[nfbcs] Independence with a Price Tag

[E.J. Zufelt]

Good morning,

I will say that up here in Canada we do have a couple of interesting  
options for accessible devices.

1. Rogers, a national cellular carrier, offers at least two different  
phones other than the iPhone with fully subsidized screen-reader  
software (Talks to the best of my knowledge).

In Ontario, and a couple of other provinces, there is an Assistive  
Devices Program (ADP).  Through ADP persons with certain disabilities  
can recive between 75% and 100% off the price of authorized hardware  
and software every three years.  I believe that for someone who is  
blind the hardware covered in Ontario is one reading and one  
communication solution.  This normally works out to be a scanner with  
Kurzweil or some other similar application, and a computer (including  
laptops) with a screen-reader such as JAWS.

HTH,
Everett

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On 3-Feb-10, at 8:52 AM, Hyde, David W. (ESC) wrote:

> Joe, I'm with you. Even working for the state, an getting equipment  
> through the employer, I can't afford what I want for home use. A GPS  
> system that can be purchased for under $150.00 costs a lot more. An  
> accessible cell phone adds at least $200.00 to the cost of the free  
> phone I can get when I renew my contract. My sighted friends, if  
> they are as cheap as I am, get all the phone functions for free.
>
> If we're going to rouse the rabble, I'll help rouse.
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nfbcs-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfbcs-bounces at nfbnet.org] On  
> Behalf Of Joe Orozco
> Sent: Tuesday, February 02, 2010 10:45 PM
> To: 'National Association of Blind Students mailing list'
> Cc: 'Discussion list for NABS, National Alliance of Blind  
> Students.'; tabs_students at googlegroups.com; 'NFBnet NFBCS Mailing  
> List'
> Subject: [nfbcs] 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 many people have had to settle for outdated technology because they  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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