The Foundation for Information Technology Accessibility (FITA) can offer such support. It can provide you one or more of the following services:

• assessment of your needs because of your disability;
• advice on possible solutions;
• support to select the device (equipment or software) you need to buy;
• when possible, offer you the possibility to try out such device; and
• offer you training in its use.

More information can be obtained from:

The Foundation for Information Technology Accessibility (FITA)

Gattard House, Triq Nazzjonali, Blata l-Bajda

Tel: 2599 2048 / 25992343

Email: info@fitamalta.eu

Website: https://fitamalta.eu

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fitamalta.eu

Aġenzija Sapport offers assessment and guidance in relation to assistive technology to children with disability attending schools

This service is provided by therapists of the Access to Communication and Technology Unit (ACTU) team. If a learner is encountering difficulties to access the computer/ mobile/ tablets or other devices both at home and at school, the Occupational Therapist and Speech and Language Therapist at ACTU will on assessment:

* Assess the learner’s needs for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). This includes unaided and aided AAC.

* Assess to identify access methods to operate AAC devices. Example, the use of switches; on-screen keyboards; head mouse and eye gaze.

* Assess for an alternative method of recording eg. use of alternative mouse and keyboards.

* Assess for the need of specialised software such as curricular support, text to speech and voice recognition systems.

* Assess of Environmental Control Systems such as using remote control devices, putting on/off lights, switch on/off blender, personal alarms systems etc.

Depending on the assessment the therapist will liaise with other professionals working with the child/person, assist and guide the person or parents in the recommendations and help them in the implementation such as:

* Development of low tech resources.

* Customisation of devices

* Support to implement recommendations both at home and at school.

* Parent and professional training.

More information can be obtained from:

Aġenzija Sapport, Sonia Tanti Independent Living Centre, Ħal Far Industrial Estate, Ħal Far

Tel: 21653938

Email: actu.sapport@gov.mt​

Website: www.sapport.gov.mt

Aġenzja Sapport also offers the Empowerment Scheme and Subsidies on Specialised Equipment

If you need financial support to buy specialised equipment to support you use technological devices you can ask Agenżija Sapport regarding the relevant schemes. Those applying for this scheme are required to have a Special Identity Card issued on their name.

Since this financial support is very often partial, you can also ask the Malta Community Chest Fund Foundation (MCCF) to support you as well.

More information can be obtained from:

Aġenzija Sapport

Malta Office: Patri Ġwann Azzopardi Street, St. Venera SVR 1614Tel: 22568000

Email: sapport@gov.mt

Gozo Office: Learning Hub, Triq l-Imġarr, Għajnsielem GSM 9016Tel: 21569909

Email: sapportgozo@gov.mt

Website: www.sapport.gov.mt

Facebook: Aġenzija Sapport

The Malta Community Chest Fund Foundation

The Palace, Il-Belt Valletta

Tel: 21226226

Email: mccf@gov.mt

Website: https://www.mccff.org.mt/en/contact-us

You can contact FITA to talk to the entity responsible for that website. If the entity does not co-operate, you can lodge a complaint with the Commission for the Rights of Persons with Disability, to investigate and, if need be, as a last resort, take the matter to Court.

More information can be obtained from:

The Foundation for Information Technology Accessibility (FITA)

Gattard House, Triq Nazzjonali, Blata l-Bajda

Tel: 2599 2048,25992343

Email: info@fitamalta.eu

Website: https://fitamalta.eu

The Commission for the Rights of Persons with Disability

G5 Office, Triq Psaila, B’kara

Tel: 22267600, SMS only: 79788555 / Gozo Office: 21556002

Gozo Office

Sannat Primary School, Sannat Road, Sannat

Tel: 21556002

Email: helpdesk@crpd.org.mt

Website: https://crpd.org.mt

The Foundation for Information Technology Accessibility (FITA) aims to ensure that the use of computers and other technological devices are accessible to persons with disability. It helps them select, acquire and use these devises. It also assists service providers in this area to remove barriers that can hinder persons with disability from fully utilising such technology. Ongoing services offered by FITA are:

ICT Accessibility Certification

FITA offers advice and information to service providers to ensure that policies, online services and website are accessible to persons with disability. It also reviews, assesses and certifies websites according to international standards so that these are accessible to persons with disability. This is done either online through tools provided by FITA for self-assessments, or else by a team of experts including persons with disability.

