FOR YOUR HEALTH: Helping people with hearing loss connect

See what they’re saying: People with hearing loss can view conversations on their phones.

(NAPSI)—If you or someone you care about is among the 48 million Americans who experience hearing loss, here’s some news for you.

Access to communication is especially vital during national emergencies such as the COVID-19 pandemic, which has left many Americans isolated due to physical distancing. Fortunately, services such as Internet Protocol Captioned Telephone Service (IP CTS) empower people to connect.

How It Works

IP CTS, also known as captioned telephone service, allows people with hearing loss to use their residual hearing and speak during a phone call and read captions on a telephone or mobile app when the other person responds. Speech recognition technology, along with skilled transcribers, are used to provide this live service.

The Clear2Connect Coalition is a group of disability and veterans service organizations working together to preserve the quality of and access to captioned telephone service through advocacy and education, as well as meeting with Congress and the Federal Communications Commission. The coalition is committed to protecting the right, as described in the Americans with Disabilities Act, for Americans with hearing loss to communicate using a phone.

Learn More

For further information, visit Clear2Connect.org.