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Technology for Deaf People

Modern technology enables deaf individuals to participate in every aspect of life and communicate more efficiently than ever before. Some technology helps them in everyday life--such as doorbells and alarm clocks--while other inventions allow them to communicate without sound.

  1. Telecommunications Device for the Deaf

    • A Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TTD, or TTY) is essentially a telephone typewriter that allows deaf people to type messages on a keyboard and send them to others via telephone lines.

    Video Phones

    • Mobile ASL (American Sign Language) allows deaf individuals to communicate with sign language using cell phones that feature video.

    Alarm Clocks

    • Deaf alarm clocks include strobe lights and/or bed and pillow vibrators that wake up a deaf person without the auditory beeping of an alarm clock.

    Doorbells and Fire Alarms

    • Doorbells and fire alarms for the deaf feature flashing lights as an alternative to auditory alarms.

    Captioning

    • Closed captioning allows deaf individuals to watch television and movies with subtitles, while real-time captioning--which displays spoken words on a screen as they are being said--allows deaf individuals to communicate with hearing people at work meetings and similar gatherings.

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