CHAPTER 10

TEXT TELEPHONES: CUSTOMERS CAN SEE WHAT YOU’RE SAYING

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) brings a new sensitivity to customers and employees with disabilities. About 9 percent of Americans are deaf or hard-of-hearing. As access improves and barriers are removed, you will interact with more and more such individuals as customers and coworkers.

Most people with full hearing are unfamiliar with the special needs of the deaf and hearing-impaired community. You may even find the prospect of communicating with a customer with a hearing impairment somewhat daunting. Don’t worry—it’s easy.

THE TEXT TELEPHONE

Until 1964, telephones were for the hearing community alone. If you were deaf, you needed to rely on a friend or neighbor to place your calls. It was in 1964 that deaf scientist Robert Weitbrecht invented a way for people to use teletypewriters (TTYs) to communicate with each other over the telephone. If you use a computer, you may have used Weitbrecht’s invention—the modem.

Over the years the technology has changed. And so, too, has the terminology. The FCC recently declared text telephone (TT) to be the preferred term, but many people still refer to telephone devices for the deaf as TDDs (telephone devices for the deaf) or TTYs.

A text telephone is simply a telephone that is attached (either by cable or as a single unit) to a keyboard. The message typed on the keyboard is transmitted via a modem to a second text telephone, where it is displayed on a screen. Some text telephones are equipped with printers that allow the sender or receiver to keep a copy of the conversation. The abbreviation TT, TTD, or TTY before or after a telephone number indicates that the number connects to a text telephone (i.e., 555-5555 [TT], or 555-5555 [V/TT] for a number that connects to both voice and text telephone service).

Several other types of equipment may be used by hearing-impaired customers. Telephone amplifiers, which attach to regular telephones, make the incoming voice louder. Ring signalers indicate a ringing telephone through flashing lights, vibrating wrist bands, or by changing the ring to a sound that is more easily heard. Special large visual displays or braille units are often attached to TTs for individuals with sight impairment.

RELAY SERVICES

As of July 1993, all companies offering telephone service to the general public are required to offer telephone relay services to individuals who use telecommunications devices for the deaf. By using a relay service, you can communicate with a customer who is deaf even if you don’t have a TT, provided that your customer does. Relay operators keep all calls 100 percent confidential.

Use your local phonebook to find the number of the relay service in your area, and post it with your other important phone numbers.

PLACING A RELAY SERVICE CALL

Have your customer’s phone number ready before you call the relay operator. If the call is long distance, be prepared to tell the operator which long distance company you wish to use. If you have a calling card number, have that ready, too.

Relay operators may be busy, so stay on the line if it rings without answering (that means you are in the queue) or call back if the number is busy. You may want to ask your local relay service to suggest the best times for you to call.

TTs can handle conversations of about sixty typed words per minute, so know what you need to say and how you will say it (see the box for commonly used TT abbreviations). Operators are in demand, so you will want to keep to the point. You can expect your TT conversations to take about four times as long as comparable voice conversations.

If your relay call reaches an answering machine or voice mail box, the relay operator may hang up and then ask you if you want to leave a message. If you do, the operator will redial and leave your message. Be sure to include the number of the relay service in the message you leave.

TT ETIQUETTE

Incoming TT calls are sometimes hard to identify. Many of the older machines make a high-pitched series of tones (similar to many fax machines), and many of the newer ones make no sound at all. Consequently, TT callers are hung up on a lot. (A few machines have a synthesized voice which will inform you that the caller has a hearing impairment.) If your company offers TT phone numbers, be aware that a silent call may be a misdirected call.

When calling a person with a hearing impairment, let the phone ring longer than usual. Be extra careful about distracting background noises—computer printers, office chatter—that may make it difficult for your customer to hear you. Pause after each sentence to be sure your customer is following the conversation.

Because there is no voice to recognize with TTs, it is extremely important that at the beginning of your message you identify yourself and your reason for calling. If you are using a TT yourself and make a typing error, don’t bother to correct it as long as the word can be understood. If you need to place the other party on hold, be certain that you type “PLS HD.”

To end the conversation, both parties say or type their goodbyes, ending with “SK,” before hanging up. Frequently, both parties will conclude by typing “SKSK.”

Resources

For more information on text telephone, contact: