Helping children to communicate with joke-making software
[Date: 2006-08-23]
Researchers
at three Scottish universities have developed a computerised aid that
allows children with speech difficulties to tell their own jokes.
Children tend to use humour to experiment with words and improve
social skills. While voice output communication aids enable children
with speech impediments to communicate, young users tend to stick to
essentials and display little spontaneity.
According to Graeme Ritchie from the Department of Computing
Science at the University of Aberdeen, 'The STANDUP [system to augment
non-speakers' dialogue using puns] software makes simple puns by
looking for suitable patterns in the words and phrases which are
available to it. In this project, the computer acts as a helper to the
child, by letting them browse through joke forms, and try out words and
phrases.'
The system allows children to use dictionaries and information
about words, plus rules about the structure of puns, to create jokes.
It was developed with the help of teachers, therapists and adults who
use voice output communication aids.
STANDUP was evaluated by six young people at a school near Glasgow
in Scotland, who not only had a lot of fun using it, but became more
enthusiastic about communicating generally. The evaluators regaled
peers, teachers and family with jokes such as: 'What do you call a
spicy missile? A hot shot'.
Annalu Waller at the School of Computing at the University of
Dundee said: 'Many people who use communication aids tend to be passive
communicators, responding to questions with one or two word answers.
This research shows the importance of providing individuals with novel
language. It has been wonderful to see young people with complex
communication needs taking ownership of puns and using them to take
control of communication.'
For further information, please visit:
http://groups.inf.ed.ac.uk/standup/index.php
Category: Miscellaneous
Data Source Provider: University of Dundee
Document Reference: Based on information from the University of Dundee
Programme or Service Acronym: MS-UK C
Subject Index: Information Processing, Information Systems; Social Aspects
RCN: 26213
