Tech Tuesday Stories | Keeping it Fun: Programmed Jokes
January 2021: Jac
What is the goal/purpose?
What is goal/purpose? One of the many things we have learned from Jac is to keep things fun. It doesn’t matter how fancy the programming or how intensiv
e the language level, if it isn’t motivating then it may not be that much fun to talk about. Jac is quick to ask for new jokes. She enjoys being part of the process and is happy to field test the jokes with you or a friend. Many systems can be programmed in different ways. Adding commas, periods, and other punctuation can help with the intonation. Program the whole question/phrase/joke so as to achieve the goal of the task: telling a joke, rather than addressing sentence structure. Depending on the individual you may want to program the buttons to automatically clear the message window before or after certain parts of the joke and/or response. Have fun and keep it fun.
How is it used?
Create opportunities to enjoy using AAC and to use AAC for a range of purposes. For some individuals, telling jokes may be a way to work on initiation, for others it might be about reciprocal exchanges. Either way, this kind of language and communication is important and should be incorporated into our AAC implementation plans.
How is it accessed?
Because the goal of the task is to tell a joke and get a response from a communication partner, it is important that the effort is well managed (i.e., the response effort is low), at least initially. So, with just a few button selections (keystrokes), one should be able to share a HILARIOUS joke.