Effective TTY Call Processing · Effective TTY Call Processing Page i Table of Contents...

Effective TTY Call Processing

Participant Guide

Effective TTY Call Processing © 2011 Excel 9-1-1, Inc.

All rights reserved. No part of this product may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

An exception is granted to those 9-1-1 instructors who have attended the Excel 9-1-1 ADA/TTY Train the Trainer Course in presenting training to employees of their own agency.

About the Company

Excel 9-1-1, Inc. is a company that provides training and professional services to 9-1-1 and other emergency telephone services specifically and other public safety organizations generally. Our founder and consultants have over 20 years of public safety experience each with significant contributions to the field of emergency communications.

This course was designed and published by Excel 9-1-1, Inc. with the information being correct and accurate at the time of its publication. Persons using this material are encouraged to remain current on issues related to providing emergency services to people with disabilities. The laws and regulations covered in this course are subject to change by statute, court decisions, and regulations promulgated by federal, state and local agencies without advanced notice. The bibliographical references found at the end of this manual may serve as an excellent resource for keeping abreast of the correct procedures and requirements for providing emergency service to people with a variety of disabilities.

Contact Information

For more information about our training and professional services, please contact with the information provided below:

Cheryl J. Greathouse, CEO Excel 9-1-1, Inc. 847 Jeff Davis Road, Thomaston, GA 30286 706-255-5339 (ph) 706-648-6646 (fax) Email: [email protected] Website: www.excel9-1-1.com

First Edition

The leader guide and participant material for this program was created using LeaderGuide Pro™ version 7.0. www.leaderguidepro.com. LeaderGuide Pro™ is a product of Great Circle Learning®

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.excel9-1-1.com/

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Table of Contents

Introduction 1

Welcome & Opening Statement 1

Training Objectives 1

Reason for Training 2

Legal Requirements 3

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) 3

U.S. Department of Justice Standards 4

Equipment & Technology 9

Introduction 9

TTY Equipment Overview 10

9-1-1 TTY Equipment 12

Caller TTY Equipment & Technology 16

TTY & 9-1-1 Operational Procedures 24

TTY Protocol & Functionality 24

9-1-1 TTY Call Recognition & Processing 38

TTY Call Variations 49

Conclusion 63

Summary 63

Closing Statement 64

References & Resources 65


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Introduction

Welcome & Opening Statement

Opening Statement

Effective TTY call processing is critical to ADA compliance and providing direct and equal access to people who are deaf, hard of hearing, and/or speech-disabled during emergencies. This class will cover the legal requirements to provide TTY access, discuss TTY equipment, technology and operational procedures for recognizing and processing TTY calls and communicating effectively with TTY callers.

Training Objectives

Terminal Performance Objective

Given an emergency call for service, participants will be able to effectively process emergency calls from people with disabilities who use a variety of TTY and other technologies to communicate, in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, Department of Justice requirements and professional communication standards.


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Training Objectives

Learning Objectives

Describe the legal requirements for providing direct and equal access to emergency services to people with disabilities.

Identify and describe the functionality of various TTY and 9-1-1 equipment.

Explain/demonstrate proper TTY protocol, language, syntax and translations.

Describe/demonstrate techniques used to properly identify and process calls for emergency service using TTY and other technologies, including relay services, commonly used by people with disabilities.

Reason for Training

Reasons for Training

Everyday all across the United States, emergency telephone service providers, including 9-1-1 operators, receive and process hundreds of thousands of calls for help from citizens and visitors with both minor and major emergency situations. It is something that over the years, the public has begun to expect and take for granted. However, for many of those same years and even today, people with disabilities who need to request emergency assistance often find their calls go unanswered, misunderstood, or mishandled.

As telephone emergency service providers, we owe a duty to all of our citizens to provide equal access to everyone to our services during an emergency; no matter how big or small the emergency; and no matter if they can speak, or hear, or not. By attending this program, participants will gain the knowledge and skills necessary to be able to properly recognize and process emergency calls for service received by telephone, TTY, relay services or other technologies used by people with disabilities.


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Legal Requirements

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Public Law 101-336, enacted July 26, 1990, is a federal civil rights law that gives civil rights protections to individuals with disabilities similar to those provided to individuals on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, age, and religion.

The law is divided into five (5) titles which are:

Title I – Employment

Title II – State and Local Government Programs/Services

Title III – Public Accommodations

Title IV – Transportation

Title V – Miscellaneous Provisions

Through these five titles, the law guarantees equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities in employment, transportation, state and local government services, telecommunications, and in the goods and services provided by businesses.

Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

Title II requires that state and local governments give people with disabilities an equal opportunity to benefit from all of their programs, services, and activities (e.g. public education, employment, transportation, recreation, health care, social services, courts, voting, and town meetings).

Telephone emergency services, such as 9-1-1, are categorized as local/state governmental services and are subject to the provisions of the ADA under Title II.

Now, let’s look at some additional requirements and interpretations of what the ADA requires in Title II by the federal agency responsible for enforcing Title II.


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U.S. Department of Justice Standards


The Department of Justice requires that emergency telephone service agencies provide for:

• direct and equal access 9-1-1 via TTY or other technology,

• training of communications officers,

• maintenance of equipment, and

• completion of self-evaluations.

Now, let’s look at these requirements a little more closely.

What is a TTY?

TTY’s

A TTY is a communications device that is text-based and allows people who are deaf, hard of hearing or who have an inability to speak, to communicate with others, using a TTY, which transmits text messages, using Baudot tones, across a standard telephone line. TTY equipment must be used on both sides of the conversation unless the call comes in via a telecommunications relay service.

In 9-1-1 centers, there is usually a TTY or computer equivalent of TTY, or both.

Other Technology

There are other text based technologies that people with disabilities use to communicate, either personally or through a telecommunications relay service.

We will discuss these more in depth in the next chapter.


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Direct and Equal Access

The ADA mandates that public entities provide telephone emergency services to persons with disabilities which are direct and equal to services provided to others.

Direct Access - Direct access means that Public Safety Answering Points (PSAP’s) can directly receive Teletypewriter for the Deaf (TTY) calls without relying on an outside relay service or third-party services.

Equal Access - Equal access means that the telephone emergency services provided for TTY users are as effective as those provided for persons who make voice calls, in terms of:

Capture your notes here.


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Equal Access

Equal in terms of:

response time,

response quality,

hours of operation, and

all other features offered (e.g., automatic number identification, automatic location identification, automatic call distribution).

A telephone emergency service which provides access to its services by dialing “9-1-1” must allow both voice and non-voice callers to access the service by dialing 9-1-1. No special dialing requirements may be placed on persons who use TTY’s to access the service. By allowing these calls to come in on 9-1-1 lines, the communications officer will be provided automatic number identification (ANI) and/or automatic location identification (ALI), just as they are for voice calls.

Where 9-1-1 services are not available and a PSAP provides emergency services via a seven or ten-digit number, it still must provide direct and equal access to TTY callers. It may do so either by having one line for both voice and TTY calls, or it may provide two separate lines – one for voice calls, and another for TTY calls. Requiring TTY callers to call a separate seven or ten-digit number is not allowed in areas where 9-1-1 is offered, because having to dial a seven or ten-digit number is not equal to the ease of having to dial the simple, familiar 9-1-1.

As with 9-1-1, services for TTY calls on seven or ten-digit numbers must be as effective as those offered for voice calls in terms of time of response, hours of operation, and other features. Also, PSAP’s must ensure that TTY numbers are publicized as effectively as voice numbers and displayed as prominently as voice numbers wherever telephone emergency numbers are listed.


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Training for Communications Officers

PSAP’s must train their call takers to effectively recognize incoming TTY signals and process TTY calls effectively by using proper protocol in both English and American Sign Language (ASL) formats.

Call takers must be trained in the use of TTY equipment and supplied with information about communication protocol with individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, or who have speech impairments. For instance, callers who use American Sign Language use a syntax that is different from spoken English. This will be addressed in more detail later in this class.

