"The very idea that they can communicate with normal people without being misunderstood has given them so much confidence to express themselves," said Umayalachi, whose parents and husband are hearing and speech impaired. Her husband, Satheesh Kumar, who works in a bakery, uses a cellphone to send messages to his colleagues and friends.

Airtel has a special plan for the hearing impaired called `Confidence,' which enables them send SMS at nominal rates.

The activation charge is just Rs. 250 and the rental, Rs. 99. They would be charged only 30 paise for local and national SMS and Rs. 3 for ISD SMS.

"There are only about 200 subscribers to this plan in Coimbatore," said Prem Kumar, Zonal Sales Head of Airtel, Coimbatore.

However, illiteracy remains an impediment to the hearing impaired, to utilise this opportunity.

"The schools for the hearing and speech impaired here are not competent and many cannot read and write even after attending school," says C.G Vittal, an official of the Coimbatore Association for the Deaf.

By Anasuya Menon