How Do Deaf People Use The Phone

After looking at how deaf people use the computer, let's see how can they use the telephone. Since the telephone originally is intended to rely on voice, it is much more complicated than using the computer.

Originally, deaf people had hearing friends or assistants to make the calls for them. Later, they started using a teletypewriter, commonly known as TTY. This is a device required to be present at both ends, and communication can be transmitted over the phone line by typing messages back and forth, which show up on a screen at the other end.

Of course, not all people have such devices, so in many countries telecommunication relay services became available, where a human interpreter is between the communicating parties transcribing spoken messages into written ones, and also the other way around.

Communication between deaf people was greatly facilitated by the introduction of video phones, where they are able to use sign language.

Mobile technology brought fundamental changes into communication for deaf people. Instead of using the telephone regularly, now many people use e-mail or text messaging extensively. Given that textual communication is becoming popular among people regardless of disabilities, deaf people are much more able to communicate similarly to the hearing people.

If you would like to experience some aspects of this communication, designate a day when you are not going to use the telephone. Try to take care of all communication needs by using e-mail and text messaging.