There are thousands of people in SC who are unable to use a standard telephone. Some are deaf, some have speech impairments, and some have low vision that make communication difficult. In SC these people may qualify for a free program.

The SC Telecommunications Equipment Distribution Program (SC TEDP) offers free telecommunications equipment to all qualified applicants. Taffy Hardin, director of SC TEDP said, “SC TEDP makes a difference by changing lifestyles dramatically once clients discover they can independently communicate over the telephone.”

To qualify for the program, one must be a SC resident, have home phone service, and have one or more of the following certified disabilities: deaf, hard of hearing, deaf–blind, blind/low vision with hearing loss, or speech impaired.

There are many types of equipment offered by SC TEDP including amplified telephones, hands–free phones, and TTYs which allow the user to send and receive typed messages. All of these items are provided free of charge as long as the user needs them. When the user no longer needs the items, they must be returned to SC TEDP.

SC TEDP is administered through a partnership of the SC Office of Regulatory Staff and the SC School for the Deaf and Blind and is funded by a 16–cent surcharge on all state phone bills. To apply for the program, you can call 896-8337 (voice), 896-8334 (TTY), or visit www.scsdb.k12.sc.us.