Campus telephone lines now have direct access to telecommunication relay services. Students can now dial “711” from a campus phone and connect with the Michigan Relay Center. The service tells the person to type the phone number of the person they are calling and dials the number for them.

When someone answers, they are informed of the nature of the call. To conduct a conversation, the hearing-impaired person types in the conversation on a teletypewriter, or TTY, and the words are spoken to the person on the other end by a service assistant in the relay center.

The service became available on campus Oct. 1, and was installed on campus in compliance with the American with Disabilities Act by allowing hearing-impaired people access to telephones.

Chuck Harden, planning and engineering adviser for MSU’s Telecommunication Systems, said the system is easily accessible for both those who are hearing-impaired and those making calls to people who are hearing-impaired.

“We have received very positive things from departmental heads and the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities,” he said. “I think it will be very beneficial, mainly focused on those who are both communicating with hearing-impaired individuals and those who are hearing-impaired to give them easy access. It’s relatively easy for the user.”

Marta Belsky, a specialist in the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities who works with hearing-impaired students, said the service meets a need in the community.

“Deaf people can call anyone now,” she said. “Before, if they wanted to order a pizza, they had to walk over to the restaurant and order it. Now, all they have to do is call the relay center and they make the call for them. The relay service really bridges the gap.”

Belsky said the service is available outside of Michigan by dialing the 711 code.

“No matter where you are, you can call 711 and get that state’s center,” she said. “Anyone can use the service, it just makes it easier,” she said.

Kimeko Burton, a service assistant for the Michigan Relay Center, said the service is vital for hearing-impaired people.

“It’s very important because with them using TTYs, that’s the only way they can communicate with hearing people,” she said.