TDD/TTY Accessibility
Checklist for PSAP's in Texas
prepared by the
Advisory Commission on State Emergency Communications
333 Guadalupe St., Suite 2-212
Austin, Texas 7870-1
512-305-6911
June, 1997
The following is provided as a sample of questions that should be asked
in a self analysis of your 9-1-1 system and services. The more questions
that are answered "yes," the more likely the department will provide
meaningful telephone emergency response service to those using TDD's. Established
operating procedures and a comprehensive training program are key to a successful
emergency response system. It also reflects the agency's commitment to the
protection of lives and property in the community it serves.
The U.S. Department of Justice regulations require telephone emergency
services to "provide direct access to people who use TDDs and computer
modems." They have issued performance standards as opposed to a specified
method of providing access. We also have precedence established by settlement
agreements and litigation in which to refer. Systems will vary from agency
to agency, therefore each agency must conduct a self-evaluation of their
program and services.
TelecomXchange International provides a TTY-PASS program to test and document a PSAP's TTY compliance.
(Each of the following questions is answered "yes" or "no."
If the question is answered "no," there is a space to enter an
"action timeline."
- Have the current services, policies, and practices, and the effects thereof,
that do not or may not meet the requirements been evaluated and, to the
extent modification of any such services, policies, and practices is required,
and have made necessary modification?
- Has the opportunity been provided to interested persons, including individuals
with disabilities or organizations representing individuals with disabilities
participated in the self-evaluation process by submitting comments?
- Has the public entity made available to applicants, participants, beneficiaries,
and other interested persons information regarding the provisions of this
part and its applicability to the services, programs, or activities of the
public entity, and made such information available to them in such a manner
as the head of the entity finds necessary to apprise such persons of the
protections against discrimination assured to them by the ADA?
- Does the entity that employs 50 or more persons have a published grievance
procedure providing for prompt and equitable resolution of complaints alleging
any action that would be prohibited by the ADA?
Equipment
- Does the telephone emergency response system provide the same level of
service i.e. Automatic number identification (ANI) and automatic location
identification (ALI) to all citizens, including those who call with a TDD/TTY?
- In the event of individual line or system failure, is an alternative
method of receiving emergency calls accessible to TDD/TTY callers?
- Are all consoles that are available for receiving emergency calls equipped
with TDD/TTY accessible equipment?
- Is redundancy in the 9-1-1 equipment provided for? If the answer to the
previous question is yes, are TDD/TTY accessible equipment included in the
redundancy plan?
- Does the equipment and method used to transfer emergency calls to other
emergency services provide for accessibility with TDD/TTYs?
- If your system utilizes automatic call and includes an automatic recording
to the citizen who may be put into a queue until there is an available telecommunicator,
does the recording include a TDD/TTY recorded message?
- Do equipment upgrades or expansion plans include TDD/TTY accessibility?
- Does the recording equipment (which records incoming emergency lines)
include the point of answer for TDD/TTYs?
- Are the TDD/TTY's located where the call taker can move from voice made
of communication to TDD/TTY mode without causing a delay in answer time?
- Can VCO (voice carry-over) and HCO (hearing carry-over) calls be handled
with the current system?
- If the TDD/TTY equipment has preprogrammed messages, have persons with
hearing impairment been consulted regarding the appropriate language for
TDD/TTY users?
- Has the center explored the feasibility of having TDD detection equipment
installed?
- Does the communications system have the capability to provide TDD/TTY
access to alternative non-emergency numbers?
- Can the call taker make a call back using a TDD/TTY?
- Do you have a maintenance plan for the equipment and procedures (which
includes documentation) for such?
Operations
- Has your agency developed and implemented Standard Operating Procedures
(SOPS) for responding to TDD/TTY calls?
- Have SOPs been written for TDD/TTY call handling,and disseminated to
call-taking personnel?
- Do secondary PSAPs have the capability to answer TDD/TTY calls?
- Is the standard time for answering voice calls comparable to that for
TDD/TTY calls?
- Do the call-back procedures include contingencies for reaching a citizen
who uses a TDD/TTY?
- Does the center keep entries or statistics of TDD/TTY calls?
- Are there procedures for handling Telecommunication Relay Service calls?(TRS)
- Has the agency developed and incorporated effective methods for transferring
TDD/TTY calls to the fire department of EMS? (only applicable. If voice
calls are handled this way.)
- Has the agency developed and implemented SOPs for processing silent open-line
calls?
- Does the call taker interrogate the line for a possible TDD/TTY call?
(see Title 11 Technical Assistance Manual)
- Is there a program in place to test the TDD/TTY and overall system?
Training
- Are there minimum TDD/TTY training requirements for telecommunicators?
- Does the agency provide a comprehensive TDD/TTY training program for
all call takers?
- Are refresher classes provided at a minimum of every 6 months?
- Is someone assigned to follow technological development through the various
public safety associations and add these innovations into the training regiment?
Other
- Have members of the disability community been consulted in the self-evaluation
process, including the creation of standard operating procedures and the
development of training?
- Has a public awareness program been developed and implemented, to notify
citizens using TDD/TTY's of the department's accessibility and services?
- Does the local telephone directory indicate direct access to telephone
emergency services for TDD/TTY users?