ABSTRACT
The telephone is a widely used, yet highly disregarded, instrument of daily living.
Census data reveal that just fewer than 3% of U.S. homes were phoneless in the year
2000. The telephone has a significant impact on society and on individuals' lives.
In the context of Maslow's hierarchy of human needs, this article explores how the
telephone contributes to one's general well being at different points over the life
span. Federal legislation mandates telephone accessibility for all individuals in
the United States. Specific laws are explored. Finally, survey data on normal and
hard-of-hearing listeners are reported in an effort to illustrate the need for hearing
health practitioners to aggressively address telephone solutions.
KEYWORDS
Telephone - telecoil - disability - sociability