New AOL real-time text feature results from collaboration with Gallaudet and University of Wisconsin, Madison

AOL has announced a new real-time text function in its popular AOL Instant Messaging, allowing users to see each other's text live as it is typed. This option, now being beta tested as AIM 6.8, grew from a collaborative effort among Gallaudet's Technology Access Program (TAP), the Trace Center at University of Wisconsin, Madison, and AOL.

Norman Williams ('91) at his desk.
Photo: Rhea Kennedy

Gallaudet alumnus ('91) and senior research engineer Norman Williams devised a prototype and concept for combining real-time text communication with traditional instant messaging. AOL's Director of Accessibility, Tom Wlodkowski, arranged for an introduction of the prototype to the AIM product team, who immediately saw its potential as an option in AIM.

"As a member of the deaf community and an active user of instant messaging, I knew there had to be a way for people like me to combine the familiarity of messaging on a TTY with a quick and popular online IM service such as AIM," said Norman Williams. "This was a priority for me to build and I'm so pleased that AOL has chosen to incorporate this feature into AIM for the great benefit of deaf and hard of hearing users."

The real-time feature in AIM adds a conversational flow and immediacy to messaging and allows for interruption. It maintains the familiar AIM look and feel, with previous messages displayed above the typing window.

"We hope relay companies that are already using AIM will adopt the new real-time text in their AIM relay products, to help with the fast flow of wireless relay calls" said Judy Harkins, director of TAP.

Instructions for downloading and using AIM 6.8's real-time text feature are posted on the TAP website. AOL is interested in getting comments and suggestions from deaf and hard of hearing AIM users.

The Gallaudet community can further help in the development of messaging features by trying it out and posting suggestions at the AOL Beta Center.

TAP, which is part of the Department of Communication Studies at Gallaudet, and the Trace Center at University of Wisconsin, Madison, are partners in the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center (RERC) on Telecommunications Access. The RERC is funded by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research, U.S. Department of Education under grant #H133E040013.

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