By default when you set up WTC for textphone, it is also available for keyboard-to-display communication at any time.

This means that when you are not connected to a 'phonecall, text that you type on the computer keyboard is only displayed on the screen, not transmitted, and the Braille display does not follow the Braille cursor automatically, as when you are reading text coming from the other end of the line in a 'phonecall. The Braille user can then easily read anything being typed on the keyboard, at their own speed, regardless of how fast it is being typed.

This capability can come in very handy. If you have somebody visiting you who cannot communicate directly using deaf or deafblind sign language but can use a keyboard, WTC provides an immediate means of one-to-one communication without having to change any settings. It is often found mutually preferable in any case for a person to talk to a deaf or deafblind person using the keyboard rather than signs, even if signing is possible. You can set an answerphone to run in the background so that the 'phone ringing does not interrupt the conversation and the caller can leave a message for you to read later.

Another way to use WTC for direct communication wit another person is to ring their mobile 'phone, or vice versa. If the person is actually in the same room with you, this might seem a bit longwinded, but it can be a saver in a situation where the person you want to talk to directly does not know any signing and is also not comfortable with the keyboard.

Keyboard-to-display communication is often referred to as "keyboard interpreting". This is because one application of this method of communication is to enable a deaf or deafblind person to participate in a meeting by having another person (the interpreter) type what other people are saying for you to read on the screen or your Braille display. With a laptop computer and portable Braille display unit (if needed), WTC provides a practical setup for a hearing impaired person to travel to meetings.

The features for saving and storing information described in the previous section are all available to you when talking one-to-one to another person, whether the communication is in a telephone call or just keyboard-to-display.

Page url: http://wtcmanual.wintextware.com/index.html?wmq_keyboard_interpreting.htm

Keyboard Communication