Following are the key recommendations for this study. 1. Equal Access: All federally regulated entities that serve the public should ensure that their services are accessible to persons who are Deaf, deafened or hard of hearing by providing appropriate assistive technology including, but not limited to, TTYs. 2. Publication of TTY Numbers: Organizations which have TTY services should advertise their TTY number along with their telephone number in all their ads and telephone listings, and their TTY number should be easily found on their website. 3. Training: Organizations which offer TTY services should staff these services with employees who have knowledge not only of their respective organization, but also of TTY protocols, etiquette and technology. Client-orientation and courtesy can only increase the overall satisfaction and retention of clients. 4. New Technology: Federally regulated organizations—perhaps in cooperation with the Government of Canada—should assess new developments in communications technology to determine how they might improve telephonic communications services for people who cannot use the regular telephone system. In particular, the process of replacing land telephone lines with a Voice-over-Internet Protocol (VoIP) system should include, from the design stage, provisions for assistive technologies, such as computer-mounted TTY systems. 5. Other Issues: a. Each federally regulated organization should develop an internal policy on the provision of telephonic communications services to people who are Deaf, deafened, or hard of hearing; this policy should include specific reference to the duty to accommodate short of undue hardship as provided under the Canadian Human Rights Act (CHRA). b. In developing policies, procedures and guidelines, and in purchasing equipment, organizations should consult experts in the field of hearing loss as well as the manufacturers of, and experts on, assistive technologies.
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