Abstract: An interface component, which is operable to allow one or more application programs to interact with device functions and corresponding method, that is stored in computer readable medium includes three distinct layers. The component includes a device (telephony) client operable to provide a plurality of interfaces to an application program, a device (phone) abstraction layer operable to interact with the device client and to provide access to device functions, the device functions being device independent and a device (phone) driver module operable to interact with the device abstraction layer and with hardware that is device dependent. One or more of the device client, the device abstraction layer, and the device driver module further comprises a plurality of components with each such component operable to support a corresponding grouping of the device functions.