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From my quote at Democrat and Chronicle newspaper (via my blog)

... He usually relies on e-mails or instant messages to communicate with his co-workers. In addition, he has a chalkboard if he needs to resort to writing, and has taught his colleagues basic words in sign language.

As always I said, computer networking at work is huge advantage for Deaf to have communicate easy and fast. Very fast. Imagine what the life would look like for me as Deaf employer to talk the hearing peeps without computer and network? I suffer to communicate. Totally.

Important to know English language to succeed the communication skills. Don't ever say ASL-like English: "I FINISH WORK" to the manager on IM conservation while done with one of my projects.

I received the word from my work, talking a lot about new tool of Instant Messenger: Meebo. It is a browser based on instant messaging (IM) application - lets you chat using any existing MSN, Yahoo, AOL IM or Google Talk account.

Keep in mind that Meebo is still in alpha (pre-beta); I have tried different browsers on Mac and PC; Meebo cannot work on Opera and older version of any browser (pre-2002).

I see there are limitations on Meebo cannot do: exchange files; send/receive voice messages and video conferencing.

Meebo is very nice, especially I could use the computer in public place such as library and cafe; prevent from users to install IM software programs. Also, do not even think of using Meebo in places where chat isn't allowed (for example, at work); our work department can also be blocked.

Meebo looks very promising when alpha and beta version goes off!

I received the message from AOL's Accessibility Help:

As a deafened adult, I rely on technology to keep in touch with my friends and family. I rarely use my telephone / TTY anymore thanks to Instant Message (IM). Since it's a visual medium, I have no difficulty hearing/understanding when using this service. I have filled my list with 160 names of friends and family and use it to reach out and chat with friends or to ask a quick question of co-workers. - Ken Arcia

IM is the most important part for the Deaf to have two-way, text-based communications in our everyday life, with greatly advantage for Deaf people using this service as a starting point for all communications. Here are the big IM providers:
AOL Instant Messenger
MSN Messenger
Yahoo Messenger
Skype
Jabber
ICQ
Google Talk

I believe that AOL IM is the top choice provider for Deaf - the popular of all. Because of, the Deaf people took adavantage for ease to use GUI interface on IM and its buddy lists to see more and more Deaf people logged in than any IM providers.

Deaf people uses IM in different places - home, work and travel to have an adavantage of using communication with hearing people, rather than having interpreter or paper & pen ready.

Without IM as today, I might had struggling to earn bachelor's degree, tough to find a perfect couple, and I would not be in my career work.

Source: Wikipedia - Instant Messenger

• Know your weaknesses, your limits, and your fears; Know them and defeat them one by one.
• A delayed game is eventually good, a bad game is bad forever -- Shigeru Miyamoto
• Communication, Honest, and Trust are the keys in the friendship to stay strong & last forever!
• "In an age of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act." -- George Orwell, 1984
• Don't forget to vote! Re-defeat Bush!!!
• 32
• Soon 2 be engage unknown when because it a surpise, and he's getting the ring what i wanted! :-D Me Me excite! I have a pic, wanna see?
• Wow Casey, Jeff F, Amanda D, and Anthony and I were so blast time at my house!! Hope casey will over my house on oct 22 for phamton fright night
• Live for the moment! Looking back yesterday is useless... looking to the future, it has not arrive... look at today and live for today at this moment. Cease to worry about yesterday or tomorrow. Focus always TODAY! Today is here and it is for you to live the moment.
• i'll always eternally love you, Buffy the Vampire Slayer. i'm proud of being a cheesecake bitch! *bitch-slaps*
• "LOVE" What does it meant to you?
• "Heck if I know," said Johnnie, "but this morning my sister said she missed one [period].... Then Daddy had a heart attack, Mommy fainted, and the guy next door shot himself!"
• "If you don't learn about the past, you will be doomed to repeat it."
• We're better than Pizza Hut!
• "I'd like a cheeseburger with no onions or omatoes" ~ MJ

Thanks to my friend who showed me neat glitches on AOL Instant Messenger away message on only Sidekick. You can have a conservation – to send and receive the message through the screen name during AIM away message on! Here’s how it works:

1. Sign on AIM on Sidekick pager.
2. Talk to anyone or yourself on your buddy list.
3. Set the away message on.
4. Press JUMP (circle) button to go back to Jump menu screen.
5. Press wheel up to AOL Instant Messenger in Jump menu screen (NOTE: Don’t go in!)
6. Press MENU (diamond) button and 0 button on QWERTY keyboard at same time.
7. Now you can have conservation during away message on!

You might see your buddy or buddies screen name listed on right along with number (0, 9, etc. depends how many buddies you have in the list.) Press the number and MENU at same time, or otherwise, if it appears on Menu list, you are not doing it properly. Cancel it and try again. If you get it working properly into AIM buddy conservation window, then you did the right thing.

To turn away message off, set the away message on again, and press BACK (X) button to set away message off.

I went to see my friend, a student and junior at Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf.   We chatted, and showed me the neat additional of AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) bot: AIM Relay Service, which it chats like TDD.

Let me get straight from you if not familiar with TDD or Relay Service and my short history:

TDD (pictured on left) stands for Telecommunications Device for the Deaf, is an electronic device used for telephone communications for deaf person and hard-of-hearing impaired.   A device is about the size of a small laptop computer with a QWERTY keyboard, and small screen with one line high.   The TDD allows for the transmission of input text via the telephone.   Direct communication can only be between telephones both fitted with the system.

The Relay Service is an operator service by deaf persons and hard-of-hearing to allow them to place telephone calls.   It can make possible for the deaf to make phone calls to regular phone users.   To use relay, typed messages are relayed as voice messages by a operator, and vice-versa.   This allows callers unable to use a regular telephone, to be able to place telephone calls to people who use regular telephone, and vice-versa.   The most common telephone number is 711, to dial the number to call the Relay Service from your TDD or voice.

I have been using TDD and Relay Service several times in the final two decades (1980s and 1990s) of twentieth century.   I begun losing my interest into this in late 1990s, and switched to my computer to connect my people through network. Why?

Because of, today there are several new additional to use relay service on the computer rather than using TDD; the deaf and hard-of-hearing can allow using IP-Relay to call from your Internet computer to regular telephone.   There are many IP-Relay websites (Sprint, AT&T and IP-RELAY.com) to talk like TDD.   Also, the relay services provided the video on Sprint VRS, which use the sign language to chat on the webcam, and able to view the interpreter’s webcam to act like relay services.

Finally, I can use relay service through AIM, and it is neat idea to use my mobile pager (using my T-Mobile Sidekick), to connect AIM, and use this relay service anywhere; outside from my computer at home.

If you are interested to use AIM relay service, first of all you have to go Lormar Logic website to register your AIM screen name, add your screen name to the allowed user list on their buddy lists, for security reasons.

Today, I used old-fashioned TDD very few times, for someone (mostly hearing to use relay services) to call me at my home.   Believe it or not, I used this for around four times in 2003!

Thanks to technologies, the life is getting easier for me like Deaf people.

Reference via Science Daily.

I was chatting a friend via AIM:

what grade you graduated in high school?