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Disabilities and Special Needs
Products for hearing and visual loss
PLUS: mobility aids and speech aids!
TTY Phones for the Deaf and Speech Impaired
A TTY is a device that enables people who are deaf,
hard of hearing, or speech-disabled to use the telephone by typing
messages back and forth to one another instead of talking back and
forth. In order to communicate, a TTY is required at both ends of the
conversation, unless the call is placed through Relay. TTY
[teletypewriter], TDD [telecommunication device for the deaf],
and text telephone all refer to the same device.
TTYs are traditionally used in one of two ways: either
by placing a telephone handset in to the TTY's acoustic couplers or by
directly connecting the TTY to an analog telephone line. Both methods
have advantages. In noisy environments, Direct Connect
eliminates distracting outside noises and allows the TTY to notify you
of incoming calls (with a ring flasher or indication on the text
display). It also allows for auto-answer and keyboard dialing
capabilities. Acoustic use is convenient when an extra
telephone jack is not handy or in environments that do not support an
analog phone connection. - Source: Ultratec: Telecommunications for
Everyone!
Not sure which TTY to get?
Consult this
comparison chart or choose a
category below.