Call takers must also be trained to handle calls from relay services using a variety of technologies.

Call takers are required to attend/obtain refresher training at least as often as they attend/obtain training for voice calls, but at a minimum, every six months.

Maintenance of Equipment

Agencies must ensure emergency call takers have readily available access to TTY equipment. This generally means that the agency must install a minimum of one TTY at each console or answering point or have TTY functionality at every call taker workstation.

Back-up TTY equipment must be available to call takers in the case of primary TTY equipment malfunction.

Call takers are to be provided with information and training on all technological developments that may impact appropriate handling of calls from people with disabilities. Technology is constantly changing and relay services and citizens are constantly adopting new communications technologies. Simply being trained in TTY calls is not longer enough.

Agencies must also establish, implement and document testing procedures for conducting routine TTY test calls, including transfers to other agencies. Testing should now incorporate new technologies as they become available too.


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Self-Evaluation Audits

Annual self evaluation audits are required to ensure that agencies:

Develop and modify policies and procedures which adequately address providing telephone emergency services to people with disabilities which is "as effective" as those provided to others;

Establish and maintain a working relationship with individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, and who have speech disabilities and provide them with an opportunity to participate in the self-evaluation process;

Develop and implement public education programs that promote the use of 9-1-1 by people who use TTY’s and other communications technologies; and

Evaluate and document the quality of services provided to TTY users and the adequacy of the maintenance of TTY's and related equipment.



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Equipment & Technology

Introduction

Equipment & Technology

During this lesson, we will take a look at a basic overview of TTY equipment, functionality and information on the 9-1-1 equipment that is used to recognize and handle TTY and other calls from people with disabilities. This includes technologies available today for use in ensuring effective communications between telephone emergency services and people with disabilities.

We will also review equipment and technology commonly used to communicate by people with a variety of disabilities in today’s emerging technology world

Let’s take a look at the various types of TTY equipment used by consumers and in the 9-1-1 environment. We are going to discuss:

TTY Equipment Overview

9-1-1 TTY Equipment

Caller TTY Equipment & Technology

As we mentioned earlier, a TTY is a communication device that transmit and receives text messages and is commonly used by people who are deaf, hard of hearing or have an inability to speak.



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How does a TTY work?

In the last module, we defined a TTY. To communicate with a TTY caller, there must be TTY equipment on both ends of the conversations. TTY equipment is used in conjunction with a traditional telephone line and to type conversations between the caller and person called. Because TTY tones can only transmit in one direction at a time, the parties must take turns typing their part of the conversation. It is important to note that special protocols are used to indicate whose turn it is to type so that both parties do not type at the same time which interferes with the transmission of the tones.


Let’s start by looking at the general features of a typical TTY.

Acoustic Coupler

The acoustic coupler refers to the rubber cups on the top of a TTY that are designed to hold the handset of a telephone. To be effective, it is important that the telephone handset is seated correctly into the acoustic coupler to ensure a tight fit and with the phone cord to the left.

Keyboard

TTY’s come with a standard QUERTY keyboard but the keyboards are usually smaller than a standard computer keyboard. Different models have some unique special keys so 9-1-1 operators should be familiar with their particular type of TTY and any special function keys.

Display Screen

The display screen on most TTY’s can only display a very limited number of text characters. This limitation may affect TTY communications during a 9-1-1 call. We will discuss more about this in the section on handling TTY calls.


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Printer

The printer is optional on most TTY’s but is important in the 9-1-1 environment. Call takers should be familiar with the printing features of their TTY’s.

To communicate with a TTY caller, there must be TTY equipment on both ends of the conversations. TTY equipment is used in conjunction with a traditional telephone line, either using a telephone handset and the TTY acoustic coupler, or by directly connecting the TTY to the phone line. TTY calls involve both parties taking turns typing their conversation because TTY tones can only transmit in one direction at a time.

TTY Equipment Modes

Acoustic Coupler mode

The Acoustic Coupler mode is used when the TTY equipment is used in conjunction with the telephone handset. The acoustic couplers are designed so that the one on the right receives and the one on the left transmits messages. By placing the handset into the acoustic coupler with the cord to the left, you are matching the “transmit and receive” function of the TTY to the “transmit and receive” function of the telephone handset.

If using the Acoustic Coupler mode, it is important to answer the phone and connect the handset into the coupler before powering up the TTY. For most TTY calls, while using the Acoustic Coupler mode, the handset will remain in the “coupler” during the entire conversation. We will discuss exceptions to this later in the class.

Direct Connect mode

The Direct Connect mode is used when the telephone line is connected directly into the TTY and does not require the handset to be in the coupler to work. When directly connected, the TTY becomes the telephone. The keyboard is used to dial a phone number and a phone call is received by powering the TTY on and typing on the keyboard.


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TTY Equipment Modes

It is important to note that in the Direct Connect mode, the TTY will NOT ring like a telephone. There will have to be some type of signal that the phone is ringing established. There must be either a phone connected to the same line that rings or a flashing light signal may be used to notify someone that a call is being received.

Some TTY’s have an auto-answer feature for when the TTY is directly connected to the phone line. If a TTY does not have the auto-answer feature, it is important to note that the TTY must be powered off until a call is received; otherwise, the caller will receive a busy signal and will not be able to get through to the 9-1-1 center.

9-1-1 TTY Equipment

9-1-1 TTY Equipment

Traditional 911 calls have relied primarily on both the caller and the call taker using telephone equipment to speak and hear both sides of the conversation.

To effectively communicate with people who have hearing and speech disabilities, and to meet the mandates of the Americans with Disabilities Act, 9-1-1 Centers must be equipped with the appropriate TTY equipment to communicate with those who use TTY devices.

Generally, the TTY equipment used in 9-1-1 Centers is referred to either being standalone or integrated TTY equipment.


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9-1-1 TTY Equipment

9-1-1 TTY Equipment

Standalone TTY equipment

Standalone TTY equipment is simply the type of TTY equipment we have already been discussing. It is a standard TTY which is used in conjunction with the 9-1-1 telephone system to communicate with TTY calls.

If a 9-1-1 Center is equipped with standalone TTY equipment, the call takers must know whether the TTY is setup to be used in the Acoustic Coupler or Direct Connect mode. Once the call taker knows how the TTY equipment is setup, they must also know how to operate the TTY equipment, in that mode, in conjunction with the 9-1-1 system equipment and telephone.

Because of the importance of documentation in the emergency communications field, TTY’s in 9-1-1 Centers should be equipped with a printer and call takers must be trained on the documentation procedures related to TTY calls.



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9-1-1 TTY Equipment

9-1-1 TTY Equipment

Integrated TTY equipment

Computerized workstations feature computer telephony used in public safety answering points (PSAP) and will have integrated TTY functionality built into the system. There are NENA standards that describe how this interface should be designed.

Typically, the GUI (Graphical User Interface) provides a TTY window when the call taker manually initiates the TTY function, or when Baudot tones are detected, the TTY window may be activated.

The conversation appears on the computer screen and there is typically a way to print a hard copy of the call, if necessary.

Additionally, even if a 9-1-1 Center is equipped with an integrated TTY, it is important for them to also have standalone equipment to serve as backup equipment in case of power outage or integrated equipment failure.

Detection Equipment

Some 9-1-1 Centers may have TTY detection equipment installed within their agency to assist call takers in recognizing that a TTY call has been received.

Detection equipment can work with both standalone and integrated TTY equipment.

The detection equipment is activated when tones are present on the incoming phone line because a TTY user is typing. If tones are present, the equipment is usually set to notify the call taker of the incoming TTY call by either a recorded voice announcement or a visual cue on the computer screen, or both.

However, if the TTY caller is not typing which is usually the case, the detection equipment will not activate and the call will come in as a silent call with no notification to the call taker given by the equipment.

Thus, TTY detection equipment does not eliminate the need for call takers to query every silent line with a TTY.


