On September 5, we discussed the Clarity P300 phone, which has useful features for users with visual and auditory disabilities. That device is an old-fashioned corded phone for users who do not want or need the technology of a smartphone. InnoCaption is different: it’s an app for cell phone users who are deaf or hard of hearing.
The screen of the smartphone makes it an ideal platform for close captioning of calls for users who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Everybody texts, right? Well, many if not most cell phone users do. So why, then, would a deaf user need or even want InnoCaption, an app that provides captioning for the spoken word? “This app is good for those times when a phone call is better,” says Fred Tchang, Director of Assistive Technology Services at Advancing Opportunities. “Sometimes, people just want to talk,” he says.
InnoCaption is a cell phone app that provides captioning for users who have hearing loss. Paid for through a program funded by the Interstate Telecommunications Relay Services Fund, the app is free for users. Using a free 10-digit caption number, users who are hard-of-hearing can place and receive calls with as much ease as a hearing person can. InnoCaption is a start-up company that prides itself on its patented technology, combined with live stenographers, to provide the fastest, most efficient and accurate captioning possible. Ever since he needed to use hearing aids at age 4, InnoCaption CEO Joe Duarte had a dream to be able to use the phone with as much ease as anyone else. Moreover, he wanted to create a product that would benefit all people like him. The InnoCaption app is available for both iOS and Android smartphones. Obtaining this service, like the app itself, is straight-forward. After registering on the InnoCaption website, the next step is to download the app from Google Play (for Android users) or the Apple App Store (for iOS users). At that point, a new InnoCaption phone number will be issued. That done, simply share the new number with family, friends, and colleagues for captioned calls.
With good AT, the technology may be complex, but using it should not be.
