There is a telephone access service for people with speech disabilities in
nine states. Would you like to bring it to your state?
I can show you how to do so with just a few phone calls. Send me an
-mail. - Bob [log in to unmask]
PEOPLE WITH SPEECH DISABILITIES NOW HAVE A TELEPHONE SERVICE
If you have a speech disability and live in : ARIZONA,
CALIFORNIA, MARYLAND, NEVADA, SOUTH CAROLINA, WISCONSIN, GEORGIA, MINNESOTA
and WASHINNGTON STATE, you can now use a new, free telephone assistance
service 24 hours a day.
This service, called Speech-to-Speech, provides "communications
assistants" for people with difficulty being understood by the public on the
telephone. We hope that the FCC will require all states to provide
Speech-to-Speech in two years.
If you have a speech disability, you can dial toll free to reach a
patient, trained communications assistant who is familiar with many speech
patterns and has excellent hearing and language skills. This operator makes
telephone calls for you and repeats your words exactly.
Users now make about 5,000 calls a month nationally. Speech-to-Speech is
also useful if you use a speech synthesizer. Speech-to-Speech is the only
way for many people to telephone others not accustomed to their speech. Many
Speech-to-Speech users have Parkinson's disease, cerebral palsy, multiple
sclerosis, or Muscular Dystrophy. Other users include people who stutter or
have had a laryngectomy or ALS.
I have cerebral palsy and Speech-to-Speech made telephone use
much easier for me. You can try out Speech-to-Speech, report
problems or get more information by calling 800-854-7784 and
asking for Dr. Bob Segalman (in the communication assistant's
directory). See also the new web page on Speech-to-Speech:
http://www.stsnews.com/
Here are the U. S. Speech-to-Speech access numbers:
ARIZONA 1 800 842 6520
CALIFORNIA 1 800 854 7784
MARYLAND 1 800-785-5630
SOUTH CAROLINA 1 877 735 7277
WISCONSIN 1 800-833-7637
GEORGIA 1 800 229 5746
WASHINGTON STATE 1-877-833-6341
NEVADA 1-888-326-5658
MINNESOTA 1-877-627-3848
Sweden has completed a Speech-to-Speech Trial. Australia now has a
permanent service. For Swedish information e-mail: [log in to unmask]
(Inga Svanfeldt) and for Australian information e-mail:
[log in to unmask]
(Tom McCaul)
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