Program replaces computer
By Kurt Esposito
Assistant
Campus Editor
On Monday, a special computer system used to help
students who suffer from deafness or who are hard of hearing replaced
the original that was stolen prior to finals week last semester.
The system aids those students when their specific
needs can be helped. It consists of a stenography machine, a laptop
computer and licensed software and has a value of $8,345. It also requires
a reporter to record the information.
Ronald Fosnaugh, the captain of special services
for the Purdue Police Department, said the original system was stolen
between 4:45 p.m. and 5 p.m. on Dec. 8 from the basement of the Elliott
Hall of Music at the southwest stairwell.
Marvin Schlatter, associate dean of students for
special programs, said the stenography machine is similar to those used
in courtrooms. As the professor and fellow students speak, a reporter
types the transcript in shorthand text.
Unlike regular stenography machines, this one sends
the information to the laptop, which then translates the shorthanded
text into a streamline of regular text that the student can read.
For finals week, after the first machine was stolen,
the University used sign and writing instruction to help a student whose
needs required it, but it would have been difficult to do that for the
entire spring semester.
"It was doable for finals; if we had been talking
about the regular semester it would been much more difficult. It was
absolutely necessary to get the computer, the stenographer and software
over the Christmas break period in order to have the reporter ready
to help the students in the spring," said Schlatter.
He said the stenography machine and licensed software
were hard to replace on such short notice. The new stenography machine
and software had to be purchased at a Chicago area company and the laptop
is on loan from a local Purdue purchase arrangement.
He said that everything seems to be working fine;
so far he has heard of no complaints about the new system.
Fosnaugh said the investigation is still underway
and that those involved with the theft can return the computer anonymously
to the lost and found office located in the Northwestern Avenue Parking
Garage.
Anyone with information on the theft can contact
the Purdue Police Department.
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