How do Deaf people talk on the telephone?
Some Hard of Hearing people who are aided can communicate on a regular telephone, and hear enough to have a basic conversation. Most Deaf and Hard of Hearing people use a TTY (Teletypewriter) (also known as a TDD – Telecommunication Device for the Deaf and/or TT – Text Telephone). This is a device which has cups on the top to place a handset of a telephone, and a keyboard for written communication. Many Deaf individuals now are freed up even from using TTYs by having 2 way pagers for regular communication. These have become the first devices which have given the Deaf a sense of freedom and an ability to easily communicate amongst themselves.
