Public speaking
At some time we all have to speak in public. Some of us can't wait to be centre stage, while some of us dread it!
Some people, however, can't speak at all. They are mute (from the Latin mutus meaning silent). People who are mute have other ways to communicate their ideas and opinions. They may use Auslan (Australian sign language), or they may use voice communication software that uses photos or symbol buttons to speak messages (called 'adaptive or assistive communication devices'), or they may communicate in writing using either pens or computers.
Stephen Hawking is considered to be one of the most brilliant physicists since Einstein. He has motor neurone disease which has affected his movement and ability to write, and has been mute since 1985, when he was 42 years old. Without assistive communication devices the world would not have been able to benefit from his incredible intelligence.
Listen to Stephen Hawking, using assistive communication devices, talk about his ideas on his website:
http://www.hawking.org.uk.
- Select the 'Videos' tab from the top menu.
Or, listen to one of his talks on the 'TED' website: http://ted.com.
- Type 'Stephen Hawking' into the search bar, then select 'Stephen Hawking: Questioning the universe'.
Stephen Hawking also writes about his disease and the loss of his speech on his website.
- Open the 'About Stephen' tab in the top menu, and then the 'Living with ALS' link.
