How I use Minecraft to help kids with autism | Stuart Duncan

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: Helen Chang

My name is Stuart Duncan,

我的名字是史都華鄧肯，

but I'm actually probably better known online as "AutismFather."

但其實在網路上更為人熟知的 名字是「自閉症爸爸」。

That's me on the internet.

那是在網路上的我。

I know the resemblance is uncanny.

我知道這相似到不可思議。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

But I'm going to talk a little bit today about Minecraft.

但我今天想要談談《當個創世神》。 （《Minecraft》遊戲）

That's my Minecraft character.

這個是我在該遊戲中的角色。

If you don't know the game very well, don't worry too much about it.

如果你不怎麼了解這遊戲，別擔心。

這只是我當時用來滿足需求的媒介。

It's just the medium that I used at the time to fill a need.

And what I want to talk about applies to pretty much every situation.

我想要談的內容， 適用在幾乎所有的情況。

So about four years ago, I started a Minecraft server

大約四年前，我開始建 《當個創世神》的伺服器，

for children with autism and their families,

為了自閉症孩童及他們的家人做的，

and I called it "Autcraft."

我稱之為《自閉創世神》。 （《Autcraft》）。

And since then, we've been in the news all around the world,

從那之後，就一直 出現在全世界的新聞中，

on television and radio and magazines.

在電視上、在廣播中、在雜誌上。

Buzzfeed called us "one of the best places on the internet."

Buzzfeed 將我們的網站稱為 「網路上最棒的地方之一」。

We're also the subject of an award-winning research paper called

我們也是一項得獎研究論文的 研究對象，論文名為：

"Appropriating Minecraft as an Assistive Technology for Youth with Autism."

「將《當個創世神》做為 輔助技術來協助自閉症青年」。

It's a bit of a mouthful.

有點冗長難念。

But you get the idea, I think.

但，我想你知道意思的。

So I want to talk a little bit about that research paper

我想要談一下那篇研究論文，

and what it's about,

它是在講什麼，

but first I have to give you a little bit of history

但首先，我想先 給各位一些歷史資訊，

on how the server came to be.

了解這台伺服器怎麼誕生的。

Back in 2013, everybody was playing Minecraft,

在 2013 年，大家 都在玩《當個創世神》，

kids and adults alike,

小朋友和成人都在玩，

with and without autism, of course.

當然，不論有沒有自閉症。

But it was the big thing.

它很火紅。

But I saw parents on social media reaching out to other parents,

但我看到有的父母 在社交媒體上尋求其他父母，

asking if their autistic children could play together.

詢問能否讓他們的 自閉症孩子一起玩。

And the reason is that when they tried to play on public servers,

理由是因為，若他們 想在公共的伺服器上玩，

they kept running into bullies and trolls.

就不斷遇到愛欺負弱小的人。

When you have autism, you behave a little differently sometimes,

若你有自閉症， 你的行為有時會有點不同，

sometimes a lot differently.

有時會非常不同。

And we all know a little bit of difference is all you really need

我們都知道，只要有一點點不同，

for a bully to make you their next target.

就會讓你成為惡霸的下個目標了。

So these terrible, terrible people online,

所以，線上這些相當糟糕的人，

they would destroy everything that they tried to make,

他們會摧毀自閉症孩子 試圖做的任何事物，

they would steal all their stuff,

會偷他們所有的東西，

and they would kill them over and over again,

一而再，再而三地殺死他們，

making the game virtually unplayable.

讓他們無法玩下去。

但，最糟糕、最傷害他們的部分

But the worst part, the part that really hurt the most,

was what these bullies would say to these kids.

是惡霸們對自閉症孩子說的話。

They'd call them rejects

稱他們為「不合格品」、

and defects

「瑕疵品」，

and retards.

以及「智障」。

And they would tell these kids, some as young as six years old,

這些孩子有的才六歲， 惡霸會告訴他們，

that society doesn't want them,

社會不想要他們，

and their own parents never wanted a broken child,

他們自己的父母 根本不想要個有問題的孩子，

so they should just kill themselves.

所以他們應該自殺。

And of course, these kids, you understand,

但，你們也知道，這些孩子，

they would sign off from these servers angry and hurt.

他們會很生氣、很受傷地 退出這些伺服器。

They would break their keyboards, they'd quite literally hate themselves,

他們會摔鍵盤發洩， 他們會真的開始去恨自己，

and their parents felt powerless to do anything.

而他們的父母則覺得完全無能為力。

So I decided I had to try and help.

所以，我決定我得要試著協助他們。

I have autism,

我有自閉症，

my oldest son has autism,

我的長子有自閉症，

and both my kids and I love Minecraft,

我的兩個孩子都愛《當個創世神》，

so I have to do something.

