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From: BHAMEL@BROWNVM.BITNET (Betsy Hamel)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: Re: Hands Free Telephone
Message-ID: <16559@bunker.UUCP>
Date: 4 Jan 91 04:07:04 GMT
Sender: wtm@bunker.UUCP
Reply-To: BHAMEL@BROWNVM.BITNET (Betsy Hamel)
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Index Number: 12633

I can only speak from a Rhode Islander's experience.  The State of
Rhode Island has a program where the state gives you a speakerphone
but they own it as long as the person lives in Rhode Island.  My
son recently became a quadraplegic and is in rehab.  This phone
opened a whole world up for him.  The phone comes with various
devices.  Right now Jason uses a Suck attachment.  It's on an arm
which can be attached anywhere easily and you bend the goose neck
to his face.  The end he sucks automatically dials the operator.
Also throught New England Telephone, we don't have to pay for
operator assisted calls.  Jason just states it's a special call.
There are attachments which one rolls over in a wheel chair and
this also dials the operator.  Another lever you can get you press
with your arm and it dials the operator.  I have not seen it but I
understand there are also head phones with a mouth thing attached
so you can have your privacy without the world listening to your
phone calls.

The phone also can be preset to dial 18 calls, but you do need the
ability to press the numbers to autodial.  The phone number buttons
are about an inch big each, for those could press the numbers
themselves.