Forever gone are
the days of phone booths and having to actually go and see the person you want
to contact, because there’s no way for you to reach them. Here instead are such
things as cell phones, video relay centers, and vibrating alarms. And, to make
things even more bewildering. As fast as you can learn how to use these things,
there will be updates and even newer technology to deal with.
Don’t get me
wrong—I love technology. I mean, having a way to contact people while I’m out
and about is an unbelievable relief. As with most deaf people, there was a time
when flat tires and car accidents left us stranded with no where to turn.
Although there’s
tons of things to help the deaf and hard of hearing get through life now
(doorbell signalers, door knock flashers, baby cry alerts, vibrating alarm
clocks, flashing fire alarms and more), one thing seems to have changed the
most for us: using the phone.
Years ago, TTYs
and TDDs were the way to contact people directly. If the other person didn’t
have a TTY or TDD, for example, if they were hearing, the deaf and hard of
hearing would call the relay center to help with the contact. We’d type. Then
the center would read what we typed to the other person. They’d respond and the
center would then type to us what was being said. It was great for what it was,
and some people and companies do still use them, but at times it could be
terribly slow and quite impersonal.
Now, text cell
phones do the trick, but there’s been one improvement many people rate as top notch—the
ability to use Sign Language to communicate over the phone. I’m serious! How?
Video Phones (VP), computers, and even some cell phones now offer that
capability.
If two people
have VPs, they can simply dial directly and have a nice “face to face” conversation
with each other. This can also be done through computer instant messaging
programs, other computer programs such as Skype, and even your cell phone.
But now, thanks
to Video Relay Services (VRS), if only the deaf or hard of hearing have VPs and
they need to reach someone who doesn’t, they can still use Sign Language and
call on a home-based phone line.
It works in much
the same way as TTY Relay Centers work. The deaf person dials the phone number
for whomever he or she is calling and is immediately connected with some an
interpreter at the VRS. The interpreter there then signs with the deaf person “face
to face.” VRS connects the deaf to the target person, the deaf person signs or
uses his voice (whichever he’s more comfortable with), the ‘terp tells the
other person what was signed (if the deaf person isn’t using Voice Carry Over—VCO),
the other person responds in their regular phone and the ‘terp signs to the deaf
what was said. Confusing” Maybe at first, but once you’ve done it a few times
it’s pretty much a godsend.
So, technology
really has come a long way for deaf and hard of hearing people. I, for one, am
excited to see what comes next!
