| Phone the Deaf |
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So, you want to contact a hearing impaired person through the phone, but you don't know how. Don't be scared to try. It's really quite simple and there are several ways to do it.Probably the easiest way for you and the deaf person to communicate would be using a computer with AOL Instant Messenger on it as long as the deaf person also has similar internet equipped computer equipment. You can alsouse your phone and the New York Relay System to communicate. Even though it is becoming obsolete you can still use a TTY device (if you have one) to directly call a deaf person who also has a TTY. Of course another great way to communicate with a deaf person is with e-mail. 1. AOL Instant Messenger: Most of the deaf people I know prefer to use AOL Instant Messenger (aka "A.I.M.") to communicate conversations over 5 minutes in length. It allows them to sit down at their desk and be comfortable. They can make use of the latest computer technology as well as work on other computer related tasks while talking with you. It is not uncommon for my deaf friends to talk with 2 or 3 different people all at the same time using AIM. If they want they can save your conversation on their computer for later review or forwarding in an e-mail. To use AIM you need an Internet enabled computer, the AIM software, your own AIM account and the username of the deaf person you want to talk with. Once you have all of this set up it is really easy and convenient to use. You can get the AIM software and set up an account for free through the AOL website. Once you have the software installed and have created your personal account you need to add the deaf person's username to your "buddy list" in the AIM software. After you add all your "buddies" the AIM software will show you if any of them are currently on-line. If they are on-line you can click on their name and start a conversation with them. You can invite multiple friends into your own private chatroom and have a conversation as a group as well if you want. www.aol.com/aim/downloadaim.adp 2. TTY or TDD device: Even though deaf people can't hear the phone is still a very important tool. Some deaf friends have cell phones that are enabled with AIM or e-mail for example. Deaf people also use phones to take phone calls at home. While they can't hear the person on the other end they can use a device called a TTY to aid their communication. When the phone rings at a deaf person's house there is usually a light in the house that flashes. The deaf person will turn on their TTY (which is attached to the phone line) and type "Hello" on the TTY's keyboard. The person calling can use a TTY to type directly back and forth with the deaf person. 3. Phone and NYS Relay service: What do you do it you don't own your own TTY? Here's where the Relay service comes in. If you are hearing and don't own a TTY or computer, but want to call a deaf person you need to use the Relay service. In New York State the phone number is 711. When you call the Relay service a hearing person will pick up the phone and ask you for your deaf friend's phone number. After you tell them they will dial it for you. Then you wait for your deaf friend to pick up the phone, turn on their TTY and begin typing. You may even be able to hear the clicking of their fingers on their keyboard through your phone. Once the Relay Operator sees your friend's typed message on their screen he or she will read it aloud to you. (For example, "Hello, this is Stanley. Go ahead") Once you hear the "Go Ahead" you can begin to respond to your friend by telling the Relay operator what to type to your friend on their TTY. When you are finished with your thought and you want the deaf person to respond you should say, "Go ahead". The Relay operator will understand that and will type "GA" to the deaf person to inform them it is their turn to talk. For more info check out the NYS Relay website www.nyrelay.com/ 4. E-mail: I don't think an explanation of e-mail is required except to say that e-mail is very popular with some deaf people. I believe they prefer it over the phone for some of the same reasons AIM is so popular. I have noticed that some deaf people give out their e-mail addresses before their phone number. The deaf people I know check their e-mail a lot more often than the hearing people because they are using it as a primary communication tool. 5. Videophone: More deaf people are getting videophone equipment everyday and I think this technology is fast replacing the TTY. A videophone is a phone with a video camera attached to a television and a high speed internet connection. A deaf person can call another person who has the same equipment and sign back and forth through the video camera. They can watch the other person sign back on the TV. One of my friends tells me deaf people can qualify to receive this equipment for free (paid for with tax money) in New York State. A deaf person can call a hearing person who doesn't own videophone equipment by using a free videophone relay service. The videophone relay service has professionally trained sign language interpreters who can interpret between the signing deaf person and speaking hearing person by talking on a phone to the hearing person and signing into the video camera to the deaf person. |
