The telecommunications project for the deaf in the greater Boston area which is described is being developed as an institutionalized communication network for the deaf community, following the success of a demonstration project. A summary of the trial operations (DCI.DEAFNET) and demonstration phases is provided, which covers the purchase of equipment and its distribution to a selected group of 34 deaf families and service providers, the establishment of databases for the deaf users, and the development of instructional materials to teach deaf users the system. An assessment of project benefits includes an examination of intended beneficiaries, beneficiaries' needs, other available communication technologies, user characteristics, major expected benefits, actual benefits, message exchange capabilities, information flow to service agencies, barriers to implementation, educational benefits to users, Interactive Language Assistance for the Deaf (ILIAD) and Language-Adjusted News (LAN), medical information availability, and cultural information dissemination. Technical, institutional, geographic, and software-related barriers to implementation and utilization are also described. Additional information is included on strategies for institutionalization, dissemination, and financing. Various public relations and other project-related materials are appended. (LMM)