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Steve Harper
Judy: Hi, Chauncy. I'm here with Steve Harper, who will show you how he uses two headswitches
to send Morse code to communicate AND to run his computer.
Steve: (sends Morse code) Hi there.
Judy: Steve, I know you've been exchanging emails with Chauncy and have prepared a brief
self-introduction. Chauncy suggested a minor change, and you had the idea that, rather
than edit ahead of time, you would do it now as a demonstration of how you use Morse code.
And because we're not sure how well this will show up on the video, do you mind if I describe
what you're doing as long as I can keep up with you.
Paul: Well, I see it says sure.
Judy: Okay, we'll go ahead.
Judy: What we just saw was Steve using his portable communication system, a MacBook Pro
which he operates by way of the TandemMaster Morse code device.
Judy: Now Steve has switched, or changed his switch output, from his laptop to his desktop
machine.
(hear him sending code)
And now he's using Morse code to control the mouse.
He's pulled up the email correspondence he had with Chauncy.
He's selecting his text,
and he just copied it into the clipboard.
He went to Finder.
He launches TextEdit.
He pasted the text from the clipboard to TextEdit.
And now he's going to edit
the text.
Now he's selected all the text, and he'll speak it.
Steve: Hi, I'm Steve Harper. I've used the Morse code for my communication system since
1979. I use my head switches for the dots and the dashes.
I have severe cerebral palsy, which means that I have little control over my arms and
legs.
Chauncy, now ask away.
Judy: Now let's go through the questions Chauncy sent.
First, how did you get into Morse code?
Steve: 1979, when I was eleven, my speech therapist Judy McDonald heard about this grant
at UW. This grant had five nonverbal children learning the Morse code as their communication.
Judy: So what your screen says is "In 1979, when I was eleven, my speech therapist, Judy
McDonald, heard about this grant at the University of Washington. This grant had five nonverbal
children learning the Morse code as their communication."
Judy: Wow, so you were eleven. How long did it take for you to learn to send Morse code,
and then how long did it take you to be pretty good at it?
Steve: About two weeks to learn it and a year becoming pretty good.
Judy: OK, so two weeks to learn it and then a year of practice to get really, really good
at it. Well how did you communicate before you were involved in the Morse code project?
Steve: Two ways. I had a communication board and the other was a typewriter with a head
wand, but mainly the communication board.
Judy: OK. How much would you say Morse code improved your ability to communicate with
other people?
Steve: 100% because with the Morse code it was all up to me to write it and then bring
to the attention to people, instead of people struggling and guessing what I was trying
to say on the communication board.
Judy: So 100% improvement, wow. How important have computers been to your life and your
communication?
Steve: They're everything. Without the computer I wouldn't have a job, I couldn't talk independently
– they're just everything.
Judy: I understand that you are a college graduate, and that you have worked as a sports
writer, a web designer and a webmaster – and that you are something of a techno-wiz with
the computer. Did Morse code help you with all of these feats?
Steve: Yes, simply put the Morse code and the computer are everything to me.
Judy: The screen says yes, what's your URL
Steve: Yes, what's your URL?
Judy: So I should ask you, what's your URL?
Steve: http://www.stevamudo.com/Index.html
Steve: One more thing I'd like to say. I highly recommend the TandemMaster as a Morse code
system to try at least. However it's ultimately to the nonverbal people to choose their own
communication board. After all, they are ones who have to do it.
Judy: Right, so you're recommending the TandemMaster as a Morse code input method but reminding
everyone it's up to the individual person to find, or to decide, what their input method,
what input method works best for them.
Judy: OK, thank you!