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Collaboration is the key to progress and this trend is evident in telecommunications technology advances made possible by public and private initiatives. Partnerships among science, industry, service providers, government and nonprofit organizations are expanding opportunities and increasing possibilities and recently have yielded some impressive benefits for people with hearing loss.
Hamilton Internet Protocol (HIP) Relay is a 24-hour service that allows individuals who are deaf/hard of hearing or speech disabled to use computers and other devices to converse via the Internet with another English or Spanish-speaking party using a standard telephone, voice call over (VCO), hearing call over (HCO), telecommunication device for the Deaf (TDD) or telebraille. And now HIP Relay is wireless as well. Your pager or mobile device can likely be made to function with HIP Relay. A list of devices compatible with HIP Relay Wireless/American Online® Instant Messenger™ and HIP Relay Wireless with Wireless Access Protocol (WAP) is available at www.hamiltonrelay.com or by calling Hamilton Relay Customer Service at 800.618.4781 TTY/V.
As video relay services (VRS) gain in popularity, they are becoming more accessible and easier to use (see “Employing Assistive Technology in the Workplace,” p. 24). Hamilton recently expanded their hours of availability for VRS to 7:30 a.m. until midnight EST. To make a good thing better, Birnbaum Interpreting Services (BIS) has joined with Hamilton Relay to offer free VRS to consumers, businesses and government. Another related service, Video Remote Interpreting (VRI) makes use of videoconferencing technology to provide interpreting service from a remote location, eliminating the need to have an on-site interpreter. VRI is useful in any situation in which an interpreter is needed, such as staff meetings, conferences or training sessions.
Also exciting is the new D-Link i2eye VideoPhone™ which turns any television into a broadband videophone. Via a DSL or digital cable broadband Internet connection, D-Link VideoPhone captures and displays real-time video images with or without an audio signal enabling people with hearing loss to enhance communication with lip reading or sign language. The Broadband VideoPhone DVC-1000 ($199) and the Wireless Broadband VideoPhone ($249) are reasonably priced, but you may be eligible for free equipment. Download an application for free D-link devices at www.hamiltonrelay.com. For more information on D-Link, visit www.i-2-eye.com.
If you are new to telecommunication access programs, check out the Gallaudet University website which provides current and comprehensive information on telecommunication relay services and providers, Internet protocol, VRS and video telecommunication providers and wireless/
cellular telecommunications: http://tap.gallaudet.edu/links.htm.
