03-11-2022, 08:52 PM
Veterans and others with hearing loss can receive free assistive technology for captioned telephone service
from participating providers on their home phones, mobile phones and other communication apps. Real
time transcriptions of communication are a vital service for those who rely on their phones to stay connected
with family and friends, and to communicate with health care professionals and emergency responders.
Veterans of all ages can benefit from captioned telephone service, as they are disproportionately affected
by hearing loss. Hearing loss is not just due to degeneration from aging; Veterans are 30% more likely than
non-Veterans to have a hearing impairment.
Captioned telephone service enables people with hearing loss to speak during a phone call and then read
the other person’s response in real time as transcriptions appear directly on their telephone or an app. This
service is known as Internet Protocol Captioned Telephone Service (IP CTS), and it uses a combination of
automatic speech recognition (ASR) technology and skilled transcribers, or ASR technology. ASR is the
same technology that systems like Alexa and Siri use to translate voice commands. The Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA) requires that captioned telephone service be “functionally equivalent” to
communication technology used by individuals without hearing loss. This service is overseen by the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC).
This technology service is free to service members and Veterans, including their loved ones and anyone
with hearing loss. Vietnam Veteran Robert Richardson agrees, saying, “This technology, above all others,
has had a major impact on my quality of life. I’d say it’s a lifesaver. I use it to communicate with my
children, and I use it to communicate with my friends and my doctors and other healthcare providers. I use
it to stay engaged in my community. I may be retired from work, but not from life.” Several providers offer
captioned telephone service. When registering for this service with providers, the FCC requires individuals
to self-certify that they have hearing loss necessitating telephone captioning. Some providers may require
professional certification from a physician, audiologist or other hearing-health professional.
The Clear2Connect Coalition, comprised of disability advocacy and Veterans Service Organizations,
advocates on behalf of the deaf and hard of hearing communities to have access to quality, accurate
communication technology. For more information on how to access free captioned telephone service, to
learn about Clear2Connect Coalition’s advocacy efforts, and to sign up for their updates, visit the
Clear2Connect Coalition website https://clear2connect.org or email them at: info@clear2connect.org.
from participating providers on their home phones, mobile phones and other communication apps. Real
time transcriptions of communication are a vital service for those who rely on their phones to stay connected
with family and friends, and to communicate with health care professionals and emergency responders.
Veterans of all ages can benefit from captioned telephone service, as they are disproportionately affected
by hearing loss. Hearing loss is not just due to degeneration from aging; Veterans are 30% more likely than
non-Veterans to have a hearing impairment.
Captioned telephone service enables people with hearing loss to speak during a phone call and then read
the other person’s response in real time as transcriptions appear directly on their telephone or an app. This
service is known as Internet Protocol Captioned Telephone Service (IP CTS), and it uses a combination of
automatic speech recognition (ASR) technology and skilled transcribers, or ASR technology. ASR is the
same technology that systems like Alexa and Siri use to translate voice commands. The Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA) requires that captioned telephone service be “functionally equivalent” to
communication technology used by individuals without hearing loss. This service is overseen by the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC).
This technology service is free to service members and Veterans, including their loved ones and anyone
with hearing loss. Vietnam Veteran Robert Richardson agrees, saying, “This technology, above all others,
has had a major impact on my quality of life. I’d say it’s a lifesaver. I use it to communicate with my
children, and I use it to communicate with my friends and my doctors and other healthcare providers. I use
it to stay engaged in my community. I may be retired from work, but not from life.” Several providers offer
captioned telephone service. When registering for this service with providers, the FCC requires individuals
to self-certify that they have hearing loss necessitating telephone captioning. Some providers may require
professional certification from a physician, audiologist or other hearing-health professional.
The Clear2Connect Coalition, comprised of disability advocacy and Veterans Service Organizations,
advocates on behalf of the deaf and hard of hearing communities to have access to quality, accurate
communication technology. For more information on how to access free captioned telephone service, to
learn about Clear2Connect Coalition’s advocacy efforts, and to sign up for their updates, visit the
Clear2Connect Coalition website https://clear2connect.org or email them at: info@clear2connect.org.