interpreter at Gallaudet University, the nation's premiere university for deaf and hard-of-hearing students. The new videophone booths, which will initially be available in leading schools and institutions, make communication between the deaf and hard-of-hearing community with the hearing world easier than ever.

Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals enter a private videophone booth to place a Sorenson Video Relay Service™ (VRS) call. Using the exclusive Sorenson VP-100™ videophone appliance connected to a TV, users place video relay calls to hearing friends, family, or business associates through an interpreter over a broadband Internet connection. The interpreter, who also uses a videophone and TV to sign to the deaf user, then contacts the hearing user via a standard telephone line and relays the conversation between the two parties.

Now, within a moment's notice, deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals are able to place video relay calls from public locations. The deaf and hard-of-hearing community no longer has to rely on typing pager messages as their principal, on-the-go communication method. Instead, they will be able to use the videophone booths to converse in their primary language, ASL, and to convey ideas and emotions to hearing individuals.