Texting for deaf people
p2p news / p2pnet: Real-time texting is possible for deaf people in the UK through the RNID’s Typetalk But, “some mobile operators have yet to fulfil a legal obligation to make their services accessible,” says the BBC.
Only Vodafone has a relay service that uses the technology, it states.
“Relay services allow a deaf person to make and receive a call via an operator, who turns the voice part of the conversation into text and relays the deaf person’s text replies into speech,” says the story, pointing out that landline users can already use Typetalk.”
The RNID’s (Royal National Institute for Deaf) Typetalk effectively extends the facility to people using mobile phones and, “will dramatically improve the ability of deaf, hard of hearing and hearing people to communicate in real-time”.
“It has taken innovation in the voluntary sector to deliver this software,” said RNID new technologies director, Guido Gybels. “It’s now time for operators to make sure that all their customers can access real-time text communication.”
There are an estimated 450,000 deaf, hard of hearing, speech-impaired and deaf-blind people in the UK who can’t use a standard telephone, says the RNIB.
Also See:
BBC – Real-time texting for deaf people, December 23, 2005