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9-1-1 TTY Equipment

9-1-1 Equipment

Other Features

No matter whether the 9-1-1 Center has standalone or integrated TTY, there are some common features of both.

All systems have the capability of pre-programmed messages. The use of pre-programmed messages is helpful, especially at the beginning of the call to get critical information faster but many call takers find them not as useful throughout the conversation. Call takers must familiarize themselves with the pre-programmed message capabilities of their TTY equipment.

Where headsets are used, there should be the capability of muting or attenuating the TTY Baudot sound emitted from the caller’s TTY.

Also, both types of TTY equipment must have the capability of moving from voice to TTY and back, in a single call, in order to respond to VCO/HCO calls. These types of calls will be explained in more detail later.



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Caller TTY Equipment &Technology

As with most other consumer technology, people with disabilities use a wide range of equipment and cutting edge technology to communicate with each other and with emergency services. Telephone emergency service providers, including 9-1-1 operators, and call takers, should maintain a good understanding of the various TTY equipment and technology in use by people with disabilities.

A good way for 9-1-1 personnel to learn about current and new technologies being used by people with disabilities, in addition to TTY’s, is to research the internet for the relay service provider for their state/jurisdiction.

And, finally, as with any equipment, there may be certain equipment issues that call takers must be aware of and know how to address.

Now, let’s look at some common caller TTY equipment used to communicate with others.



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Caller TTY Equipment

Communications officers should have a basic understanding of the TTY equipment used by consumers in order to effectively communicate with citizens who rely on text devices as their method of communication.

Standard TTY’s

A standard TTY is a communication device which is used by people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or who have speech disabilities as a telephone to communicate, by allowing them to type messages back and forth to one another instead of talking and listening. A TTY is required at both ends of the conversation in order to communicate.

As users type on a TTY, the message is sent over the phone line, just like your voice would be sent over the phone line if you talked. You can read the other person's response on the TTY's text display. This equipment was designed in half duplex mode where only one person can type at a time, thus creating the need for “turn-taking” throughout the conversation.



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Caller TTY Equipment (continued)

As previously discussed, the caller’s TTY may be used in the acoustic coupler or direct connect mode. The method callers use to connect their TTY has very little impact on receiving and processing a call through an emergency telephone service.

Wireless/cellular compatible TTY’s

Wireless/cellular compatible TTY’s are similar to the standard TTY’s but are designed to be compatible with selected cellular phones so that the consumer can enjoy the convenience of wireless calling anytime, anywhere.

All external factors to general wireless calls (i.e. static, dropped calls, congestion, etc.) apply with wireless TTY calls as well.

Portable/compact TTY’s

Portable/compact TTY’s have been manufactured to be able to carry in purses, briefcases or backpacks while maintaining the same features described for standalone and wireless TTY’s. They have rechargeable batteries that will last several hours so that AC power is not required. This makes virtually EVERY telephone, and call, plausible to be from a TTY user.

Public-use TTY’s

Public-use TTY’s are also available. There are several types of TTY’s designed for public use, and the Public TTY makes TTY calls from public facilities easy and reliable. There are different models for both indoor and outdoor use.

Motorized models offer maximum protection from vandalism. The stainless steel TTY keyboard remains protected in a metal drawer until a TTY call is placed. The drawer opens automatically when another TTY answers and closes again when the call is finished. Note that this type of call may appear to be a silent or open line coin call. For this reason, 9-1-1 personnel should query the line using their TTY in order for the drawer to open so that the caller can communicate with the 9-1-1 operator.

The shelf-top Public TTY can be used as an acoustic TTY using the payphone handset or it can be connected directly into the telephone line.


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Current Technology

As a rule of thumb, whatever technology is new and available, is being used by people with disabilities too.

Text pagers

Two–way pagers are email based communication tools which are small, light devices that have a QWERTY keyboard and LED screen. Some pagers have extra service features such as sending faxes, live TTY chat, instant message chat, voice to text or text to voice.

Text messaging

Text messaging is something that has been popular with people who are deaf, hard of hearing and speech impaired for many years, in many cases, even before it became so popular among those without a disability.

Instant messaging

When instant messaging technology was introduced, it provided an independent means for people who are deaf, hard of hearing and speech impaired to communicate independently from a relay services.

Video messaging

With the proliferation of digital cameras, video cameras and web cameras, video messaging is another popular technology in use today. Like with instant messaging, video messaging is being embraced because of the independence a person may gain from not having to rely on third party services, such as relay services.

Advanced relay services

For those people who may not have the technical savvy of most of the younger generation, relay services are now providing more advanced features than simple text to voice services via a TTY. Their services are now including variations to standard TTY calls to include voice carry over, hearing carry over, speech to speech, video relay and webCapTel – a web-based word for word captioning system.


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Current Technology

Technology is constantly changing and, as 9-1-1 services begin to transition from enhanced to next generations services, call takers will be fielding calls from a wide variety of voice, text, video, and web-based technologies, other than traditional phone calls.

Changes to procedures because of various technological changes will be addressed in the next lesson.

Equipment Issues

Troubleshooting

Because TTY equipment varies from agency to agency and may be an integrated TTY or a stand alone TTY, each call taker should learn the specific procedures for troubleshooting their TTY equipment so as to manage problems as they may occur during a TTY call. This should include adjusting sensitivity settings, toggling between voice and text, ensuring effective connectivity when using an acoustic coupler, and understanding the impact of certain actions such as placing a caller on hold and transferring a TTY call.

TTY devices emit Baudot tones that are in the human audible hearing range, thus these Baudot tones are transmitted over normal telephone lines just as normal speech tones are. This can result in transmission difficulties. Some issues may be within the telephone network (i.e. noise) and there is relatively little that can be done by a PSAP to resolve that type of problem. Other issues can be related to equipment failure on the PSAP side. This means that in every case where transmission failures have occurred, it must be investigated and documented.

During the development for wireless TTY compatibility over the digital network, it was discovered that some PSAP equipment is just out of tolerance, wherein landline TTY calls will work, but the digital wireless TTY calls will not work.

Every PSAP must undergo a special test on their equipment to determine if their 9-1-1 equipment is out of tolerance, and if so, determine where the problem lies so that it can be resolved. This will need to be done initially and any time there are equipment changes at the PSAP.


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Equipment Issues

Testing Requirements

The Department of Justice, in their “Access for 911 and Telephone Emergency Services” technical assistance document, states that frequent testing is essential to ensure direct, equal access. Testing call takers and their equipment is also the one of the most effective ways to ensure compliance with the ADA’s requirement that accessibility features are maintained in operable working condition.

The ADA does not specify how testing is to be conducted. DOJ believes, however, that PSAP’s should conduct an internal testing program in which they conduct random TTY test calls of each call-taking position. The tests should be designed to ascertain whether TTY equipment functions properly and whether personnel have been adequately trained to recognize TTY calls quickly, to operate TTY equipment, and to conduct TTY conversations. The Department of Justice recommends to:

test whether call takers have been trained adequately to recognize TTY calls,

that agencies should conduct two types of test calls: silent, open line calls in which no tones are emitted, and calls in which the caller introduces the call by transmitting TTY tones, and

testing should be random and unannounced.



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Equipment Issues

NENA Testing Standards

The National Emergency Number Association (NENA) approved and published a 9-1-1 Operational Standard and Model Recommendation on TTY Call Taker Proficiency and Quality Assurance document in December 2005 which, in part, recommends conducting random, unannounced test calls, completing documentation of training and test calls, and conducting remediation activities to address identified deficiencies and equipment malfunctions.

The NENA standard recommends testing methodology to include:

Intra-Center Testing

Inter-Center Testing

Volunteer TTY Caller Testing (aka: Phone Pals Program)

The NENA standard further recommends that testing be conducted in accordance with DOJ recommendations related to silent and tone calls but goes further to recommend that call-takers recognition and processing of the call is evaluated as well. Please refer to the NENA TTY Call Taker Proficiency and Quality Assurance E9-1-1 Operational Standard/Model Recommendation; NENA 52-003 dated December 6, 2005 for more detailed information.

