Telecommunications access was mandated by Title IV of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 with the purpose of enabling deaf and hard of hearing persons to achieve functional equivalence. Early solutions were text-based and required typing out calls through an intermediary known as a Relay Operator.
Emergent IP technology has given rise to video-based solutions, which are called video relay services (VRS). Deaf and hard of hearing persons for whom sign language is their native language use VRS to connect to a Video Interpreter (VI), allowing them to fully achieve the ideal of functional equivalence.
When connected to ViableVRS, you will see a VI who will see you as well. Simply give the number for the VI to dial. When the other person answers your call, proceed like you would in a phone conversation: Sign what you want to say and the VI will voice for you; whenever the other person speaks, the VI will sign what is voiced. You can place a VRS call if you have high-speed Internet connectivity and either:
Now that's communication!
