FAQs
Answers to the most common questions.
- What is CART?
- What is relay?
- What are relay services?
- What is captioning?
- What is the difference between open captioned and
closed caption in films?
- What wireless services are available for deaf people?
- What are assistive listening systems?
- What legal rights do deaf people have?
- What is a TTY?
- Does a TTY turn text into speech?
- What is a CA?
A: CART, also known as Communication Access Realtime Translation, is similar to captioning. A technique where a trained CART provider quickly types into a stenotype machine using machine shorthand, and the computer software translates that shorthand into realtime captions, matching the shorthand against what is in a specialized shorthand dictionary stored in the computer that can be
read by the deaf or hard of hearing person. Great for use of non-broadcast settings, such as classrooms, churches, workshops, trainings, support groups, meetings and conferences.
Q: "What is relay?" A: Relay is a free, government regulated service designed to make it easy for people with hearing loss or speech disabilities to place phone calls.
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Q: What are relay services?
A: Relay services are a crucial link between deaf and hearing people. Without relay services, deaf
and hearing people would be unable to call each other.
A: Captioning lets deaf and hard of hearing people know what is being said. This is done by placing words on the medium. There are two types of captioning: open captions and closed captions.
Captions can be placed on video, television, movies and web video.
Q: What is the defference between closed caption and open caption in films? A: Closed captioning is an added value to a film and is optional to be seen. These films cost more and allow the theatre to choose to show the captions or not.
Open captioning is a integral part of the film and can't be "closed off" from view. These are less expensive and will likely become more and more common as time goes on. They usually are created in such a way that they do not interfere with the film visuals and are a separate bar below the film.
Q: What wireless services are available for deaf people? A: Several companies offer wireless services, delivered over handheld devices. Wireless services usually include instant messaging.
Q: What is assistive listening systems? A: Assistive Listening Systems (ALSs) are amplifiers that bring sound directly into the ear. They separate the sound the sounds, particularly spech, that a person wants to hear from background noise. They improve what is known as the "speech to noise ratio". ALDs are used by people with all degrees of hearing loss, from mild to profound. This include hearing aid users, cochlear implantees, or for those who do not use either hearing aids or cochlear implants. It enable deaf and hard of hearing people to do everyday things like for example: Know when doorbell is ringing, know when phone is ringing, know when fire has started, know when a baby is crying...etc. Sometimes they are called Assistive Listening Devices (ALDs).
Q: What legal rights do deaf people have? A: There is an article on Law and Deafness which provides a brief overview and resources for more information on legislation such as the American with Disabilities Act. Check the website at:
Q: What is a TTY?
A: A TTY is a small teletypewriter that hooks into a telephone line to enable a person who is Deaf or Speech Impaired to place a telephone call. It is also called a TDD (Telecommunications Device for the Deaf) or TT (Text Telephone).
Q: Does a TTY turn text into speech?
A: No. One TTY can communicate directly with another TTY or the TTY user can place a call through the relay center, where the CA (Communications Assistant) will voice to the hearing person whatever the TTY user types.
Q: What is a CA?
A: A CA is a Communications Assistant or Operator who completes the call between a TTY user and hearing person.