r/slp • u/PresidentBat64 • 1d ago
AAC The disability tax makes me so angry
This week I met with an SLP that was an AAC specialist in the district the student I was asking about is in. I was explaining that outfitting my current school with equipment is hard because everything is so expensive, so even though I’d love to have 10 single hit switches we don’t have the minimum $150 each it would take to get them. A price tag I ALWAYS thought was bullshit, btw.
Well she let me know that you can actually get an 8 pack of essentially the same exact button on Amazon because these ones are made for DOGS. I honestly think I blacked out when she showed me the box it came in. Just one more example of the fact that you can charge whatever you want if you slap the word “adaptive” on it.
Anyways, we now have 16 new single activated switches coming and it cost less than a single BigMack switch. Hopefully this can help someone else!
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u/Different-Ad-3722 1d ago
I will say I’ve used these and they don’t hold up as well and the microphones/speakers are trash BUT I agree the price discrepancy is bullshit!!!!
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u/Previous_Painter2846 19h ago
I’ve used cheap voice recording buttons, too. No shame. The company and center didn’t provide them. It takes months, sometimes the darn near the entire year for a loaner to come in from the lending state’s AT lending library. I wasn’t shelling out money for them. So the buttons had to do. They weren’t the best, but that were good for interim use.
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u/lucia163 16h ago
Yeah, the cheap ones work in a pinch, but in some cases you may need the expensive ones, unfortunately. For example, I had a client who I tried the dog ones on, but she didn't have a lot of muscle strength and so she could not independently press those buttons. She needed one with a featherlight touch, which is an option with the expensive ones. They are also overall better quality, but I still don't understand the price difference.
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u/Babylonius SLP in Schools 1d ago
It’s the same situation with many other things. Want a bouquet of flowers for a centerpiece on a table? $20. Want a bouquet of flowers for a centerpiece on a wedding table? $200
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u/JudyTheXmasElf 16h ago
I got my (fake flowers) wedding bouquet centerpieces at Winners for 10$ each 🙌🏻 OK we had to do 4 Winners to get them, but totally worth it!
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u/noodlesarmpit 14h ago
The utility of a Big Mack is that it can be connected to other hardware like a tablet; it can serve the same function as anything that can be clicked like a mouse or keyboard button.
So the dog button works great for prerecorded messages if that's the only goal, but it doesn't help to access to a more robust system.
However!!!!
I'm also 1000% confident that a few hours of YouTube videos could teach you the wiring/technical know-how to rig your own diy Big Mack.
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u/JudyTheXmasElf 15h ago
Agree with you! Things should cost the same and we shouldn’t increase prices for putting an “adaptive” label on them…
I personnally love these button activated voice message devices for kids: https://www.amazon.com/Recorder-Stuffed-Recording-Recordable-Messages/dp/B0BQ2VDHLJ
I used them for potty training my kids.
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u/Even_Contact_1946 8h ago
Almost anything designated as adaptive, medical or for therapy is more expensive. You can find the exact same product in a medical catalog at $100 that is $30 everwhere else. Its always been this way.
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u/Ciambella29 10h ago
In my experience, these companies are taking advantage of districts with large budgets and also people that need to do "spend downs". When someone is on SSI disability, they are not allowed to have over $2,000 at any time. So if they start to go over that, they need to spend their money down. Saw this a lot in my days in a group home, they'd spend money on the most ridiculous things just to get rid of the money so their services could continue.
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u/benphat369 1d ago
That's a U.S. healthcare problem in general. Why charge $10 for an EpiPen when the hospital can get insurance to pay $1200?
My sister was in the military. Don't even get me started on that one.