Documentation

Agencies should keep records that document:

Equipment & Call Taker Testing

Equipment Malfunctions

Refer to the NENA standard for sample documentation forms and call taker testing scenarios and evaluation forms.


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Equipment Issues

Document: Equipment & Call Taker Testing

It is important to document the following information when testing equipment and call taker proficiency:

Date and time of each test call

Identification of the call taker and position

Whether calls were silent or transmitted tones

Whether the caller received a TTY response and the content of that response

The time elapsed and number of rings

Whether the call was processed according to policy.

Document Equipment Malfunctions

Call takers and their supervisors should recognize the importance of documenting equipment malfunctions and following procedures for ensuring that the appropriate maintenance, repairs or replacements occur in a timely manner.

Testing procedures should be designed to check the equipment at all call takers positions.



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TTY & 9-1-1 Operational Procedures

TTY Protocol & Functionality


In the last module, we discussed various types of TTY equipment. In this module, we are going to discuss the protocol and functionality commonly used during TTY calls.

It is important to note, however, that as technology changes, the use of traditional TTY’s are being complemented with various other text communications services and devices. We will look at traditional TTY protocol and functionality first because these same protocols are being carried over into the new technologies.

So, let’s begin by discussing proper TTY protocol.

Proper TTY Protocol

Effective TTY communication is dependant upon the use of proper TTY protocol and etiquette. Both parties to a TTY conversation must know and properly use proper protocol in order to effectively communicate.

TTY users are taught to use special syntax and protocol for indicating certain things, similar to the way we use punctuation. In English sentence structure, we commonly use periods, commas, apostrophes, questions marks, exclamation points or quotation marks to indicate the end of thoughts, separation of thoughts, connection of two words, asking of questions, emphasizing points or to indicate that someone made a comment. For TTY communications, the use of such punctuation takes up too much time and can confuse the caller because they do not normally use punctuation to indicate these ideas.

Therefore, in order for you to effectively communicate with TTY users, you must be familiar with proper TTY protocol.


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GA – Go Ahead

It is extremely important to type the term GA when you are through with your statement and want a response from the person on the other end of the line.

The term GA means “go ahead, it’s your turn to talk/type.

An example is:

There has been a wreck in front of my house GA

Sometimes a segment of text may not have a GA afterwards. It may be because the caller forgot due to the excitement of the emergency or they may have typed GA but it did not transmit correctly. If a sentence is not ended with GA, do not hang-up! Type “are you there q ga”.

Q – Question

As we previously discussed, commonly used English punctuation is not used in TTY calls. Tone of voice is not transmitted on a TTY either, so it is necessary to indicate certain things with specific protocols. During TTY calls, the letter Q is used to indicate a question is being asked.

Remember, to utilize a GA also to indicate a question and that it is the other party’s time to respond.

For example:

springfield 911 where is your emergency Q GA

GASK – Go Ahead, Stop Keying

When getting ready to end the conversation, the appropriate protocol to use is to type GA SK which literally means “go ahead and stop keying” which indicates that the other party is ready to end the conversation. You may see this typed as GASK or GA SK. Either of these variations is acceptable, however, avoid using SK GA because that means “stop keying go ahead” which is a contradiction and may confuse the TTY user.

An example is:

police there now GASK


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SKSK – Stop Keying, Stop Keying

SKSK literally means “stop keying, stop keying” but is used to indicate, “bye, I am hanging up now.” This term officially ends a TTY conversation.

An example is:

thanks police here now SKSK

Generally, a communications officer will allow the TTY caller to conclude the conversation first. However, in extreme emergencies, a communications officer may want to use SKSK for emphasis. If this is the case, the communications officer should NOT disconnect the TTY or turn it off. Leave the line open in case the caller has something else to add.

An example of a communications officer using SKSK first would be after getting all pertinent information such as location from a caller who is reporting their house is on fire from within the structure. In order to stress the importance of the TTY user getting out of the house the communications officer may elect to use SKSK first.

An example is:

house leave now SKSK

XXXX – Error Message

When typing on a TTY, you may find that you make spelling errors. Instead of wasting time hitting the backspace key to correct the mistake, hit a couple of X’s and the space bar and retype the word or phrase. You will find that errors will be made while typing on a TTY but if the error is not critical, do not waste time trying to correct it.

An example is:

your phone number 345XXXX 3449001 Q GA


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Common Abbreviations

It is common for people to use abbreviations during text communication in order to speed up the conversation. This is true of TTY users too. Some will use abbreviations; some will not.

The communications officer should follow the TTY caller’s lead as to whether or not abbreviations should be used. In other words, if the caller is freely using abbreviations, the communications officer can feel comfortable using abbreviations. If the caller is not using abbreviations, it is advisable for the communications officer to not use abbreviations either.


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U

UR

R

PH

CD, CLD

WD, WUD

IMPT

BLDG

ANS

NBR

DR, DOC

NP

THX

ENUF

CLR

OPR

BEC, CUZ

HLD

HSPTL

HOSP

CUL

MIN

TMW

DIFF

ASAP

OIC

PLS

BSY

THOT

HLP

FONE

INFO

MSG

NXT

RPT

MED

BRB

SHD

REC, RCV

AMBL, AMBU


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Language Formats

People who use TTY’s to communicate will usually communicate in one of two different language formats. Some will type in an English format, which should be easily understood, while others will type in ASL Gloss.

ASL Gloss (a.k.a. TTY Gloss or Gloss) is a method used to communicate through typing, as on a TTY, which uses English words to translate American Sign Language (ASL) concepts.

Since there is no written form of ASL, this method results in the loss of the visual elements of ASL which are crucial to clear communications.

When you are communicating with someone using a TTY, you must determine which communications format they are using and translate not only what they type to you, but also what you type to them, in the same format. For these reasons, communications officers need to be familiar with both language formats.


Standard/Simplified English

TTY users who become deaf, hard of hearing, or develop speech disabilities after developing their language skills will generally type using a typical English format. These users will type in a way that should be easy for you to understand and they will use TTY protocol.

Some of these callers will use abbreviations as a way to speed up the typed conversation. If you determine that your caller is using an English format, follow their lead as to whether to use abbreviations or not, but remember to use proper TTY protocol.


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Examples of English Phrases

The following are sample English format messages using proper protocol:

what is your address qga

what is your phone number qga

what is ur ph nbr qga

what is the problem qga

what is prob qga

how long ago did this happen qga

is anyone hurt qga

how old is person qga

is the house on fire qga

does he have a weapon qga



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Simplified English Format TTY Conversation

springfield 911 where is your emergency qga

1004 PEACHTREE ST GA

1004 peachtree st qga

YES GA

what is wrong qga

NEED AMBU I HAVE CHEST PAINS GA

ok ambu on the way what is your phone number qga

PH NBR IS 7889687 PLS HURRY GA

ambu on way how old are you and how long have you hurt qga

IM 58 AND IT STARTED ABOUT 10 MIN AGO GA

what is your name qga

JOHN SIMMONS GA

ok mr simmons are you breathing ok qga

A LITTLE SHORT OF BREATH GA

is there anyone else there with you qga

YES MY WIFE BUT SHE IS DEAF TOO GA

that is ok can she go meet the ambo at the door qga

YES GA

ok the ambo is there now have your wife open door gask

OK THANKS FOR YOUR HELP SKSK

ok sksk

American Sign Language (ASL)

Because ASL is a visual language, and there is no written format, communications officers may encounter barriers when trying to communicate via a TTY. Therefore, it is critical that communications officers become familiar with ASL in order to more efficiently process emergency calls.


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ASL Format

The format for American Sign Language is:

Time reference, first, if necessary

Main thought

Descriptive words

Verbs with no verb tense

No connecting words (a, the, and..)

