A textphone can be used to receive and make phone calls. Textphones have a small display screen and keyboard so you can type what you want to say and read what is being typed in reply. Some textphones have a voice telephone handset and others can be used with a separate voice telephone. If you are severely or profoundly deaf you may want to use a textphone.
A telephone facility with electronic keyboard that enables Hearing Impaired people to communicate - communication can be direct textphone to textphone or via a Typetalk Operator (relay service) from an ordinary telephone to a textphone.
a device used by the deaf and/or hard-of-hearing in order to communicate over PSTN or IP networks
an electronic keyboard onto which you can place an ordinary telephone handset
Textphones consist of a keyboard and small display. People with hearing and/or speech impairments may find it difficult or impossible to use a standard telephone. For these people a textphone may be useful as they can type their conversation and this can be read by a similar textphone, over a telephone line. Both incoming and outgoing conversations appear on the screen.
A phone which incorporates a keyboard and screen so that people with inpaired speech or hearing can use the telephone. An intermediary service operator can relay text to speech and vice-versa for people using normal phones, otherwise the device is needed at both ends of the call. external links: Royal National Institute for Deaf People information sheets: Access to textphones from a pbx related index entries: TEXTDIRECT TYPETALK