Training

Training

If you have been awarded training on your DSA equipment with Barry Bennett, you will need to place the order with us by submitting your DSA funding approval letter. Place your training order.

Our dedicated team of trainers are all DBS checked and specialise in working with students with visual and hearing impairments, learning difficulties, physical disabilities and mental health issues. Where necessary we can provide chaperones, female only trainers, carer support training and translators for hearing impaired students.

If you have any special requirements then please make a note of them when you submit your order, or simply make our scheduling team aware when they contact you to arrange your training.

What can I expect during a training session?
Once we have greeted and introduced ourselves to you, we then set about establishing your needs. We will ask questions about your IT background and knowledge of the equipment and software you have received.

We then proceed to get an overview of your disability needs and requirements from the training sessions. We will round this up with questions about how you like to study, work and organise yourself and the type of course which you are doing. With this knowledge we will then start to implement the training, confident that the session will be fully adapted to your individual needs.

We believe that there is a great requirement to be organised during your studies and we will assist you with the skills and techniques necessary to implement this into your day-to-day routine.

We will adapt the system to your specific requirements - this may be as little as setting up a document template with your preferred colour of background, font size and type, borders, word and line spacing etc. through to full system colours, icons and shortcuts, work back up and general IT usage to make this the least part of studying that needs attention.

Finally, we will move on to train on the supplied equipment / software, showing you how to use this to ensure that your study and work is achieved with minimal effort and that you are fully supported throughout.

Training sessions can be carried out face-to-face at your home, campus or alternatively, remotely via a broadband internet connection.
With one of the largest and most experienced AT remote training teams in the UK, we are able to provide a customer tailored service that is perfectly placed to train and support students in your requested environment at a date and time which is most convenient for you.

Our remote training sessions are delivered using a hugely successful internet based training deployment software with the highest security end-to-end 128-bit AES encryption. All our trainers are either certified as, or working towards, Edexcel Level 3 Award in Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector (QCF), or equivalent.

The training can be carried out on a one-to-one or group basis giving carers and support workers the opportunity to join in the sessions. You can request male or female trainers and choose from morning, afternoon, evening and weekend availability.

Benefits and features of remote access training:

• Delays due to traffic & weather conditions are eliminated, so the session starts when you want it to start
• Training can be carried out with and without a webcam, giving you as much interaction as you wish
• We are able (if you wish) to record the full training session for later viewing and referral so the benefits of the session are never lost
• You have full control throughout and can chose to end the session at any time if you wish to do so
• Almost all software training can be carried out remotely, the main exception being VI products as this is best carried out in person
• Distance is no object – if you have placements abroad they can still access first class AT training and refresher sessions
• Mental health issues and anxiety can be relieved as you do not need to allow a stranger into your personal space, or travel to an alternative location such as a library
• Technical issues are minimised as you can access the trainer's computer if your own computer software has a glitch, so the session is not compromised and the technical issues can be resolved afterwards
• Choice is key, so if you start your first session of remote training but find, for any reason, that it's not suitable for you, then we will bring the session to a close and reschedule the full session on-site at no loss to the yourself
• The convenience of being able to access training on weekends or evenings is ideal if you are on fulltime courses such as nursing and engineering

Supplier quotes

"We have been working with Barry Bennett since 2014, and their dedication to service and customer satisfaction has been outstanding from day one. Their team has a deep understanding of the assistive technology landscape, and their commitment to ensuring Medincle users receive the best possible support has made them an invaluable partner. Their professionalism and friendly approach make them a pleasure to work with."
Medincle


"Since we introduced Caption.Ed in 2020, Barry Bennett has been a trusted partner in delivering this innovative product to students and professionals across the UK. Their focus on providing top-tier service and support has helped countless users get the most out of Caption.Ed. We value their professionalism and their proactive approach to meeting the needs of the community they serve."
Caption.Ed


"Working with Barry Bennett since 2020 on TalkType has been an excellent experience. Their dedication to ensuring users have access to high-quality assistive technology, combined with their superb customer service, has made a real difference to the impact TalkType has had on students and professionals alike. They are a trusted partner, and we’re grateful for their continued support and collaboration."
TalkType