choices made. Appreciate that learning how to use new technology in addition to studying may be time-consuming and tiring. Ensure that the student understands the purpose of the technology and provide appropriate training.

Avoid assumptions and ‘habitual’ recommendations, e.g. automatically issuing identical assistive technology to all students with dyslexia.

Be specific. Don’t try something “just to see if it might help”. Consider the task(s) the student needs to perform and focus on how useful the technology is in enabling the student to complete the task.

Assessment and evaluation of assistive technology is an on-going process. As a student progresses through their course, their needs may change.

Develop your confidence
If you feel you lack confidence or up-to-date knowledge in an area of technology, help is available. To informally discuss your students’ needs, get in touch with one of BRITE’s Assistive Technology Information and Development Officers. They can provide you with independent advice, training and technology demonstrations.

Use the help available to become a more confident user of assistive technology. Staff confidence plays a huge part in determining how effectively assistive technology is utilised. Your level of confidence will ‘transmit’ to the student.

Stay up-to-date with BRITE. Our seminars, e-newsletter, website, blog and twitter feed are efficient ways to keep your knowledge current. Check the EqLB section of the website regularly for the ‘ICT Tip of the Month’ and a Featured Case Study from the EqLB archives.

Think critically and work collaboratively
Assistive technology is only part of the solution. How inclusive is your institution as a whole? For instance, are course materials available in advance and in an accessible format? Does the learning environment have good lighting and acoustics? How might you work with colleagues to challenge barriers to inclusion?

Regular supplier demonstrations can be a good way to stay up-to-date, but seek information from more than one supplier and remain objective. BRITE provides impartial advice and regular technology-focussed training updates.

Is a specialist device really necessary, or could ‘mainstream’ technology with which the student is already familiar be utilized to greater effect?

Students with more complex needs may receive support from other professionals with whom you might work in partnership. Sharing expertise deepens knowledge and improves the quality of provision over time. A collaborative approach is more likely to address the goals of the student as a whole, rather than generating a series of separate recommendations.

ICT Tip of the Month

ICT Tip of the Month 1: Mouse Solutions

Using a mouse can be difficult for many students, but before you spend money on alternative devices try the following:

• Check if the student is right or left handed. This sounds obvious but many left-handers will use the mouse with their right hand because the mouse is typically placed to the right of the keyboard.
• Slow down the mouse pointer speed so that the movement of the pointer is easier to control. This is also an important thing to do when using rollerballs or joysticks.
  • In Windows go to Control Panel then Mouse. Click the Pointer Options tab then move the slider left or right to adjust the speed.
  • On a Mac go to System Preferences then Keyboard and Mouse. Click the Mouse tab then move the Tracking Speed slider left or right to adjust the speed.
• Make the mouse pointer larger or a different colour so it is easier to see. This may be a critical factor for students with a visual impairment.
  • In Windows go to Control Panel then Mouse. Click the Pointers tab. Choose a Scheme from the drop down list. Windows Black (extra large) is a good one to try first. If the pointer still isn’t visible enough download larger pointers from http://tinyurl.com/acepointers
  • On a Mac go to System Preferences then Universal Access. Click the Mouse tab then move the Cursor Size slider left or right to adjust the size.
• There may be restrictions in your college which means you are unable to adjust these settings. Have a polite discussion with your ICT support to remind them of your college’s obligation under the Equality Act 2010 to make ‘reasonable adjustments’.

Fil McIntyre, Assistive Technology Information and Development Officer, BRITE

Featured EqLB Case Study

Equipment Loan Bank Case Study 1: BrailleNote18
A Braille-reading student was taking a range of foreign language courses where she was required to read course material, take notes, complete assignments and sit exams.

Ordinarily this would be a straight-forward request fulfilled by a laptop or a Braille Note-Taking device, but the requirement of multi-language support added an unusual element to the mix.

The solution was for us to purchase and setup a BrailleNote18 (Braille Note-Taker) from Humanware with additional language packs.

Some of the setup required me to use my rusty French skills to configure the system appropriately for the student's needs. With the help of the BrailleNote18, the student achieved success.

Monty Lilburn, Assistive Technology Information and Development Officer, BRITE.

EqLB Membership Form

Click here to access the membership form (pdf format 2Mb - will open in a new browser window)

EqLB Inventory

Members can click here to check on the status of items (link opens in a new browser window)

EqLB Enquiry Form

Members may use this form to initiate a loan enquiry.

This form is intended to help you collate information which may be helpful in identifying appropriate equipment. Once submitted, someone will contact you to discuss the loan and any support you require. All information submitted is confidential and will not be used for any purpose other than equipment loan.

It is not essential to use this form to initiate a loan. If you prefer, you may speak informally to the EqLB Administrator or to one of BRITE’s assistive technologists on 01383 749605, or send an email to enquiries@brite.ac.uk. You may however wish to collate some of the information requested below and refer to it during discussions.