Many people who stammer find telephone calls particularly difficult. Speech therapy and self-help tends to encourage people who stammer to try and use the phone nevertheless (see also Reducing avoidance). If you keep using the phone you may find it becomes easier with practice, even if you still stammer.

This page links to some articles about using the phone, and then lists two groups where you can either try phone calls one-to-one with another BSA member, or join in a BSA conference call. It also deals with AAF technology which may help with fluency, and some options if you want to make phone calls without having to speak at all.

Speaking on the phone

Using the telephone Many people whether they have a stammer or not, can have difficulty using the telephone. Edwin Farr suggests ideas for people who stammer.

Some tips for making phone calls A few coping strategies that have worked for other people who stammer, in our employees booklet.

Making peace with the phone Jim McClure talks about how he conquered his fear of the phone.

Opportunities to practice with others who stammer

Telephone Link Scheme Chat one-to-one with others who stammer.

Self-help meetings by telephone Evening conference calls for BSA members with trained facilitator.

Disability discrimination

www.stammeringlaw.org.uk/phone Website discussing how putting the phone down on someone who stammers, for example, may be a breach of the DDA, and possible reasonable adjustments by employers and service providers.

Aids to speaking on the phone

Altered auditory feedback (AAF) This may help some who stammer speak more fluently on the phone as well as elsewhere. In addition to general AAF devices and software, there are systems especially for telephones (try an internet search for 'telephone fluency system'), and software designed to run on certain mobile phones (www.FluencyPal.com, also on Handago website). More on AAF...

Making phone calls without speaking

Typetalk and TalkingText www.typetalk.org RNID Typetalk provides a highly trained operator to read out to the other person what you type into a textphone (or onto a computer with TalkingText installed - see below). You pay no more than the cost of a normal phone call. Indeed some telephone service providers, including BT, offer discounts for text calls. www.talkingtext.net TalkingText is a software package that lets you use your computer as a textphone. This allows you to use the Typetalk (live operator) service from your computer without needing a textphone. With TalkingText you can also use your computer to call a business or other person who has a textphone (may be called 'Minicom') without involving the operator.

www.european-relay.eu European Relay Service again provides operators to be the 'voice' for what you type in using your computer. There are various pricing plans. You may want to check whether what you want can be provided more cheaply using Typetalk together with a textphone or TalkingText.

Hull self-help group explore speech-free phones The Hull and East Yorkshire stammerer's self help group have been given two new fixed line phones with text messaging, to help people who stammer communicate.

Adult therapy and courses index