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ABOUT US
Sight and Sound Technology is the UK and Ireland’s leading supplier and Master Distributor of hardware and software to the blind, visually impaired and those with learning and reading difficulties. We supply the tools to enable those who are fully or partially blind to live life to the maximum.
Working in unison with private individuals, charitable organisations, educational establishments and commercial enterprises, we help our users fully realise their potential. Our product solutions have been specifically designed to improve quality of life at work, at study or in the home.
Our specialist trainers are all fully accredited in each of the software titles that they support, allowing us to offer a personalised service to each of our customers and to assist them in their day-to-day activities.
Sight and Sound Technology is a nationwide company with offices located in Northampton (HQ), in Glasgow and Dublin. This enables us to be closer to our customers, be responsive and offering training and support at a location that is convenient to them and we work in conjunction with our customers and suppliers to ensure that their experiences are factored into new products that we develop in combination with our partners, the leading companies in this industry.
We help employers meet their legal obligations, advise on the best accessible technology solutions available and provide consultation on how reasonable adjustments can be made. We work with employers and employees, providing training and technical support to both the end user and technical support teams.
OUR VISION
SUPPORTING INDEPENDENT LIVING THROUGH INNOVATION
Here at Sight and Sound Technology we strive to provide the best solution and support to improve the lives of those who have a sensory or age related disability.
Life for us began as a specialist computer mainframe maintainer, but we soon became interested in the technology that was developing for those with visual impairment. This was long before the miniaturised personal computers (PCs) that we have today. Computers then were called mainframe computers and filled entire rooms, sometimes football pitch sized rooms!
The founders of the day, trekked to the USA, where the leading edge development was being undertaken and soon met the founding fathers of the entire industry. Some names you will not have heard of – Ted Henter, Dean Blazie, but one, you may have – Ray Kurzweil.
A serial entrepreneur (he still is), Ray had invented the Kurzweil Reading Machine. It was revolutionary – the size of a washing machine, required a fork lift truck and a small van to transport it – but you could feed a page of printed text into it and it would read it back. For the blind, it was the beginning of independence, mobility and access to information previously hidden from their sightless world. Now that reading machine is software on a pocket-sized mobile phone – how times have changed!
Today, we are the leading player in a highly specialised market. We look after over 35,000 customers, and now many with age related disability, where our technology is changing lives. The world of technology moves ever faster and we bring the newest innovations to people UK wide and we take the time to make sure that they understand how to use the technology and know where we are when things go wrong… which, as we all know with technology, happens. Our trained staff visit users in their home or workplace and provide lifetime support on the life-enhancing products that they purchase through us.
We are proud of our heritage and being at the centre of the UK’s assistive technology industry. As we diversify into wider fields and use deep skills and experience of technology for the disabled, we look forward to continuing our innovative, caring approach for at least another 30 years to come.
Glenn Tookey CEO, Sight and Sound Technology
OUR PROFILE
Est. in 1979
BS27001 Compliant
Master distributors of world leading Access Technology in the UK
UK’s largest distributor of solutions for the blind and visually impaired
World leading ZoomTextTM Dealer year on year
Provider of literacy software to every school on The Isle of Man
The only DSA Supplier who is specialist in support for blind and visually impaired
LEGAL NOTICE
Sight and Sound Technology Limited is a company registered in England and Wales, with company number 1408275.
Trading and Registered Address:
Equilibrium House,
Mansion Close,
Moulton Park Industrial Estate,
Northampton, Northamptonshire,
NN3 6RU
Tel: 01604 798070
If calling from outside the UK, please use: +44 1604 798070
Fax: +44 (0)1604 798090
DSA Tel: 01604 798000
If calling from outside the UK, please use: +44 1604 798000
DSA Fax: +44 (0)1604 798091
Email: [email protected]
VAT Number: GB927388680
OUR MARKETS
We operate in the most demanding areas of disability and provide design, technology, implementation, training and support services to the highest level of competency to tens of thousands of individuals, businesses and education organisations.
Statistics suggest around 1 in 9 people struggle with dyslexia – Source: Guardian Nov 2009
1 in 30 people in the UK are living withsight loss – Source: RNIB 2013
Adults with learning disabilities are 10 times more likely to be blind or partially sighted than the general population – Source: RNIB 2013
People with sight loss – Blind and visually impaired:
It is predicted that by 2020 the number of people with sight loss will rise to over 2,250,000. By 2050, the number of people with sight loss in the UK will double to nearly four million, (4,000,000).
Source: Action for Blind people 2013 and RNIB 2013
Reading, writing and literacy skills
One in 9 people suffer from literacy challenges. We have the widest range of computer-based tools and support capability to suit all ages from primary school to the elderly. In 2010 there are 1,860,000 by the year 2020 there is estimated to be 2,250,000?
Almost one in five students, or 15-20% of the population, has a language-based learning disability. Dyslexia is probably the most common of the language-based learning disabilities.
Source: International Dyslexia Association 2008.
Physical and other sensory disability
Physical and Motor disability ranges from RSI to impaired limbs and partial or complete paralysis. Our technology and support helps sufferers improve the quality of their life and achieve personal or employment goals.
We sell to:
Individuals
Charities
Central Government
Local Government
Schools
Universities
Large multi-nationals
Corporates
SMEs
Sole Traders
At work, At home, On the move, At school.
ACCESSIBILITY SOLUTIONS
We help employers meet their legal obligations, and advise on web accessibility across a wide range of corporate sectors.
TELECARE AND TELEHEALTH
With our partners we provide innovative mobile and wireless solutions for the emerging Telecare and Telehealth markets.
OUR SERVICES
As the UK’s leading provider of hardware and software to the blind and visually impaired, we work with you from initial assessment through to lifetime support. Sight and Sound Technology is truly the one-stop-shop for all your assistive technology needs.
AUDIT, ASSESSMENT AND SOLUTION DESIGN
Undertaking audits of existing solutions, assessing your needs and building the bespoke solution to meet your specific requirements.
TRAINING
Full-time certified trainers to provide both basic and advanced instruction for today’s most popular Microsoft applications. Delivered to groups or on a one-to-one basis. We will tailor training to meet your specific requirements, providing advice, support and training.
“The training has enabled me to work in a way that, in all honesty, is better than I could ever have imagined”says Nicola King, Litigation Officer.
SCRIPT WRITING AND CONFIGURATION
Many organisations run their own bespoke software programmes; we can customise our assistive technology software to allow our customers to use these specialist programmes and we also work with IT teams to support assistive technology on more complex networks. We offer custom script writing services to ensure your company’s bespoke applications work with access technology.
CUSTOMER SUPPORT AND MAINTENANCE CONTRACTS
Lifetime telephone support during normal working hours, customers can also benefit from our online technical support via email.
EXTENDED WARRANTIES
To give companies peace of mind we offer extended warranties (up to five years) in addition to the manufacturers standard warranties.
AUDIT, ASSESSMENT AND SOLUTION DESIGN
Understanding the real need for assistive technology is paramount. We review what you have, we assess in order to help you decide what you need and we design a best in class solution.
POST SALE SUPPORT
The real value of Assistive Technology is derived when the user has the knowledge and confidence to use the product without a second thought. We provide helpdesk support, remote connect and a range of support plans that ensure your organisation and user makes the most of their assistive technology purchase from Sight and Sound Technology.