Ubuntu uses the CUPS daemon for printing. This can be configured in many ways. ubuntu should have a tool for configuring the printer build in. It's a while since I used ubuntu, so I can't recall where this tool is, but it should be somewhere in the system menu.
CUPS also includes a web based configuration tool. I prefer this, as it's the same on every computer and every desktop environment. You can use this by starting up your favourite webbrowser and go to the adress:
http://localhost:631
When you're in there, there is a guide to add a new printer. It's pretty straight forward actually.
I can't help you with scanners as I never had one, and therefore I have never had the interest to find out how to configure them.