For example, you should avoid words like conscious, unconscious, patient, victim, en route, etc. You should keep your terminology simple and in laymen’s terms. For example you should use awake, no awake, person or person hurt, and on the way.

Once you determine that your caller is typing in ASL Gloss, if you pay close attention to what is typed, it will be fairly easy to understand what the caller is typing to you.

It is very important that you be able to put your thoughts, questions or directions into ASL format so that your caller can understand what you are typing to them. Remember, ASL users will sometimes use common abbreviations to speed up the communications process.



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Examples of ASL Phrases

live you where qga

phone you number qga

ph nbr what qga

problem what qga

need you police fire ambo qga

problem how long qga

hurt where qga

age person qga

house fire q ga

gun knife use person qga

house out now sksk



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ASL Gloss TTY Conversation

Here is a sample TTY conversation in ASL Gloss format:

springfield 911 where is your emergency qga

HLP PLS AMBO HURT BAD GA

where ambo need you qga

8442 SUNSET DR GA

8442 sunset drive qga

YES GA

ambo on way problem what qga

HUSB HEART HURT BAD GA

ph nbr what q ga

8852435 PLS HURRY GA

ok husb awake q breath qga

YES GA

husb heart hurt how long qga

5 MIN BAD BAD GA

age husb q ga

62 GA

door open you q ga

YES AMBO HERE Q GA

yes ambo there now door open you gask

OK SKSK

sksk


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ASL Phrase Translation.

Instructions: Translate the following ASL phrases into their primary English meaning. Note: The answers are noted in bold/italic below each phrase.

1. LIVE YOU WHERE Q GA

2. PHONE YOU NBR Q GA

3. JOHN TREE FLL DOWN BLOOD BLODOD FUNNY LEGG GA

4. GRANDMA SPIT RED ON RUG GA

5. MARY GREEN HERE NEED HELP SMOKE BEDRM BEDRM HALL KITCHEN HOT HOT CANT SEE NEED FIRE GA

6. HELP PLS BABY OUTSIDE PLAY PLAY PLAY I KITCHEN ON TDD FINISH TDD CHCK BABY BABY WHERE Q LOOK LOOK LOOK BABY BABY GONE GA

7. MOTHER BLUE NO BLOW GA

8. FIRE KITCHN CRTN BURN GRANFATHER WHEELCHAIR UPSTRS FRIETRUCK NOW GA


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ASL Phrase Translation.

9. NEED HLP POSS PRBLM BKIN MY HOUSE CUZ I NOT HOME LAST NITE COME HOME CHCK WINDOWS FIND 2 BROKE ROOM ROOM NEED HELP ASAP I RPT CUS I LIL AFRAID GO IN HOUSE CLD U HLP PLS GA

10. NEIGHBOR SMITH BUSHES DOG MESS UP EVERDAY PRBLM GA

11. PAIN TERRIBLE FATHER CANT HE GA

12. HURT MY HEART GA



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English to ASL Phrase Translations

Translate the following English phrases into proper ASL format to include protocol as if you wanted a response from the caller.

1. What is your address?

2. Where are you?

3. Do you need Police, Fire, EMS?

4. What is the problem?

5. What is your phone number?

6. What is your name?

7. Who is hurt?

8. Where are they hurt?

9. Is there any bleeding?

10. Is your father conscious?

11. How old is the victim?

12. Get out of the house now!


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9-1-1 TTY Call Recognition & Processing

9-1-1 TTY Call Recognition& Processing

In an emergency communications center, calls for assistance are received around the clock. The majority of those calls will be from people using a standard telephone to verbally report an emergency. However, there will be times when you will be call-taking and receive a call in which there is no verbal response or when there are tones on the line.

Many communications officers assume that these are either hang-ups or fax machines. The truth is either of those calls could have been a TTY user trying desperately to obtain help with an emergency.

Communications officers need to know that there are basically five ways to recognize incoming TTY calls and the proper procedures, according to your department, for handling each.



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TTY Call Recognition

Silent Calls

When you answer any incoming call, if there appears to be no one there when you answer the phone, even after repeated attempts to get the other party to speak, place the handset in the acoustic coupler or transfer the call to the TTY (depending on configuration) and send a message such as “Springfield 911 GA” or “Springfield Fire Dept GA”.

If it is a TTY call, you will know shortly after sending your message. If you receive no response it may be a caller that has turned away to assist with the emergency or another type of emergency, involving someone too afraid to speak or unable to speak. Follow your center’s procedures for silent calls.

If you are an Enhanced 9-1-1 center, you will be provided Automatic Number Identification (ANI) and Automatic Location Identification (ALI), if your TTY call comes in on a dedicated 9-1-1 line, as with voice calls.

We will cover how to process TTY calls, no matter how they are received in the next section.



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Open-Line Calls

There is the possibility that 9-1-1 operators will answer calls that come in as an open-line call but is actually a TTY call and should be processed as TTY calls.

As previously discussed, there are public TTY’s that are connected to public pay phones. The most common version of this is a payphone with a TTY attached in an encased metal drawer underneath the payphone. When TTY callers need to contact 9-1-1 using this type of phone, the caller will pick up the handset and dial 9-1-1. The 9-1-1 center will receive the call and probably hear background noise because of the design of the public TTY payphone. It is designed so that the drawer holding the TTY does not open until the 9-1-1 center sends TTY tones over the phone line. For this reason, the proper procedure for open-line calls should be as follows:

Call taker answers incoming 9-1-1 line but gets no verbal or toned response,

Call taker may or may not hear background noise,

Call taker should verbally attempt to communicate with the caller a couple of times,

If after a couple attempts, there is no voice or tones, the call taker should query the line with a TTY to determine if the caller is using a TTY,

Once tones are generated by the call taker, if the caller is using a public TTY payphone, the drawer will open and the caller can begin typing to the call taker.

The remainder of the call should be processed as any other TTY is processed in accordance with policy.


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Beeping Tones (Baudot)

TTY tones are different than those of a fax machine or computer modem. TTY tones are referred to as Baudot tones which are short, intermittent beeps where faxes or modems tend to be longer solid tones. If you hear tones and you are not sure whether it is a TTY call or not, place the phone in the acoustic coupler or activate your TTY functionality, and attempt to communicate by typing a message on your TTY such as “Springfield 911 GA”.

If after several moments you do not get a response, attempt again to make verbal contact. Then follow your center’s procedures for silent calls.

Voice Announcer

The Voice Announcer is an optional feature which is on the caller’s TTY that sends a message over the phone line to a voice phone. You will hear a computer voice which states “hearing impaired caller, use TDD” or some other similar phrase.

Immediately connect this call to your TTY and begin handling the call. But you should note that ALL callers will NOT have this feature on their TTY or, in an emergency, may forget to use the feature.



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TDD/TTY Detection Equipment

If your agency is equipped with a TDD/TTY Detector, you may hear a recorded announcement that advises the call taker that there is an incoming TTY call. If activated, the Detector will automatically send a message to the caller saying they have reached 9-1-1 please hold, and routed the call to one of your center’s TTY’s. Immediately initiate your TTY call handling procedures.

It is important to note, however, that a TDD/TTY Detector may not pick up on ALL incoming TTY calls. It monitors the phone lines for the tones or signals sent by a TTY. If there are no tones or signals on the line, the TDD/TTY Detector may not recognize the call as a TTY call and it will come in as a silent call.



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TTY Call Processing

Now, let’s look at the procedures for handling TTY calls appropriately whether you are receiving, transferring, sending or ending a TTY call.

Receiving TTY calls

When the emergency telephone rings, you should answer it following these procedures:

Verbally identify your agency name and include a directed question. Example: Springfield 911 where is your emergency?

If you do not get a response from the caller, you should verbally identify your agency again.

If you still do not receive a response, you should use your TTY to see if the caller is using a TTY. If your center’s TTY is in the direct connect mode, you will transfer the call to the line to which the TTY is connected and then turn the TTY on or press the appropriate button to activate your TTY. If you are using the acoustic coupler mode, you place the handset in the coupler, making sure to place the cord to the left and then turn the TTY on.

