Telephones
Whether for someone with a hearing impairment who using a textphone or a handset with amplified speech, or someone with vision impairment using a big button phone, there is a phone solution available for most people today. The simple addition of a headset might mean that someone with restricted use of their arms or hands can use the phone more easily, and for someone with the use of only one hand, a headset would enable them to take notes when on a call. Many people with disabilities already have experience using assistive technology and equipment that specifically meets their needs, so consulting with them is the first step to ensuring the right solution is provided.
People with a hearing impairment may find one or a combination of the following features useful:
outgoing speech amplifiers enable the speech volume passing through the mouthpiece to be increased
incoming speech amplifiers enable the speech volume passing through the earpiece to be increased
an additional earpiece may enable incoming speech to be listened to with both ears, or it may be used by a third person who is able translate into 'sign', the incoming speech, or repeat the message for lip-reading
incoming call indicators, for example, a bright flashing light as a visual alert when the telephone rings
variable tone control allows the pitch of the ringing tone to be adjusted
- ringer volume control allows the loudness of the ringing tone to be varied
- use of vibrate function to alert the user through tactile means
inductive couplers improve the clarity of sound by cutting out background noise. They do not amplify sound. Inductive couplers are used in conjunction with hearing aids when the aid is switched to the 'T' position
text communication (textphones) involves incoming and outgoing messages being typed onto a screen enabling people who experience profound deafness and/or speech impairment to communicate with each other. In order for the text conversation to take place the person on the other end of the line must also have a text telephone.
People with a visual impairment may find the following features useful:
raised dot on the number 5
memory buttons which can store the most frequently called numbers for one-touch dialling
big button telephone with high contrast large buttons eg black buttons with large white numbers
talking caller ID lets you hear whose calling you before you answer. You can also find out whose calls you missed and the date and time of calls
- Voicemate - a full speech output device which stores telephone numbers, addresses and appointments that can be accessed using voice recognition and numbers can be dialled automatically using the built in auto-dialler
- JAWS (screen reading software) on Windows mobile phones
- Access features on mobile phones such as voice dialling, text-to-speech and speech-to-text applications.
Older people may find one or a combination of the following features useful:
incoming speech amplifiers enable the speech volume passing through the earpiece to be increased
an additional earpiece may enable incoming speech to be listened to with both ears
variable volume control allows the volume of the ring to be made louder or quieter as required
variable tone control allows the pitch of the ringing tone to be adjusted
large keypad buttons which are well spaced that are easy to see and touch
high contrast numbers and symbols
keys which require little force to operate with a feedback feature so the user knows the button has been pressed
hands-free telephone allowing the user to speak and listen without having to lift the handset
caller display which shows the number of the person calling so the user can decide whether they want to answer it or not
memory buttons which can store the more frequently dialled numbers for one-touch dialling
last number redial.
