Total Conversation The accessible companion to voice telephony CIP ICT Policy Support Workshop, 15 May 2007 Gunnar Hellström, Omnitor Deployment of interoperable real-time communications for all. Incusion of accessibility features in mainstream multimedia communication.

It is time for deployment of Total Conversation People with communication oriented disabilities have always been forced to use assistive devices or a patchwork of low functionality mainstream communication. It is time for a change. The move to IP and mobile communication opens for inclusion of accessibility with good functionality in mainstream provision of Total Conversation. An accessible companion to voice telephony.. Specific areas of interest: –Real time text for conversation with people who cannot use voice fully. –Smooth video for sign language, lip reading and cognitive support. –Same interoperability ambitions as for voice telephony – all users, all networks. –Emergency services with text video and voice –Relay services bridge the mode gaps and Include all in the same communication community.

Total Conversation, interoperable real time conversation with video text and voice. –defined by the ITU –standardised by ITU-T, IETF, 3GPP and ETSI –researched and tried by EU IST WISDOM –required by the European Parliament in the resolution on Sign Language –recommended by INCOM –deployed in Sweden by Omnitor –implemented by a multitude of actors –on the rim to wide deployment to serve as accessible conversational services for all –latest achievement – included in IMS Multimedia Telephony standard to be deployed in the 3G and Next Generation Networks.

Benefits Total Conversation includes people with hard-of- hearing, deafness, deaf-blindness, speech impairments, aphasia, cognitive disabilities etc. in mainstream real-time communication. Total conversation includes the opportunity to send text during a call - an often needed mainstream function. Basic idea: Easy to find a media combination that works for the current call. Additional support: Relay services for media conversion when the basic idea is not sufficient.

Why was voice telephony successful? Interoperability – the key to success Many technologies, many ways to transmit voice, all interlinked. The idea of interoperability must be expanded to include the accessible features video and real- time text. Only with interoperability we can meet the eInclusion goals of equal opportunities to communication. Co-operate in standards development, compete with the most attractive implementation.

Total Conversation project elements Service operators with an interest to meet eInclusion policy goals deploy services. Equipment providers add real time text to videophone and IP telephony products. Network providers assure pass-through of calls and all media. Interoperability fostering by common specifications, connection to standards, interoperability test events, publication and dissemination. User associations involved in service trial and assesment Links to emergency access developments Relay service deployment included Interoperability with legacy textphones where they are used. Links to policy support actions in eInclusion, INCOM. Implement in fixed, wireless and mobile networks

Join the Total Conversation movement in a CIP project Gunnar Hellström Omnitor