A Phone of Our Own: The Deaf Insurrection Against Ma Bell

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

ACKNOWLEDG MENTS I am deeply grateful to Dr. James C. Marsters, one of the three original deaf partners in the Applied Communications Corporation, who provided boxes ofhistorical materials and generous financial support for my research for this book. It was Jim, a true Renaissance man, who had the vision to integrate the different talents of the three original TTY pioneers for the greater good of the deaf community. Jean Saks, the wife ofAndrew Saks, supported my trip to Seattle to study the records of her husband. Her daughter, Andrea Saks, the first hearing pioneer in this history, helped bring the telephone to British deaf people, and she continues to collaborate with others to enhance international telecommunications. In addition to funding my travel to London to examine her papers, Andrea shared many of her experiences as a member of a family that played a pivotal role in this technological breakthrough, as well as discussing her own breakthroughs in Europe. As Executive Director ofTelecommunications for the Deaf, Incorporated (TDI) in 1994, Alfred SonnenstrahI originally encouraged the organization's Board of Directors to support my research. Both Sonny and his successor, Claude Stout, read the manuscript for accuracy and provided materials and photographs. I am also grateful to the many contributors to TDl's GA-SK Newsletter, which was a historical treasure in revealing the significance of this organization to the access movement. This project was also supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) Ethics and Values Studies Program (EVS) under Grant No. SBR-9411871. Rachelle Hollander, the program officer, provided important guidance. Opinions, findings, and conclusions are Xlll XIV I ACKNOWLEDGMENTS solely those ofthe author and do not necessarily reflect the views of any sponsor. The American Telephone and Telegraph Company (AT&T) also provided funds for the project. Sue Decker was helpful with information about AT&T's services for deaf customers, and Michael Catillaz at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID) was instrumental in obtaining AT&T's support. I would also like to express my appreciation to John Albertini, Frank Caccamise, George Fellendorf, Gail Kovalik, Marc Marschark, Joseph Slotnick, Kathy Sullivan-Smith, Paul Taylor, Sally Taylor, and Jim Vesper, all of whom provided me with critiques and suggestions. Many other individuals, too numerous to list by name, sent me newspaper clippings, photographs, and anecdotes, or gave me feedback on portions of the manuscript. Special mention should be given, however , to Stephen A. Brenner, Barbara Chertok, Robert Engelke, Jeanne Poremba-Duggan, and Judy Viera for sharing information on the life and work ofRobert H. Weitbrecht, the primary developer ofthe Phonetype acoustic telephone coupler. Jim Haynes and Larry Laitinen, Weitbrecht 's longtime ham radio friends, patiently supplied a wealth of information about ham radio, TTY technology, and Weitbrecht's accomplishments. They both provided important support to Weitbrecht during his experiments as well. Anna Terrazzino and Cliff Rowley helped with information about I. Lee Brody. Thanks also to attorneys Karen Peltz Strauss and Sheila Conlon Mentkowski, pioneers in the modern era, who were very helpful in clarifying the various legislative actions in the 1980s and 1990s that led to the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, especially Title IV and the nationwide telephone relay system. Senator Tom Harkin also shared his experiences with me. Gail Kovalik, Judy DeWitt, and Linda Coppola at the Rochester Institute of Technology, Michael Olsen and Ulf Hedberg at the Gallaudet University Merrill Learning Center, and Judith Anderson at the Volta Bureau provided ongoing assistance with my searches for library information and materials. Mary Ann Erickson and Gayle Meegan assisted with correspondence and various clerical assignments. Mark Benjamin, Bruce Letzelter, Darundee Sa-areddee, Kitae Kim, and Hon Chung Siu spent many hours scanning the photographs that help ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I xv tell this story. Their magic touch on the computer gave new life to many of the faded pictures. I am delighted with the editorial commitment and care of John Van Cleve and Ivey Pittle Wallace in helping me tell a story of such importance to the life of the deaf community. Finally, I am deeply indebted to my wife and colleague, Bonnie Meath-Lang, who shares with me the joys of communicating in many ways. With love and gratitude, I thank her for her support and patience during the five years of research and writing of this book. To tease out the historical interaction in telephony between...