Logitech New logitech h390 USB Headset with noisecanceling Microphone Bulk Packaging, 5.8 Ounce There are must-haves and optional items that have helped me during telepractice. I’m including my top value, budget-friendly choices which have served me well these past 7-8 months. I know it’s hard to decide which headset or which tool to use! One thing I will say is, see if you have something lying around at home that will work. Ask your family and friends to see if they might have an old webcam or lamp lying around that might work. It really helps to save up and repurpose what you already have! Following that, find the best value for what you do need to purchase.

My list of telepractice tools (budget-friendly):

I am listing them in the order that I acquired them, and order of importance (#1 = most important).

  1. Zoom, Laptop/Desktop, and good internet connection

  2. A webcam

  3. Headset with mic

  4. A second camera of some sort (a.k.a. document camera)

  5. (Optional) Ring Light (or any light)

  6. Green Screen (a.k.a. green tablecloth)

  7. Gooseneck clamps

Okay, let’s take a look at what I absolutely need:

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  1. Zoom, Laptop/Desktop, and good internet connection

This first part is a given. I think most of us have this by now. However, there may be variances in telepractice platforms. I have only used Zoom, so unfortunately I cannot compare the use of other platforms during therapy.

  1. Webcam

Webcam – I have a cheap Logitech webcam that I got for around $30 cdn. Logitech is known for its webcams and it does the job well! If you add a lamp to your surroundings or a clip light (not necessary, but very helpful with green screen too), this webcam does even better!

3. Headset and mic

Any headset and mic will greatly reduce “telepractice fatigue”. This is the exact MPOW Headset and mic that I bought after much research. I had wanted a Logitech set, but couldn’t find one available at that time. I bought the Mpow 071 USB Headset with Noise Canceling Microphone immediately as it was really difficult to work with my kids’ background noise. At that time, I paid around $25 cdn. This set is affordable, light, and super comfortable. Regarding sound quality, it’s fantastic! I haven’t used any of the expensive headsets, but I had picked this one after several positive recommendations from others. I loved it so much, I picked up a second one for my daughter’s online class. The feedback I’ve gotten from my listeners is that my voice is clearer compared to without the headset.

If you are looking for a Logitech tried and trusted set, this Logitech New logitech h390 USB Headset with Noise Canceling Microphone is in the same price range. Aside from the fact that I need a telepractice platform and a webcam, a basic noise-canceling headset with mic is my absolute must-have purchase.  There are also 0ne-sided sets, but I can easily convert the two earpiece into one by taking one off! The one thing that a headset will not compensate for is if there is a poor internet connection (on either of your ends) or if your client has poor sound quality. If you are doing speech therapy for the long haul with a family, I’d even consider asking they purchase this $20-30 headset for their child to use with the laptop/desktop. It would really help you hear their voices more clearly and decrease their voice cutting in and out from moving around. And, as a final tip – always remember to plug in and pull out your headset cords carefully (hold the plug and don’t yank the cord). This will help prevent the ends from fraying and prematurely wearing out your headset!

4. A second camera of some sort or document camera (a.k.a. document camera)

I’ll be honest, I found an old plug-in camera at home that I wasn’t using, and I have been using that ever since. So, I have not bought an actual document camera. One of the primary reasons was that I was finding it too costly. What I ended up using was an old dash cam that I had lying around, and I picked up a $4 cdn gooseneck clamp from a dollar store! That was an awesome find. A similar gooseneck is available on Amazon for $10 cdn.  Alternatively, I find buying a second webcam and attaching it to a gooseneck clamp would still be cheaper than buying a desk camera! However, some people are really loving their Osmo devices too. If you are okay with “macgyverying” webcam and rigging it to a clamp light, then you won’t have to buy a specific gooseneck clamp!

Although I have not used a dedicated document camera, if you would like fancy program software with capabilities to record video, you can look into the Hue Document HUE HD Portable USB Camera (Blue) or the newer HUE HD Pro USB Document Camera for Windows, macOS and Chrome OS (Black) .

Here is the HUE HD Pro HUE HD Pro USB Document Camera for Windows, macOS and Chrome OS (Black)
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h3>5. Ring Light or Desk Clamp Light (with adjustable settings)

If you are in a dark room like I am, I would highly recommend getting a lamp and putting it across from you (maybe get a dimmer bulb). Before you run out and buy anything, try looking for a spare lamp, standing light and try those first. Back in March, unfortunately I didn’t have a spare light and needed something compact, I picked up a larger ring light with a tripod stand. It was an excellent light but I found it did take up too much space. I was also very disappointed after 7 months of daily use that the larger ring light is no longer working. However, this was continuous use daily, and I’m sure it was from the wear and tear. I have kept it to see if someone will be able to fix the cord for me (I’m not really sure if it was the bulbs or the cord that died out). This time around, I bought one of these cheaper reading lights for about $13 cdn. It’s also very helpful to have a gooseneck that you can attach a second webcam to (e.g., as your makeshift document camera stand). The gooseneck also means you can angle the light towards you or towards any book or test you might be casting with second shared screen option. Additionally, these lights have adjustable brightness and colour temperature. The additional light makes it easier for my clients to see my face, lips and mouth during speech therapy. This additional light also makes the green screen projection more consistent (you have to play around with your green screen every so often, and changing the dimness / colour temperature helps). If you have a spare standing light or table lamp, definitely try that first! If you need to use your document camera a lot or want to use green screen, then I would try one of these desk clamp lights.

(Optional) Green backdrop for Green Screen

I found my desktop and video background on Zoom wasn’t working well without a green screen. Without the green background, my eyes and face would randomly have missing pieces — can we say “ghost”? Because I was worried about my computer processor, I didn’t want to invest too much in my green background. I ended up picking up one from the dollar store nearby, and lo and behold, it worked! I did have to play around with lighting and a lamp, but I’ve been using this for months and it’s perfectly fine! For those of you who want to use a fancier velcro pocket, etc, I would go with the felt green backgrounds. Some individuals who use their green screen more interactively use green felt and felt pockets, which are an option once you know your computer does the basics of green screen well! Having something to hang it off of (be it hooks from the ceiling, a standalone clothes rack or backdrop) is helpful. I bought my green background from the dollar store. I just found the longest green rectangle that I could, and… it works!

(Optional) Backdrop Stand

If you have a wall behind you, or the option of a bookshelf, that would be a great option. Unfotunately, the layout of my room required that I get something to hide all the clutter behind me! I found a cheap photo backdrop and placed a bedsheet over it for the first while. But, after I learned about green screen, I picked up the $1 green plastic tablecloth and it works really well on this! On weekends, I put the stand away! One thing I must comment about is the fact that it can be quite wide, but you don’t want to buy a stand that is too narrow or else the edges of your green screen will show up as your room! In fact, another reason I liked the basic Logitech webcam was the fact that it wasn’t wide angle. Some wide angle webcams will pick up too much around a green screen backdrop. With my simple camera, I don’t see any borders at all!


(Optional) Gooseneck Clamp

If you are looking for a gooseneck, you might try your local dollar store. I found it about half the price of what I’m able to get it on Amazon for!

If you’re not going for the desk light, you can try to look for a gooseneck clamp like this at a dollar store or walmart.

(Optional)

I hope you find this helpful!

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