In either mode, you then query the line by identifying your agency and include a directed question. Example: “springfield 911 where is your emergency qga”. This is important because starting the TTY conversation with a directed question saves critical time in handling TTY calls which are by their nature slower.

If you still do not get a response you can type your message again or type “are you there qga”.

If you still do not get a response, follow your center’s procedures for silent calls.

If you do get a response, then you would proceed with the TTY call by asking the important questions relevant to the type of call.


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Receiving TTY calls

Remember to:

Use proper protocol.

Determine if the caller is typing in common English or American Sign Language and type in the appropriate format.

Avoid the use of commas, periods, question marks, apostrophes, and other common English punctuation.

If all or part of the message is garbled, try tapping the space bar a few times or adjust the sensitivity of your TTY and request repetition of the message. This is a common occurrence on TTY calls. You can request repetition by typing “please repeat ga” or “I dont understand ga”

When you have determined what assistance is required, notify the caller of what action you will take.

When you are finished with your side of the conversation, type your closing remarks followed by “GASK”. This notifies the caller that you are ready to hang up.

The caller will make closing remarks and type “SKSK”.

If you receive a scrolling message when you query the line with your TTY, you should begin typing to stop the scrolling message.

Scrolling messages can be generated by the caller if they have that option on their TTY.



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Transferring TTY Calls

The TTY caller must be provided the same level of care that is given to hearing callers. TTY calls can be transferred without disconnecting the caller. Therefore, when an agency has standard operating procedures (SOPs) that require callers to be transferred to another service provider such as EMS or Fire, the TTY caller must also be transferred. It is important to provide the TTY caller with the same information and notification as provided to the hearing caller. In other words, if the caller is told that their call is being transferred and that they will 'hear clicks or a short burst of dial tone on the line before being connected but do not hang up' - the same message must be typed on the TTY.

Once the call is transferred, the primary answering point can release. Be aware, however, that this transferred call can be monitored visually after being answered by the other agency. Note that 3-way text conversations are not advised due to the technical limitations of Baudot protocol which only allows for text to be sent and received one at a time. This creates the inability to determine whose turn it is to type and who the text is coming from. For example, this may become important on medical calls where police may be needed. Call takers who are visually monitoring a call may need to mute their line so that background noise does not interfere with the transferred TTY call.



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Sending TTY Calls

Sometimes, 9-1-1 operators need to re-contact a caller to obtain additional information or because of being disconnected unexpectedly. The same is true for TTY calls so call takers need to be able to make call’s using 9-1-1’s TTY equipment. The procedures are:

Dial the number using your phone’s keypad and wait until the phone is answered.

Before enabling your TTY or connecting to your TTY’s coupler, you should attempt to verbally communicate by identifying where you are calling from and who you are. The person answering the phone may be able to communicate verbally.

If you do not receive a verbal response or you hear TTY tones, you should activate your TTY.

Type your agency identifier, who you are and your reason for calling.

Example: this is springfield 911 operator smith I need more information ga

This will establish rapport with the caller and make them more likely to communicate with you.

Then verify to whom you are communicating with to determine if they are the same person who called you.

Remember to use proper protocol, language formats and to avoid English punctuation. Also, remember how to troubleshoot your equipment when there are errors are malfunctions.



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Ending TTY Calls

When ending a TTY call, it is important to remember to:

Advise callers what is being done to assist them

Use SKSK to indicate the call is finished

Follow policy regarding notifying responders that it is a TTY caller or that the complainants may be a person who is deaf or unable to speak

Document the call as required by policy

Document any errors or malfunctions



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TTY Etiquette

Remember, some general etiquette for communicating with callers via a TTY is as follows:

Treat any silent call or any call with beeping sounds as a TTY call. Don’t hang up until you have eliminated the possibility that it may be a TTY call.

Remain calm and handle a TTY call as you would any other call.

Take your cue from the TTY user when to use standard/simplified English or ASL gloss.

Always double check with the TTY user to confirm the address and telephone number they are calling from. Sometimes, numbers do not transmit well so you may actually save time by spelling the numbers if confusion arises.

Remember, as a general rule, only one person can type at a time. However, you may receive automated, scrolling messages that will repeat the same phrase over and over. This message will not stop until you begin to type. So, if you receive an automated message via a TTY, you should interrupt that message by typing to the caller.

Keep your questions direct and simple.

Allow the TTY user to respond to questions one at a time because they may not have a printer and once the screen is full, the words will scroll off of the screen.

Do not worry about using punctuation marks.

Avoid use of English idioms, public safety terminology, complex sentence structures and uncommon vocabulary. Use place instead of location, help instead of rescue, send instead of dispatch, etc.

If you must put the TTY caller on hold or transfer them, inform the caller. Some TTY’s will indicate to the caller that you have hung up on them when you use the hold and transfer features.


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TTY Call Variations

TTY Call Variations

Now that we have spent some time learning how to communicate using a TTY, we should address some variations or alternative methods for communicating with callers. What we have addressed so far involves both the caller and the communications officer using a TTY for their side of the communications. However, there are several other methods used by some TTY users of which we must be familiar with and MUST accommodate, if requested.

When receiving an emergency TTY call, you may receive a request from the caller for VCO or HCO. These are a variation of a standard TTY call where both you and the caller are using a TTY to type your conversation.

Both VCO and HCO communication includes text and voice communication instead of text-only and require some additional techniques to be employed on our part in order to communicate effectively.



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TTY Call Variations

Voice Carry Over (VCO)

Some people may call an emergency communications center using a TTY and ask to use VCO. VCO stands for Voice Carry Over. It is a communication hybrid of TTY conversation which involves both text and voice. VCO allows a person with hearing loss to speak directly to the call taker and read the response that is typed back. Many persons who became deaf or hard of hearing later in life prefer to speak instead of type. They use voice carry over (VCO) by speaking directly into the phone and then you would type back via TTY to the caller. VCO can be accomplished with standard stand-alone TTY equipment simply by having the call taker alternate between listening on the handset when the caller is speaking, and placing the handset in the TTY acoustic coupler to type a response.

If your center is equipped with TTY’s which are built-into your console/computer, you need to check with your supervisor for procedures to accommodate requests for Voice Carry Over. It is important to remember to wait on the caller to verbalize the GA for “go ahead” before you begin typing your response.



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TTY Call Variations

CapTel Voice Carry Over (VCO)

The Captioned Telephone (“CapTel”) is a new telephone that allows deaf and hard of hearing people to receive both the voice and written captions of what the other party says. The captions are supplied by a Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) for all non-9-1-1 calls. The CapTel user uses their own voice to talk directly back to the other party.

When a CapTel user dials 9-1-1, the CapTel phone calls 9-1-1 directly (it does not route through the TRS service). The CapTel phone automatically converts into a Voice Carry Over (VCO) phone. This means the caller accesses 9-1-1 directly, but will not receive word-for-word captions. The call-taker needs to respond by following the same procedure used for handling VCO calls. Basically, the call-taker needs to communicate by typing messages to the CapTel user on a TTY, and then listening to the CapTel user talk back by voice. The call-taker’s typed TTY messages show up in the display of the CapTel phone. The CapTel user does not have a keyboard, so they cannot type TTY messages back to the call-taker. They can only use their voice to talk to the call-taker. Thus, the conversation is half in text (TTY) and half in voice.

VCO call handling capability is currently required of all 9-1-1 PSAP’s by the US Department of Justice, and thus the CapTel phone operating in VCO mode does not represent a new requirement for 9-1-1 PSAP’s which should already have existing standard operating procedures (SOP) to handle VCO calls.



