U.S. Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board Using a TTY For additional copies (also available in alternative formats) or more information on Telecommunications Devices for the Deaf (TTYs), call the Access Board at: 202/272-5449 TTY OR 202/272-5434 Voice TTY INSTRUCTION SHEET This pamphlet describes how to handle TTY (also known as text telephone) calls and gives a list of TTY abbreviations and syntax often used by persons with speech and hearing impairments. If your TTY phone is also used for voice calls, be sure the person who answers your phone but voice knows how to recognize and answer a TTY call. You will usually hear a high-pitched, electronic beeping sound when it is a TTY call. However, some TTYs do not make this sound or the person calling may forget to tap the space bar to produce it. Therefore, if you hear no voice, assume it is a TTY call. TTYs should be placed near a telephone so there is minimal delay in answering TTY calls. Further, this phone should be accessible to and usable by persons with disabilities, including those who use wheelchairs. RECEIVING AND CONCLUDING A TTY CALL: 1) Place the phone receiver in the receiver cradle of your TTY adapter. (For correct receiver placement, note picture, notch, or the word "cord.") Turn your TTY on. 2) The person who answers the call is the first to type. Type your agency name and your name. Then type "GA." 3) "GA" means go ahead and type. This is the signal for the other person to begin typing. "HD" means hold. This is the signal that the person typing must stop for a minute, but he/she will be back. In fact, do not leave the phone unless you first type "HD." "SK" means stop keying. This is how you show that the conversation is ended and that you will hang up. It is polite to type good-bye, thank you for calling, or some other closing remark before you type "SK." Some sample opening and closing messages are: Hello, Access Board, this is Jane Smith, may I help u? GA Dept. of Justice, Ms. Smith here. May I help u? GA Good AM, this is Ms. Smith at the Dept. of Agriculture. GA Thank u for calling, bye to SK or GA Have a good day. GA to SK Because of the amount of time it takes to send and receive messages, it's important to remember that short words and sentences are desired by both parties (see list of common TTY terminology on last page.) PLEASE NOTE With TTY calls you will not be able to interrupt when the other person is typing. Sometimes you may get a garbled message in all numbers or mixed numbers and letters. You should strike the space bar and see if the message clears up. If not, when the person stops typing, you should say, "Message all garbled, please repeat." If the garbled messages continue, this may mean that one of the TTYs is not working properly or that you may have a bad connection. In this case you should say something like, "Let's hang up and you call me back or I'll call you back." MAKING TTY CALLS TO PERSONS WITH SPEECH AND HEARING IMPAIRMENTS 1) Again, place the phone receiver securely in the TTY receiver cradle and turn on your TTY. Make sure you have a dial tone by checking for a steady light on the TTY status indicator. 2) Dial the number and watch the status indicator light to see if the dial number is ringing. The ring will make a long slow flash or two short flashes with a pause in between. If the line is busy, you will see short, continuous flashes on your indicator light. When the phone is answered, you will see an irregular light signal as the phone is picked up and placed in the cradle. If you are calling a combination TTY and voice number, you should tap the space bar several times to help the person on the other end identify this as a TTY call. PLEASE NOTE If your call is not answered via a TTY after 10-15 seconds, tap the space bar of your TTY to let the person know that it is a TTY call. If your call still is not answered, this could mean one of several things. You may have dialed an incorrect number, or your call did not go through. A signal on your monitor light that someone is speaking may mean you have reached a recorded message. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION If you make a mistake in spelling, you can either type "xxx" and then retype the correct spelling or use the Back Space key to delete the misspelled word(s). To type numbers on some TTYs, you may have to use the Shift key. Consult your TTY manual for specific operating instructions. The message of some TTY callers may appear to be nonstandard English. Please do not mistake this as a lack of intelligence on the part of the caller. Instead, it may be due to differences between hearing and deaf cultures or the use of TTY terminology. Extend the same patience and courtesy to TTY callers as you do to all others. COMMON TTY TERMINOLOGY Afternoon/Evening PM Although THO Are R Because CUZ Center CTR Could CUD Go ahead (your turn to type) GA Hold HD Meeting MTG Morning AM Number NBR Oh, I see OIC Operator OPR Pause (thinking) HMMM Please PLS Question Q See you later CUL Should SHUD Stop keying (end of conversation) SK To show appreciation SMILE Tomorrow TMR Would WUD You U Your UR ---------- End of Document