Intelecom Solutions Solving Communication Barriers For Hearing Impaired
April 7th, 2006
To make life easier for people who are deaf or hearing-impaired, LifeLinks' Video Relay Service (VRS) allows a person to have communication by actually signing to an interpreter using a videophone. To make this service work, Intelecom Solutions has provided the phones, network, technology, and support to LifeLinks. By connecting to a telecommunications call center, an interpreter can relay sign language into spoken word for the hearing person and spoken word into sign language for the hearing impaired person. With this system it's as if an interpreter is standing in the hearing impaired person's own living room relaying a message to and from a third party.
There are many advantages to this service including, quick relay of messages, accuracy in messages, the omission of typing errors, and an increase in interpersonal communication. Also, due to the Telecommunications Act of 1996, the government sponsors the costs of calls, which would ordinarily be $5.00 a minute. With the VRS, the calls are free!
"We are committed to providing exceptional phone service for all people," said Joseph P. Fiorillo, President, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder. "The strategic alliance with LifeLinks enables people who are hearing impaired or deaf to have better choices of communication than in the past."
Currently, more than 4 million people who have hearing impairments use TTY (a Telecommunications Device for the Deaf). With TTY, people with hearing disabilities have to manually type their conversations to an unknown interpreter that they don't see, and the interpreter relays a message to the third party. This is often a timely, expensive and sometimes demeaning situation. Many times there are errors in this process due to hitting the wrong keys or TTY machine errors.
With this new service, comfort level of the recipients was taken into consideration. For example, if a person would rather speak to someone of their own gender, this is an option.
The VRS also benefits the interpreters. Interpreters can communicate with the deaf from the comfort of their home. The service allows translators to translate just about anywhere.
"Persons with hearing impairments no longer have to take the time to type what they want to say," said Mr. Fiorillo. Intelecom has helped to completely remove what was once a necessary extra step in a hearing impaired persons communication processes!"
Intelecom Solutions Inc. is a privately held integrated communications provider. Intelecom was formed in 1996. Our objective is to provide a wide array of telecommunications services with competitive pricing and unsurpassed customer care. Intelecom offers businesses large and small the opportunity to take advantage of VoIP today! Whether you are integrating voice into your existing legacy system or building a complete VoIP system for one or more offices, Intelecom has the solution.
For more information on Intelecom Solutions products, please call 631-240-9100 or visit their web site at www.intelecomsolutions.com