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TTY Call Variations

Hearing Carry Over (HCO)

You may receive a TTY caller who requests HCO. HCO stands for Hearing Carry Over. People with speech impairments who are not deaf or hard of hearing often prefer HCO, which allows them to type their words on a TTY to you and hear your spoken responses through their handset. HCO can be accomplished using standard stand-alone TTY equipment by alternating speaking into the handset and placing the handset in the TTY acoustic coupler when the caller types a response.

If your center is equipped with TTY’s which are built-into your console/computer, you need to check with your supervisor for procedures to accommodate requests for Hearing Carry Over. It is important to remember to verbalize the GA for “go ahead” when it is their turn to respond.

Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS)

Some TTY callers feel more comfortable contacting 9-1-1 through the use of a Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS). In order to efficiently and effectively handle calls from a TRS, you must be familiar with the procedures TRS uses which you MUST follow.



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TTY Call Variations

Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS)

Telecommunications Relay Services (TRS’) enable standard voice telephone users to talk to people who have difficulty hearing or speaking on the telephone. Under Title IV of the Americans with Disabilities Act, all telephone companies must provide free relay services either directly or through state programs throughout the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and all of the U.S. territories. Businesses, government agencies, family, friends, and employers of persons with hearing and speech disabilities make and receive relay calls everyday.

TRS’ use operators, called "communications assistants" (CA’s), to facilitate telephone calls for people who have difficulty hearing or speaking, and other individuals. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rules require telephone companies to provide TRS’ nationwide on a 24 hour-a-day, 7 day a week basis, at no extra cost to callers.

Conversations are relayed in real-time and CA’s are not permitted to disclose the content of any conversation. Relay callers are not limited in the type, length, or nature of their calls.

There are several types of TRS’ available. Any of these may be initiated by an individual with a hearing or speech disability, or by a conventional telephone user.



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TTY Call Variations

Text-to-Voice

This type of TRS uses a CA who speaks what a TTY user types, and types what a voice telephone user replies. This is the type of TRS call most 911 operators will experience. When you receive a call from the Relay Service follow these procedures:

When you answer your phone, the Relay Service Communications Assistant (CA) will state that it is a Relay Service call and ask if you are familiar with Relay Service.

If you are not, the CA explains the Service:

The person calling you is using a TTY/TDD.

The TTY/TDD user will type his/her message and the CA relays the message to you verbally.

After each message is completed, the CA will say to you, "Go Ahead."

Voice your message to the CA in first person. After each message is completed, say "Go Ahead." The TTY/TDD user then responds with his/her message.

Please speak slower than usual because the CA will be typing everything you say. Your typed message is then relayed to the TTY/TDD user.

Communications officers should be prepared to be specific and speak in “first person” when taking calls from a Relay Service. It is also important to realize that relay service operators are NOT allowed to interpret to you what the caller meant or what you meant to the caller, so be specific.

VCO via TRS

VCO TRS enables a person who is hard of hearing, but wants to use his/her own voice, to speak directly to the receiving party and to receive responses in text form through the CA. No typing is required by either the calling or the called party.


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TTY Call Variations

HCO via TRS

HCO TRS enables a person with a speech disability to type his/her part of the conversation on a TTY. A CA reads these words to a called party, and the caller hears responses directly from the called party.

Speech-to-Speech

Speech to Speech (STS) allows people with speech disabilities to use their own voices to place calls with the assistance of a relay operator. The person with the speech disability will not be using a TTY. A person with speech disability uses a CA who is specially trained in understanding a variety of speech disorders. The CA repeats what the caller says in a manner which makes the callers words clear and understandable. The relay operator will tell you to “go ahead” when it is your time to speak.



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TTY Call Variations

Definitions

Video Relay Service (VRS)

According to information published by APCO International, a relatively new and challenging type of relay call is the VRS call. Video Relay Service (VRS) enables a person who is deaf, deaf-blind, hard of hearing or has speech disabilities to use sign language or speech reading to communicate with any telephone user via a Video Interpreter (VI) at a relay service call center. The user has a videophone or webcam connected to a video relay service call center using an internet connection.

IP Relay Service

IP Relay Service is a text-based communication service that allows a person who is deaf, deaf-blind, hard of hearing or has speech disabilities to communicate with any telephone user via a Communication Assistant (CA) at a relay service call center using an Internet connection. IP Relay is accessed using a computer or wireless handheld device and the Internet, rather than a TTY and a telephone.

Video Interpreter/Communications Assistant (VI/CA)

VI/CA equals video interpreter/communication assistant. In a VRS call, the CA is a skilled sign language interpreter referred to as a VI (Video Interpreter) who can see the video caller via a video device and an internet connection. The VI interprets and relays between the ASL (American Sign Language) user and the speaking person. In an IP Relay call, the Communication Assistant (CA) relays back and forth between the text user and the speaking person.



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TTY Call Variations

Overview

Call Receipt

When the relay user has registered their location with a default VRS and/or IP Relay provider and kept that location information up to date the call enters via the 9-1-1 system and data populates the ANI/ALI screen similar to a VoIP call.

When the user has failed to register or keep their location up to date, the call will come into the ten digit emergency number (no ANI/ALI) of the Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP).

Call Back

Call back is achieved by calling back the relay user’s ten digit number listed on the ANI/ALI screen. AVI/CA will answer the call and make contact with the caller for you. Note: the ten digit call back number may be a toll free (800 type) number. One unique aspect of VRS and IP Relay, the information on the existing ALI screens will be different.



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TTY Call Variations

Issues to Consider

Time delay

The use of VI/CA may introduce a time delay on delivery of the question and/or the response.

Legal limitations

There are some legal limitations that the call taker needs to be aware of related to VRS and IP Relay. The VI/CA may or may not be able to provide visual or auditory information as to what they see or hear in addition to the communication taking place. NENA & APCO have filed a petition for expedited clarification regarding this topic with the FCC, however, as of 12/07/2008, no action has been taken. When the FCC takes action, information will be posted to the NENA & APCO web sites.

Re-contacting VRS/IP Service

There may be an occasion that the 9-1-1 operator needs to contact the VRS/IP service directly. The NENA website (www.nena.org) maintains a list of providers, their ID and phone number for calling them directly.

Hang-up/Abandoned Calls

If a call comes in as a hang-up/abandoned call, it means the call has dropped. This could occur when the call is dropped during the transfer from VRS/IP Relay service to the PSAP; the call taker should follow normal protocols to process an abandoned/hang-up call. Similarly, while the call to the PSAP may be regular, the VI/CA may be on the line advising that the caller has disconnected and they are attempting call back.

http://www.nena.org/


© 2011 Excel 9-1-1, Inc. Page 59

TTY Call Variations

Issues to Consider

Call Termination

To properly terminate the call, the call taker should advise the relay user that they have obtained enough information to complete the call and it is ok to end the call. Make certain to advise the caller that if anything changes prior to the arrival of emergency responders to call back immediately.

Call Handling Policy

The call taker should not handle these calls any differently than any other 9-1-1 call in accordance to agency policy and protocol.

Interpreter Changes

It is important for a call taker to know that an interpreter may change during an emergency call. Sometimes there will be a team of interpreters working together to provide communication services. Interpreters may rotate in order to remain fresh to be able to provide accurate and effective communication. An Interpreter will be on line until the call is completed. If necessary, the 9-1-1 operator can request a new interpreter if you feel there is not effective communication.

Video Loss

Due to the nature of the Internet and the dependence of Video Relay Service on Internet connections, occasionally packets are lost in the transmission of video signals between the deaf caller and the Video Relay Service Provider, resulting in a loss of the video connection. When this occurs, the PSAP will still be connected to the Video Interpreter but not the actual caller.

The PSAP should ask the Video Interpreter to reestablish the call to the actual caller. In some instances, the actual caller may intentionally terminate their connection to the Video Interpreter and may choose not to accept the return call, or the technical interruption may persist. In these circumstances, a first responder should be dispatched to the location of the emergency call per standard PSAP protocols.


