- From: Charles McCathieNevile <charles@w3.org>
- Date: Fri, 24 Nov 2000 12:57:35 -0500 (EST)
- To: Cynthia Waddell <cynthia.waddell@psinetcs.com>
- cc: David Poehlman <david.h.poehlman@verizon.net>, "R. Neff" <rneff@bbnow.net>, Al Gilman <asgilman@iamdigex.net>, <w3c-wai-ig@w3.org>
As I recall, the thing I usually see in Australia is (Voice/TTY) Charles On Tue, 14 Nov 2000, Cynthia Waddell wrote: Hello, The US Access Board, in their guidance on compliance with the ADA, recommend that the description "TTY" be utilized rather than TDD since it is more inclusive of people with speech disabilities. (TDD refers to "Telephone Device for the Deaf"). As a result, the practice in California local govt is to say, "For customer orders call 800-123-4567 (V/TTY)." By using this description "(V/TTY)" the deaf community in California would know that both oral and deaf customers should call this number. Best regards, Cynthia Waddell Formerly ADA compliance officer for City of San Jose At 09:41 PM 2000-11-10 -0600, R. Neff wrote: >On the web there is a phone number to place orders but no TTY capability is >not listed. However, if a person using a TTY device calls, they are >automatically forwarded to an operator that will take the order. this >operator is not part of the call center but a service offered by the >telecommunication carrier. > >what is the proper way to describe a process without offending anyone? > >for example, would you say. For customer orders call 800-123-4567 (TTY >enabled) > >in the future we will have TTY capability from the call center. > > >thanks, rob neff > I would give you your choice of how to say it. Actually, you should go straight to SHHH and/or other consumer-advocacy groups for advice on this as well, and not stop with WAI. This is a rule that applies to print advertising of the TTY-enabled phone number as well as to advertising this capability on the Web. And the issue is what will the TTY-user community recognize, not anything web-technical. The range of options that make logical sense include: [Separate entries, because that is what the text telephone (TTY/TDD) users expect.] [example] For orders call 800-xxx-yyyy Text telephone (TTY/TDD) users, call this number as well. [end example] [Integrated listing. -- three examples] For orders call 800-xxx-yyyy. Note: this number will get you to text telephone service (TTY/TDD) as well. For orders call 800-xxx-yyyy (text telephone (TTY/TDD) users, call this number, too.) For orders call 800-xxx-yyyy (TTY OK). -- end of examples. I lifted the language Text telephone (TTY/TDD) users out of the telephone book. This is verbose but probably the phone company as the omnibus monopoly utility has been under the closest scrutiny and pressure to say it clearly. So how they say it is probably a good way to say it. The word 'enabled' is too geeky. 'TTY-capable is better plain English, but still on the pointy-headed side of popular argot. I would like to see something very brief like "TTY OK" emerge as the code word for this capability, because during the transition, it is going to have to go on _lots_ of telephone numbers in print and other text-bearing media. But that should be OK'd by consumer representatives adn/or representative consumers before it's promoted. Al -- Charles McCathieNevile mailto:charles@w3.org phone: +61 (0) 409 134 136 W3C Web Accessibility Initiative http://www.w3.org/WAI Location: I-cubed, 110 Victoria Street, Carlton VIC 3053, Australia September - November 2000: W3C INRIA, 2004 Route des Lucioles, BP 93, 06902 Sophia Antipolis Cedex, France
Received on Friday, 24 November 2000 12:57:41 UTC