business

The following information demonstrates how some telephone companies are responding to the special needs of some people who stutter. If you have other examples, please email me.

Posted on Stutt-l 7 Jul 1999 by Shaleen Jain:

Telsim, one of the country's three major telephone companies, has introduced the reduced rate after an appeal by the Turkish Association of Disabled Persons was taken up by Hasan Gemici, the minister for communications.

The president of the association, Faruk Oztimur, said: "It takes several minutes for a stuttering person to express just a few words and this makes the cost of their telephone conversations extremely high. We appreciate Telsim's response and hope the others will follow suit."

Stutterers will have to present a doctor's report to the company to get their discount.

From Tom Kehoe's book, Stuttering: Science, Therapy & Practice, 1997

California's "TDD Toll Discount" gives a discount on intrastate long-distance tolls. If you stutter severely, your telephone company will give you a free TDD. They can't differentiate TDD and voice calls, so you get the same discount whether you use the TDD or choose to stutter.

Tom Kehoe shares information about State Special Telephone Equipment Distribution Programs which provide "special telephone equipment" free to persons with hearing, speech, or other disabilities.

added August 10, 2000