This service, called Speech-to-Speech (STS), provides communications assistants (CAs) for people with difficulty being understood by the public on the telephone. The FCC recently ruled that STS must be available nationwide in March 2001. STS will be provided through the TTY relay in each state. Unlike TTY, STS enables people with speech disabilities to communicate by voice through a CA as many people with speech disabilities have difficulty typing.

People with speech disabilities can dial toll free to reach a patient, trained CA who is familiar with many speech patterns and has excellent language recognition skills. This CA makes telephone calls for them and repeats their words exactly in a 3-way calling environment. Every month users make about 6,000 calls nationally. STS is the only way for many people to telephone others not accustomed to their speech. Many STS users have Parkinson’s disease, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, or Muscular Dystrophy. Other users stutter or have had a laryngectomy or ALS. STS also helps some speech synthesizer users. Dr. Bob Segalman, California Department of Rehabilitation, has cerebral palsy and developed the concept of STS. Now it makes telephone use much easier for him. To try out STS, report problems or get more information: Call 800-854-7784 and ask for Dr. Bob Segalman (direct # 916-263-8689). Or e-mail him at bob.segalman@att.net. Ask Bob to add your name to the STS List Serve. See also: the STS web site.

U.S. Speech-to-Speech access numbers

Sweden has just extended its STS trial for one year. Contact: Inga.Svanfeldt@tt.hoh.lul.se