WCB Member Loan Program: A BrailleNote Opens Up A "Whole New World to the Information Super-Highway"

By, Hillary Rossi

By the time Lee Dickey heard of the Washington Assistive Technology Foundation she had already purchased a used Dell computer. But since she is blind, she still required specialized software for note taking and for vocalizing the text on the computer screen. She also required more money to purchase these items.

Lee went to get her software at Blinksoft and they suggested she purchase a BrailleNote, a gadget that lets a person with no vision take notes and then download them onto a computer. The price for this merchandise was $ 4,755.

Lee came directly to the WATF for the loan and bypassed all other financial institutions. Because of her high credit score and her long work history with only one company—she has worked for the Seattle Lighthouse for the Blind on and off for 20 years- WATF’s Loan Review Committee gave her the $ 4,755 loan for the software at a five year repayment plan. Soon after, Lee purchased CONNECT OUT LOUD, audio software that reads the words of the text to the computer user who is blind. She would not have been able to afford CONNECT OUT LOUD had it not been for WATF providing the loan for the BrailleNote.

Earlier this spring, WATF and the Washington Council for the Blind decided to work together.  WCB has a no interest loan fund available for its members to purchase assistive technology.  WATF is now managing the loan fund, thus streamlining the process for WCB members interested in taking out a no interest loan.  Since Lee is a member of WCB, she was the first of our borrowers to take advantage of this deal. Consequently, she never has to pay interest on her loan payments!

What impressed Lee about WATF was how quick the loan process took to complete from applying to obtaining the assistive technology. She can now take notes at WCB meetings and come home and type them up on the Dell, revisiting them as often as needed with the Braille display on her Braillenote. She can easily review email from her friends and jump on websites such as the American Council for the Blind and Nutrasweet.
 
“I get online and I’m in a whole new world to the information superhighway,” she said. “I think you guys are superb.”