By Eileen Alter
We live in
an age where most people take using the
telephone for granted. At least several times a
day, most of us use a telephone to call friends
and family members, schedule appointments, place
orders, and handle any one of a number of other
tasks. A person’s inability to use a telephone
due to a physical disability can often result in
loneliness, isolation and a sense of increased
vulnerability. With the proper assistive
telecommunication equipment, many individuals
can regain their independence.
If you or someone you know could benefit from
adaptive telephone equipment, help may be
available. To address this growing need, many
states have programs which offer assistance to
people who have disabilities that interfere with
standard telephone usage. Individuals who are
deaf, hard of hearing, speech impaired, blind,
or who have low vision, cognitive impairments,
or restricted mobility, are often eligible to
receive equipment that will assist them in using
the telephone. These programs, commonly referred
to as telecommunication equipment distribution
programs, often provide qualifying applicants
with free or low-cost devices to accommodate the
user’s disability and improve their
telecommunication access.
The Telephone Equipment Distribution Program
Association (TEDPA) is a national membership
organization formed to support programs involved
in statewide, or jurisdiction-wide, distribution
of specialized telecommunications equipment for
persons with disabilities. By providing a forum
for these types of programs TEDPA participants
exchange information and assist one another with
program administration responsibilities.
Internet links to many statewide program
websites which provide information about
available products and services can be found at
www.tedpa.org.
Each state determines which devices are
available, how frequently equipment can be
replaced, and whether the equipment is on loan
to or owned by the qualifying applicant. Most
programs include devices such as phones with
amplification and special dialing and answering
features, TTY’s, Voice Carryover (VCO)
telephones, and ring signalers. Some programs
offer more highly specialized devices, such as
assistive speech devices, and provide qualifying
applicants with individualized equipment
training at a regional field office or in the
recipient’s home.
Application procedures and eligibility
requirements vary widely from state to state.
Many programs offer equipment to anyone with a
disability which hinders their telephone usage,
although there are programs which restrict
equipment provision to only those with certain
disabilities and sometimes only to who are also
from low income households. Proof of residency
and disability verification is generally
required and some programs also require proof of
residential phone service.
For information regarding a program that may
be available in your state, visit the TEDPA
website. Information may also be available from
state public utility or service commissions (PUC
or PSC) or agencies or councils providing
services to individuals with disabilities.
Specialized telephone equipment may be the
answer to helping you or a loved one use the
telephone to stay in touch with the outside
world and maintain the independence and freedom
to live life to the fullest.
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