Helpdesk Service

FITA offers support to persons with disability related to e-government services and the use of computers and other technological devices, including those used only by persons with disability. This is done through its helpdesk and the FITA Online group that disseminates and archives information related to these areas.

Braille Embossing Services

FITA produces tactile and Braille printing to individuals and organisations. This means that a text with visuals (that all can be felt by blind persons) can be printed on the same page, the visuals embossed and the text in Braille.

Accessibility Training Sessions

FITA organises information sessions aimed at managers responsible for webpages on the principles behind ICT accessibility, thus ensuring a usable online service.

ICT Training Courses

FITA offers three types of training:

• One-to-one ICT training to persons with a visual impairment that can cover all levels from basic use of a computer, to ECDL and to specialised areas.
• Together with entities, government or private, ICT training to persons with intellectual or communication disability covering different levels. These courses are endorsed either by ECDL or by Malta Qualifications Framework standards.
• One-to-one mentoring services to volunteers supporting disabled individuals in their ICT needs.

Assistive ICT Consultancy and Training

This consultancy is addressed to private individuals and educational and business entities who need to use ICT to provide accessible services to all their clients including persons with disabilities or to support a member of their workforce who is disabled.

Development of Accessible Software

FITA, with the support of MITA and other governmental and private entities, developed a set of educational ICT tools based on the Maltese language.

Assistive ICT Pool

FITA has a number of tools that can be used across computer training and learning. Disabled persons or training organisations can loan this equipment for a maximum period of three months to enable disabled individual to benefit fully form educational and training opportunities or to try it and see whether to buy such tool or not.

Advice

In conjunction with an NGO for the blind, FITA has a number of equipment that helps visually impaired persons to live more independently and which it offers on loan to blind persons to try out prior to purchasing it.

Initiative with Private Companies

FITA, from time to time, makes agreements with private companies such as Melita, Microsoft, Vodafone, to offer their services to disabled people at advantageous prices.

A number of FITA’s services are provided against a fee and service fees can be seen at: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1u45fkfpfYAoeMqH2LTwR3aUkHOyY-JSrV7kB_5qBlCI/edit#gid=0

More information can be obtained from:

The Foundation for Information Technology Accessibility (FITA)

Gattard House, Triq Nazzjonali, Blata l-Bajda

Tel: 2599 2048 / 25992343

Email: info@fitamalta.eu

Website: https://fitamalta.eu

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fitamalta.eu

“The small and big efforts which go into ensuring greater access for persons with disability sometimes go unnoticed or are not promoted.  At some point, everyone needs accessible
services, either for themselves, friends or relatives, but do not know where to easily find this information.
The Foundation for Information Technology Accessibility (FITA) and Vodafone Foundation Malta worked to address this recurring difficulty and created SPOT.
The website SPOT.org.mt lists different venues in Malta and Gozo and lets you rate them based on accessibility for persons with different disabilities.
SPOT does not simply flag venues as accessible or inaccessible, since everyone’s accessibility needs may be different.  It doesn’t matter whether you are reviewing or rating a parking area, super market, restaurant or natural park.  The goal is to report on the quality of service and level of accessibility.  It also does not matter whether you have a disability yourself or not.  As long as you wish to help and contribute your opinion, the questions specific to the disability group/s you select will guide you.

Visit SPOT.org.mt now in order to learn about the accessibility of venues, orshare information about venues you know above. “

A detailed overview of how  to use SPOT is available at https://spot.org.mt/FAQ