Blake is crazy about “Super Cow.” As soon as he walks into preschool, he excitedly asks his teachers if he can play the computer game. While they are glad to see him excited about the game, they really hope to see him interacting socially with his peers. To encourage him toward this goal, they’ve added a new rule to the game: in order to play, he has to find a friend to play with him. This simple instruction has helped him to step out of his comfort zone and initiate with his peers. Now, though he does not communicate verbally, he goes around the class gesturing to peers with his unique “Super Cow” sign, asking them to play with him. If one says “no,” he keeps asking until he finds a partner to play with. With the right motivation and a fun, inclusive tool, Blake is now able to enjoy a game with his friends.

It was choice time in the kindergarten class, and Jeffrey was having trouble completing the level on his computer game. “Hey, I need some help!” he blurted out to his classmates. “Would you help me, please?” he asked. “Sure,” another student replied. “Oh, thank you,” Jeffrey responded. This interaction was special because Jeffrey usually finds communicating very difficult, rarely initiates with his peers and often plays independently. However, at this moment he initiated and engaged in conversation with his classmate and ended up playing a game with a friend. Playing on the computer helps Jeffrey to interact with his peers. He directs questions to classmates rather than just to the teacher, and the initial question leads to further interaction as they talk about the game and what should happen next. These interactions extend beyond the game into other contexts as well. For Jeffrey, playing computer games is more than just a pastime; it is his way of making friends.