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Deaf Communication Devices

In a 2009 article for the BBC, deaf filmmaker Charlie Swinbourne commented on the digital revolution's effect on communication for him and his wife. "Jo and I are both deaf, and the digital revolution has given us methods of communication that we take for granted, but which deaf people a generation ago could hardly have imagined possible."



From cellular phone technology to new video applications, communication for the deaf and hard-of-hearing has never been easier and more effective.

  1. Video Remote Interpreting

    • According to the Center for Communication Hearing and Deafness, Video Remote Interpreting (VRI) combines video conferencing and high-speed Internet technologies to provide quick and inexpensive access to professional sign-language interpreters.

      For those who depend on sign language to communicate, access to interpreters is often essential for interacting with the hearing world. VRI is particularly useful in situations where traditional in-person interpreters are not available, such as rural areas where access to interpreters is limited. VRI also provides an easy and economical way for organizations and businesses to accommodate deaf and hard-of-hearing clientele.

    Handheld Texting

    • Handheld texting devices have revolutionized communication for the deaf. At the Alabama School for the Deaf, for example, students order their meals by texting their choices on cell phones, Blackberries or iPhones, and then simply showing the counter staff their orders.

      According to an Associated Press story, texting has significantly increased independence and self-reliance for deaf people, making communication with the hearing and non-hearing worlds easier and faster. Rendering obsolete the old-fashioned model of passing handwritten notes, texting enables the deaf to communicate with others on their own terms and takes the hassle and awkwardness out of establishing new friendships between deaf and hearing people.

    UbiDuo

    • Usually, face-to-face communication between deaf and hearing people is accomplished with sign language, by texting or writing handwritten notes. However, with the help of small business grants from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, deaf inventor Jason Curry has added a new device to accommodate communication for the deaf -- the UbiDuo.

      The UbiDuo consists of two screens and keyboards. The six-pound device looks like two small laptops but needs no special computer operating system or software. During a typical UbiDuo session, participants sit facing each other, each equipped with a screen and keyboard. Conversation with the UbiDuo is in real-time and, like standard dialogue, is interruptive. Typed words immediately appear on your partner's screen without having to push a "send" key. In addition, all conversations can be stored in the device, making it ideal for doctor visits and business meetings.

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