[nabs-l] Independence with a Price Tag

Sun Feb 7 16:24:43 UTC 2010

I think one way companies could reduce the cost is to take advantage of 
existing mainstream devices.  For example, why couldn't Freedom Scientific 
have simply designed a JFW for Pocket PC that would run on say a Dell PDA 
running Windows Mobile, smartphones, etc as oppose to reinventing the 
hardware wheel with the pacmate? These mainstream devices could easily be 
pared with a Braille display via bluetooth or USB if one desired.  Those are 
just my thoughts, but I'm not in the assistive technology development 
business and don't know all the complexities of the design of this stuff.

Best,
Dezman
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Aziza" <daydreamingncolor at gmail.com>
To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list" 
<nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Saturday, February 06, 2010 11:11 PM
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Independence with a Price Tag

>I agree with Dave, we can not discredit the fact that the things we use are 
>expensive to make. However, is there a way to reduce the cost, which would 
>then reduce the cost we pay?
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "David Andrews" <dandrews at visi.com>
> To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list" 
> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Saturday, February 06, 2010 9:10 PM
> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Independence with a Price Tag
>
>
>> Just because you say it costs to much, that doesn't reduce the costs of 
>> developing, marketing and supporting technology.  I understand the 
>> frustrati0on of every body here, but you folks are completely unrealistic 
>> as to what is going on.  Just saying something is to expensive doesn't 
>> amount to a hill of beans.
>>
>> Dave
>>
>> At 09:07 PM 2/3/2010, you wrote:
>>>I would have to agree with Aziza.  Assistive tech costs too much, and
>>>there needs to be something done about those who are sitting on their
>>>bums collecting government benefits.  We don't have the money nor a
>>>chance to be employable without assistive tech.  Worse, with the 70 to
>>>92.5% chance of us not having jobs, that assistive tech is vital for
>>>us.
>>>Beth
>>>
>>>On 2/3/10, Aziza <daydreamingncolor at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> > 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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