When Alexander Graham Bell invented the “electrical speech machine” in 1876, he probably never imagined that his telecommunication invention would become as high tech as it is today. The telephone, as we now know it, unites loved-ones with soldiers overseas, beckons pizza and Chinese food to our doors, helps us obtain access to medical help and emergency assistance, and keeps businesses connected with their clients and customers. The telephone is also an essential workplace tool that many employees, those with and without hearing alike, must use to perform job functions. Assistive telephone technology makes it possible for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing to use telephone communication as a means for performing essential functions on the job.

Telephone technology continues to advance to meet the needs of individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, at home and in the workplace. The technology may not always look like a standard telephone and function in a traditional voice-to-voice way, but conversation still occurs from one end to the other. Individuals with differing degrees of hearing and speech ability can connect with people all over the world using:

• telephones that include sound amplification and clarity technology;
• headset and wireless devices that couple with hearing aids and provide communication with cellular phones;
• text telephones (TTY) and Voice-Carry-Over phones that provide text for reading and also allow the person to use their own voice to communicate; or
• even a telephone that provides live captions during a call.

JAN offers information regarding these and other telephone technology solutions for people who are deaf or hard of hearing.

Amplification makes it possible for people who are hard of hearing to benefit from increased volume when using landline and cellular telephones. Amplification can be achieved by using an in-line amplifier that is connected between the handset and the base unit of the phone; by using a portable amplifier that can be placed over the handset; by using an assistive listening device, neck loop, or hearing aid compatible headset; or by adjusting the sound level buttons on a telephone unit. The level of amplification required will depend upon the individual’s specific needs, but the amplification available from most telephone technology can range from about a 23 decibel (dB) gain to up to a 50 dB gain above normal conversation level. dB is a measurement of sound intensity. For example, normal conversation occurs at about 60 dB and the sound of a car horn falls at about the 110 decibel range. For more information about telephone amplification products, go to JAN’s SOAR site at http://www.jan.wvu.edu/cgi-win/OrgQuery.exe?Sol449.

Clarity technology enables individuals with sensory neural hearing loss, or high frequency loss, to receive enhanced sound clarity. This technology digitally alters tones, shapes sound, removes distortions, and amplifies desired sounds to make speech clearer and easier to understand. For example, clarity technology makes it possible to hear the difference between high frequency sounds like "ch" and "st". For additional information about telephone products that offer amplification and clarity controls, go to JAN’s SOAR site at http://www.jan.wvu.edu/cgi-win/OrgQuery.exe?Sol532.

The ability to communicate on-the-go has become a requirement of many jobs. Individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing have access to many solutions to help them stay connected and perform job functions while away from the workplace. For example, ELI DirX is a miniature Bluetooth device that provides wireless communication between hearing aid wearers and Bluetooth enabled phones or other devices. This technology allows the hearing aid and wireless device to connect digitally, thus avoiding interference common with other types of wireless transmission. There are several mobile phone amplification and clarity solutions, from mobile headset amplifiers to powered neckloops and silhouette inductors that work directly with t-coil equipped hearing aids. Compact, portable text telephones (TTY) can also be used with compatible digital cellular telephones, and cellular phones with text messaging and mobile devices, like the T-Mobile Sidekick or BlackBerry lines of products, offer many ways to communicate via text messaging, e-mail, or instant messaging. For more information regarding wireless telephone products and solutions for people who are deaf or hard of hearing, go to JAN’s SOAR site at http://www.jan.wvu.edu/cgi-win/OrgQuery.exe?Sol670.

Amplification and clarity technology can be beneficial to many people, but sometimes text communication is needed. For individuals who have some degree of functional hearing but who still have difficulty using the telephone, a captioned telephone may be the solution. For example, the Captioned Telephone (CapTel) is a phone that works like any other telephone but it displays live captions of the conversation. The CapTel phone automatically connects to a captioning service where a trained operator transcribes what is being said. The message is then displayed on the phone’s display for the CapTel user to read while they listen to the caller. The CapTel phone and service are not yet available in every state. To find out if the service is available in your state, and for more information, go to http://www.captionedtelephone.com.

Individuals who are deaf can use a TTY telephone. A TTY is a text telephone device that enables individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, or who have a speech impairment, to make and receive telephone calls through interactive text based transmission of coded signals across a telephone network. TTY calls are often made and received using the Telecommunications Relay Service which is a free relay assistance service that enables TTY users and voice phone users to communicate. For more information about TTY devices, go to JAN’s SOAR site at http://www.jan.wvu.edu/cgi-win/OrgQuery.exe?Hea84.

A voice-carry-over (VCO) phone is another solution for individuals who are deaf. VCO is an option for people who use their own voice, but who cannot hear. For example, an individual who has lost hearing later in life may prefer to continue to use their own voice to talk to others on the phone. Using VCO, the person who is deaf places a call to the Telecommunications Relay Service. The relay operator types messages to the VCO user, and the VCO user responds to the voice caller with his or her own voice instead of using a TTY. For more information about VCO phones, go to JAN’s SOAR site at http://www.jan.wvu.edu/cgi-win/OrgQuery.exe?Sol805.

Have you ever wondered if it’s possible to communicate on the telephone using sign-language? With a high speed or broadband Internet connection and the right video equipment, anything is possible. For example, Sorenson Video Relay Service (VRS) is a free service for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community that allows people to make and receive video relay calls. Through Sorenson, calls are made using a videophone appliance connected to a TV, or through a personal computer equipped with a Web camera and specialized software. According to Sorenson, the deaf user sees an ASL interpreter on their TV and signs to the interpreter, who then contacts the hearing user via a standard phone line and relays the conversation between the two parties. For more information, go to http://www.sorensonvrs.com. VRS is also available through Sprint and AT & T services, among others. For more information about video relay services, go to JAN’s SOAR site at http://www.jan.wvu.edu/cgi-win/OrgQuery.exe?Sol632.

Many telephone technology solutions exist to enable people who are deaf or hard of hearing to communicate effectively on the job. To learn more about assistive technology and accommodation solutions for individuals with all types of impairments, contact JAN at 800-526-7234 or 877-781-9403 (TTY), or visit us at http://www.jan.wvu.edu. Another useful resource is your state’s Assistive Technology (AT) Project. State AT Projects are funded under the Assistive Technology Act of 1998 (P.L. 105-394). These projects can provide technical assistance on assistive technology, consultation, product demonstrations, equipment borrowing, and low-interest loans for individuals with disabilities. To locate the office in your state, go to http://www.jan.wvu.edu/cgi-win/TypeQuery.exe?735.

Tracie D. Saab, M.S., JAN Consultant