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TTY Call Variations

Issues to Consider

Relay Service Disconnections

There is the possibility that relay service may be disconnected with the PSAP. Although extremely rare, a voice leg of a relay call loses the connection to the Video Relay Service Provider or IP Relay provider. The video relay service provider will still have a video connection to the caller or the IP-Relay provider will still have an IP-based text connection to the caller and the appropriate provider will attempt to reestablish the connection to the PSAP. If the call is not reestablished to the PSAP within 60 seconds, the PSAP should attempt to re-contact the caller via the 10-digit number that appears as ANI & within ALI and was verbally confirmed by the call taker at the beginning of the call.

If the PSAP is unable to reestablish a connection to the original caller, a first responder should be dispatched to the location of the emergency call per standard PSAP protocols.



© 2011 Excel 9-1-1, Inc. Page 61

TTY Call Variations

Issues of Concern

Location Information

As with any type of call, the 9-1-1 operator only needs a location to process a call for service. The same holds true with VRS calls. 9-1-1 operators will need to follow their agency policy and procedures.

In the Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system, there will be two differences in the 9-1-1 screen information that will need consideration, those two fields being Call Agent ID # and Company Name (Company ID #). The provider name will be placed in an existing field that will correspond to the type of information delivered, which is the company ID field. However the call agent ID # will be placed in one of the address fields. You will need to speak with your local telephone and CAD vendors to see if this new information will present a problem.

Endangered Callers

For endangered callers, call takers should refer to agency policy to deal with endangered callers, keeping in mind that you may have to advise the VI/CA not to reconnect with the caller.

Call Documentation

On most relay calls the VI will not be able to hear audio from the caller. And, although the calls are documented, there are no recordings or content records retained by the Relay Service, per FCC rules and other requirements.



Page 62 © 2011 Excel 9-1-1, Inc.

SOP — Standard Operating Procedure Recommendations Suggested questions for developing a VRS/IP Relay Call Guide 1. Obtain/verify caller’s address/location.

2. Obtain/verify emergency address/location, if different.

3. Obtain/verify callback number.

4. Obtain/verify caller’s name, relay agent ID # and company/provider.

5. What is the nature of the emergency?

6. Is there any other information pertinent to the emergency?

7. Is the person unable to communicate? – If not ask the VI/CA specific questions such as:

o What was communicated prior to the call being connected to 9-1-1

o What did you see/hear prior to being connected to 9-1-1

o Do you know what caused the disconnection / the party becoming unable to communicate?

o What do you currently see or hear now?

(Pending FCC ruling VI/CA may not be able to answer. However the call taker shall maintain control of the call at all times. For additional details concerning Federal Communications Commission ruling, consult APCO or NENA web sites for most current information.)

8. At the end of the call the call taker must verify that the call taker has all the information. Once the caller acknowledges, tell the caller that he/she can hang up now, but if anything changes prior to arrive of responders, he/she should call 9-1-1 back immediately.

9. If connection between VI/CA and caller is lost, using local protocols, determine whether to advise VI/CA to attempt reconnect.

10. The call taker needs to talk to the person placing the call as if there is not an interpreter in the middle.

11. Use contextual clues to determine appropriate language in the phrasing of questions.

12. Determine if someone will be present who can communicate with emergency responders. 8/2009


© 2011 Excel 9-1-1, Inc. Page 63

Conclusion

Summary

Terminal Performance Objective

Given an emergency call for service, participants will be able to effectively process emergency calls from people with disabilities who use a variety of TTY and other technologies to communicate, in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, Department of Justice requirements and professional communication standards.

Enabling Objectives

During this program, we have:

Describe the legal requirements for providing direct and equal access to emergency services to people with disabilities.

Identify and describe the functionality of various TTY and 9-1-1 equipment.

Explain/demonstrate proper TTY protocol, language, syntax and translations.

Describe/demonstrate techniques used to properly identify and process calls for emergency service using TTY and other technologies, including relay services, commonly used by people with disabilities.


Page 64 © 2011 Excel 9-1-1, Inc.

Closing Statement

In closing, it is important to remember that we are required to provide direct and equal access to 9-1-1 services to everyone, including people with disabilities that may prevent them from being able to request assistance verbally. Although TTY’s are an older technology, the possibility of receiving calls from a TTY still exists. As technology continues to evolve, the number of TTY calls may decrease but only because of the proliferation of newer communications technologies.

No matter the technology, no matter if the caller has a disability or not, the duty of an emergency call taker is to receive and process emergency calls for service effectively, no matter what the circumstances. Today’s call takers are faced with a dynamic, ever-changing world of technology and must stay informed on the technology in use in their 9-1-1 Centers and the public that uses their service. Change is the challenge, where knowledge, skills, training and experience are the key. We are charged with the duty to “serve all” that need public safety assistance during times of emergency….no matter how they contact us to request that help!


© 2011 Excel 9-1-1, Inc. Page 65

References & Resources

References & Resources:

ADA Amendments Act of 2008, Pl 110-325 (2008).

Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Pub. L. No. 101-336, §2, 104 Stat. 328 (1991).

Association of Public Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International. (2003). ADA Training Standard for Communications Officers. Daytona Beach, FL: Author.

DBTAC: Southeast ADA Center. (2009). Regional Resource for Americans with Disabilities Act. Retrieved August 09, 2009 from http://www.sedbtac.org.

Excel 9-1-1. (2004-2008). ADA Training for Communications Officers. Thomaston, GA: Author.

Federal Communications Commission. (2004). Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau: E911-TTY. Retrieved August 11, 2009 from

http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/dro/e911tty.html.

Federal Communications Commission. (2008). Telecommunications Relay Service: FCC Consumer Facts. Retrieved August 4, 2009 from

http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/trs.html.

National Emergency Number Association. (2005). NENA E9-1-1 Operational Standard Managers Guide to the ADA Title II: Direct Access. Arlington, VA: Author.

National Emergency Number Association. (2002). NENA Silent or Hang-up 9-1-1 Calls for Service: An Operations-Focused Study Operational Information Document 56- 501. Arlington, VA: Author.

National Emergency Number Association. (2004). NENA TTY Phone Pal Program (PPP) Operational Information Document. Arlington, VA: Author.

National Emergency Number Association. (2005). NENA E9-1-1 Operational Standard Managers Guide to the ADA Title II: Direct Access. Arlington, VA: Author.

National Emergency Number Association. (2005). NENA E9-1-1 TTY Training Operational Standard. Arlington, VA: Author.


Page 66 © 2011 Excel 9-1-1, Inc.

References & Resources

References & Resources:

National Emergency Number Association. (2005). NENA TTY/TDD Communications Standard Operating Procedure Model Recommendation. Arlington, VA: Author.

National Emergency Number Association. (2005). NENA TTY Call Taker Proficiency and Quality Assurance Operational Standard/Model Recommendation. Arlington, VA: Author.

National Technical Institute for the Deaf. (1999). TTY Tipsheet. Retrieved August 5, 2009 from http://www.netac.rit.edu/downloads/TPSHT_TTY.pdf.

U.S. Department of Justice. (1998). Americans with Disabilities Act: Access for 9-1-1 and Telephone Emergency Services. Washington, DC: Author.

U.S. Department of Justice. (2006). ADA Best Practices Tool Kit for State and Local Government. Washington, DC: Author.

U.S. Department of Justice. (2009). Settlement Agreement between the United States of American and Gregg County, TX under the Americans with Disabilities Act (DJ 204-75-115). Washington, DC: Author.

U.S. Department of Justice. (2009). Settlement Agreement between the United States of American and The City of Port St. Lucie, Florida under the Americans with Disabilities Act (DJ 204-18-185). Washington, DC: Author.

Ultratec. (2009). CapTel. Retrieved August 5, 2009 from http://www.ultratec.com/captel.

Contact Information

Cheryl J. Greathouse

Excel 9-1-1, Inc.

847 Jeff Davis Road, Thomaston, GA 30286

706-255-5339

[email protected]

www.excel9-1-1.com

http://www.ultratec.com/captel

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.excel9-1-1.com/

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