TTY (Text Telephone): Those who cannot hear on the telephone may use a TTY (acronym for teletypewriter). A TTY is a small table-top unit with a keyboard, a one-line screen for visual display of text, and an acoustic coupler, into which is placed the telephone handset. Two TTY users can type messages to each other over the phone line.

ALDS (Assistive Listening Devices and Systems): Useful for personal listening and also for group situations. Consists of an external microphone or a direct cable to the sound source, a transmitter, and a receiver. People with mild hearing losses can use them with headphones. People with severe or profound hearing losses can use these with a device that connects directly with the hearing aid's amplifier.

ADSS (Alerting Devices and Signaling Systems):Such signaling devices have been used for years, an example being a module that plugs into a wall outlet at one end and into a telephone jack and a lamp at the other. Through such a system, should a hotel/motel fire alarm be sounded, the Reception Desk could alert a room occupant who is hard of hearing.

CART (Communication Access Realtime Translation): This service provides a visual text with nearly instantaneous translation of the spoken word. A reporter (stenocaptioner) types the speaker's words on a stenotype machine which is connected to a notebook computer that translates the stenographer code into printed English. A deaf person can read the results on the screen of the notebook comptuer, or on a larger monitor. For large group events, the text can be displayed on a large video screen or projected onto a wall screen.