Videophones enable communication between Sign Language users anywhere in the world.

They can also be used for communication between Deaf and hearing people using a Video Relay Service (VRS) or Video Remote Interpreting (VRI).

You can come to our Seattle, Tacoma, or Bellingham offices to use a free public videophone during regular office hours. Here's what our Bellingham staff had to say about the success of the Videophone so far...

"There are a number of people who regularly use the videophone in our Bellingham office. They use it to ask questions of a social service agency to inquire about a job or volunteer opportunity, to do research about careers or housing, or to call a utility company to discuss their bill. We have regular users who have gone on to get one of the donated videophones provided by Video Relay Service companies, and we rarely see them now because they can call friends and family from home."

Both Deaf and hard of hearing people enjoy the reliability of communication through Video Relay Services. It usually takes one or two phone calls for people to get hooked... then it's hard to get them off the phone *smile*. Being close to the Canadian border, many community members have friends in Canada. Videophones make it easy to enjoy conversations with videophone users in other countries without additional long-distance charges."

"The most surprised videophone users have been hard of hearing people who try Voice Carry Over (VCO) with Video Relay Services. Being able to hear the speaker's voice and lipread the interpreter while signing at the same time can really improve understanding. They originally thought videophones were only for Deaf people, but were thrilled at how naturally they were able to communicate."

"We have trained children as young as six and adults in their sixties. They all agree it sure is nice to be able to see a conversation."

Point-to-Point (P2P) is when one person uses a videophone to contact another person who also has a videophone.

Video Relay Service (VRS) is an online interpreter service, used for conversations between a person who has a videophone and a hearing person using a traditional phone.

Video Remote Interpreting (VRI) is used for conversations between a non-signing hearing person and a signing Deaf person, who are in the same room, using an online interpreter. VRI is a pay-per-minute service that is normally used for brief, unplanned meetings, or for emergency communication while service providers wait for a live interpreter to arrive. VRI is also used when interpreters are simply not available in person.