Telecommunications poses specific accessibility issues for almost every community of persons with disabilities, including people who are deaf or hard of hearing and those with speech impairments, people who have difficulty pressing touch-tone buttons, persons with visual impairments who cannot see visually displayed information such as message waiting or caller ID indicators, and persons with cognitive impairments or learning disabilities who have difficulty understanding or remembering serial connection choices (press 1 for ___; press 2 for ___; etc.).

Section 508 is expected to have a significant impact on the ability of deaf and hard of hearing individuals.  In addition to requiring access to technologies themselves, the new law will require mainstream technologies to work with adaptive technologies.  For example, if a particular technology connects to phone lines, the law requires the TTY's be able to connect to the device in question.  The new law will also require all materials presented in an audio format to have either open or closed captioning.  All technology transmitting information of any sort will be required to do so in a manner that does not eliminate access.

Few campus units provide equivalent direct-access TTY connections for serial connection services, automated call sequencing connection services, or other interactive telephone services. As these services can be difficult or impossible to navigate using the Telephone Relay Service, units have automated telephone systems that can be used at all by people who are deaf or hard of hearing. For minimal cost, additional lines with text messaging modes can be installed. These serial connection services and automated interactive telephone services can be made generally accessible to a wide variety of people with disabilities -- including people with cognitive impairments and learning disabilities, mobility impairments affecting dexterity or speed, and others -- simply by providing an operator.

Few campus units have begun using the wide variety of disability-friendly telecommunications products that are now offered by mainstream telecommunications companies.

In light of these findings and others discussed in the report, the 508 CC recommends the following:
 

1. Training. Each unit should train all employees who communicate by telephone with the public or with other employees on how to use TTY's, the Telephone Relay Service (TRS), and the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS).
2. TTY's and Automated Phone Systems.  The campus should provide TTY's, outlets, and shelves in any area where it is necessary for students, faculty or staff to utilize automated phone systems such as TTR or the like.
3. TTY's in Public Areas. The campus should provide TTY's, outlets, and shelves wherever it provides telephones for members of the public.