Soreson Video Phone - Technology Benefits the Deaf

Hello, I would like to talk about technology and how it has helped the Deaf in so many ways. With technology rapidly improving and becoming more mobile, the access to information and being in contact with others has greatly improved for all people, especially the Deaf. Back then, Deaf people have used what we called Telephone Devices for the Deaf (TDD) and it was a phone that connects to regular phone lines to talk to someone else who had a similar device. Then the usage of phone calls with TDDs has spread throughout the Deaf people's homes to that of nowadays Relay Operator. This service was to call businesses or other people who's households do not have the TDDs. In a three way converstations the Deaf would rely on a relay operator to relay conversation from person A to person C, while B was the relay operator. This service has greatly improved communication from households who had TDDs and others who didn't. Still, the TDDs were sometimes so slow, and the typing was so long. The conversations would be so slow and we had to type "GA" (Go Ahead) and "SK" (Stop Keying) to continue a conversation or end it. Now the recent expansion of Internet and communication via Instant Messsaging, ex: AIM, Yahoo IM, or MSN IM; the usage of TDDs haver greatly declined since the late 90's.

Now with the newfound technology of Internet and phonelines disappearing, the usage of wireless networks and cable lines has brought about faster technology communications. I believe with the wireless networks and the ever-changing computer technology we are only going to get faster and better. Sorenson has provided a faster and efficient way to communicate with others by a phone. A Video Phone (VP) and this technology replaces that of the TDD. Instead of text conversation which mainly we had to depend on literal transitions of communication by typing. While Deaf Culture relies on the communication of a visual language known as ASL (American Sign Language) we have relied on this medium of Internet and Video conferences. Thus, the web cams and the fast speed internet was a must for all Deaf people to have. But we needed a realiable phone system in case we had to call certain places that rely on phone contacts. So with this technology of video phones, Sorenson has provided the Sorenson VP -200 which I have in my living room. This amazing technology is similar to that of relay on TDDs or Internet through IP-Relay or any other services.

With Sorenson VP -200 I have enjoyed the amazing results of this video phone which is hooked up to my TV and current Internet provider through the cable lines. When someone calls me, the phone flashes and change the input channel to pick up the video image of a relay operator saying someone is calling me, and we connect and thus continue our conversation through ASL. There is not "GA" or "SK," and this feels more relaxing and a more casual converstation comes about. I enjoy my Sorenson VP and I know there are so many improvements being made out there. Especially with a company called "Purple Communications," which is now making a mobile video phone (MVP) and this will come out pretty soon for us Deaf people to actually have our own "cell phone" system that is like the Video Phone. I can't wait for this technology to come out. With the phone that I have now, I am able to stay in contact with Deaf friends, family, and businesses. The best part of a VP for Deaf people is that you can contact directly to another who has the same VP and just chat through video without a third party (relay operators), because after all with ASL being a visual language, we are all able to connect to the Deaf-World through a medium that was made for us. Through video phones we are able to stay in touch with the world.