[nabs-l] Independence with a Price Tag

[Aziza]

I'm personally not in favor of making anyone the enemy in this issue, 
however I do have a position.

I believe assistive tech costs to much, and unnecessarily so. Few 
individuals can afford them on their own, and organizations like DOR are 
reluctant to pay for things for a reason, they are expensive. Its simple to 
understand, we need more. We need screen readers, OCR software, text 
translation software, embossers, scanners, printers, braille displays. 
However, to make an office setting work perfectly for a blind person would 
cost much more than setting an office up for a sighted person. Its fact. 
That isn't really my main concern. My main concern is districts. High school 
and younger. They refuse to purchase technology because they don't have the 
funds, or they don't get their students the training because they lack the 
funds. If training and our tech costed less perhaps our blind youth would 
receive a better blindness skills education in main stream situations, at 
least on one level.

Aziza
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "V Nork" <ginisd at sbcglobal.net>
To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list" 
<nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, February 03, 2010 12:03 PM
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Independence with a Price Tag


> This is such a complex issue, but so critical to the lives of  the members 
> of our community.  It should be pointed out, I think, that just being able 
> to afford the equipment is sometimes just the beginning of sticker shock. 
> It can be extremely expensive to find instruction for your complicated new 
> devices, if you can  even find it.  This is true also for repair, since 
> this equipment is so specialized and esoteric at this time, not everyone 
> who works on computers will be able to do repairs if needed Best, Ginnie.
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Hope Paulos" <hope.paulos at maine.edu>
> To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list" 
> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, February 03, 2010 8:45 AM
> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Independence with a Price Tag
>
>
>> Dear Joe. I agree with you. There have been countless times that I've 
>> needed adaptive technology and haven't been able to purchase it without 
>> assistance from my vocational rehabilitation agency. (I was in high 
>> school or college at the time). It's horrible to think that companies can 
>> charge $150 or more for even  software updates.  Paying $6,200 or 
>> thereabouts for a device made especially for the blind is ludicrous. 
>> Especially when this device may not be compatible with mainstream 
>> software. If you need help with this campaign, I'd be more than willing 
>> to assist you in any way possible.
>> Sincerely,
>> Hope Paulos
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "Joe Orozco" <jsorozco at gmail.com>
>> To: "'National Association of Blind Students mailing list'" 
>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
>> Cc: "'Discussion list for NABS,National Alliance of Blind Students.'" 
>> <nabs at acb.org>; <tabs_students at googlegroups.com>; "'NFBnet NFBCS Mailing 
>> List'" <nfbcs at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Tuesday, February 02, 2010 11:45 PM
>> Subject: [nabs-l] Independence with a Price Tag
>>
>>
>>> Dear list,
>>>
>>> I'm continuously appalled at the price tags associated with adaptive
>>> technology.  While you're in college you might receive assistance from 
>>> your
>>> rehab agency to purchase equipment.  You may get some assistance after 
>>> you
>>> find a job, but inevitably there comes a point when the expense comes
>>> directly from your own pocket.  I wonder how many people have had to 
>>> settle
>>> for outdated technology because they simply cannot afford it.  But, 
>>> that's
>>> the thing.  I'm only assuming there are tons of people who cannot afford
>>> this technology.  I'd like to lead a campaign to call public attention 
>>> to
>>> this monopoly, and, I'd like to hear your thoughts on whether or not you
>>> think me crazy.  If my assumption is wrong, I'll keep my views to 
>>> myself.
>>> If there is a high number of people unable to tap into emerging software
>>> simply because they cannot pay for it, I'd like to hear from you.  I
>>> understand the technology itself costs a lot of money to develop.  Yet, 
>>> it
>>> seems more of the price boost is owed to extravagant government 
>>> contracts
>>> that allow the few players to charge something like $6,200 for a device
>>> that, despite its best advertisements, does not perform completely on 
>>> par
>>> with its mainstream counterparts.
>>>
>>> At this time I have only a vague idea for a strategy.  Yet it's 
>>> something
>>> I'm willing to build up if the need can be clearly identified.
>>>
>>> Looking forward to your input,
>>>
>>> Joe Orozco
>>>
>>> "A man who wants to lead the orchestra must turn his back on the
>>> crowd."--Max Lucado
>>>
>>>
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>>>
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>>
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