我得要做點什麼。

So I got myself a Minecraft server,

所以我去弄了一個 《當個創世神》伺服器，

and I spent some time, built a little village with some roads

我花了一點時間， 建了一個小村落和一些道路，

and a big welcome sign and this guy and a lodge up on a mountaintop,

一個大型歡迎標語、一些人物， 和在山頂上的一間小屋，

and tried to make it inviting.

試著讓一切看來很誘人。

The idea was pretty simple.

想法很簡單，我有一份白名單

I had a white list, so only people that I approved could join,

只有那些被我核准的人才能加入，

and I would just monitor the server as much as I could,

且我會盡可能去監控這個伺服器，

just to make sure that nothing went wrong.

確保不會出錯。

就這樣，整個承諾就是：

And that was it, that was the whole promise: to keep the kids safe

確保孩子們的安全，讓他們能安心玩。

so they could play.

完工之後，我到臉書上，

When it was done, I went to Facebook

張貼了一段很簡單的訊息， 只讓朋友看見，不是公開的。

and posted a pretty simple message to my friends list, not publicly.

I wanted to see if there was any interest in this,

我只想知道是否會有人有興趣，

and if it really could help.

是否這方式真的有幫助。

Turns out that I greatly underestimated just how much this was needed,

結果是，我大大低估了 這個伺服器被需要的程度，

because within 48 hours, I got 750 emails.

因為，在 48 小時內， 我收到 750 封電子郵件。

I don't have that many Facebook friends.

我甚至沒有這麼多臉書朋友。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

Within eight days, I had to upgrade the hosting package eight times,

八天內，我得把 租用主機的方案升級八次，

from the bottom package to the most expensive package they had,

從最便宜的方案一路換到 他們最貴的方案，

現在，已經快四年了，

and now, almost four years later,

I have 8,000 names on the white list from all around the world.

我的白名單上有八千人， 來自世界各地。

But the reason I'm up here today to talk to you

但，今天我之所以會在這裡演說，

並非只因為我給了孩子們 安全的遊樂場所。

isn't just because I gave kids a safe place to play.

It's what happened while they played.

而是他們玩遊戲時所發生的事。

I started hearing from parents

我開始聽見父母說，

who said their children were learning to read and write

他們的孩子透過在伺服器上 玩遊戲學習讀和寫。

by playing on the server.

At first they spelled things by sound, like most kids do,

一開始，他們會用發音來拼字， 和大部分孩子一樣，

but because they were part of a community,

但因為他們是社群的一部分，

他們看到其他人正確拼出同樣的字，

they saw other people spelling the same words properly

就這樣學起來了。

and just picked it up.

I started hearing from parents who said that their nonverbal children

我開始聽見父母說 孩子原本不會用語言表達，

現在也開始說話了。

were starting to speak.

They only talked about Minecraft, but they were talking.

他們只談《當個創世神》， 但至少他們在說話。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

Some kids made friends at school for the first time ever.

有些孩子初次在學校交了朋友。

Some started to share, even give things to other people.

有些人開始分享， 甚至會把東西給其他人。

很不可思議。

It was amazing.

And every single parent came to me and said it was because of Autcraft,

每個父母都來跟我說， 是《自閉創世神》的功勞，

because of what you're doing.

是因為你的所做所為。

但，為什麼？

But why, though?

How could all of this be just from a video game server?

這一切怎麼可能 只來自一個電玩伺服器？

Well, it goes back to that research paper I was talking about.

這就要回到我剛提及的研究論文了。

In it, she covers some of the guidelines I used when I created the server,

在論文中，作者談到我在創建 伺服器時所使用的一些準則，

guidelines that I think help encourage people to be their very best.

我認為這些準則能協助 鼓勵人們去盡力做到最好。

I hope.

我希望能。

For example, communication.

比如，溝通。

It can be tough for kids with autism.

對自閉症孩童來說是很困難的。

It could be tough for grown-ups without autism.

即使沒自閉症的成人 可能也覺得困難。

But I think that kids should not be punished,

但我不認為孩子該被懲罰，

they should be talked to.

應該要和他們談。

Nine times out of ten, when the kids on the server act out,

當孩子在伺服器上有所表露時，

it's because of something that's happened in the day at school or home.

十次中有九次是因為當天 在學校或家中有事情發生。

Maybe a pet died.

也許一隻寵物死了。

有時只是兩個孩子間溝通不良。

Sometimes it's just a miscommunication between two kids.

One doesn't say what they're about to do.

一個人沒說他們接著要做什麼。

And so we just offer to help.

所以我們只是提供協助。

We always tell the children on the server that we're not mad,

在伺服器上，我們總會 告訴孩子，我們沒有生氣，

他們沒有惹上麻煩。

and they're not in trouble;

we only want to help.

我們只想幫忙。

And it shows that not only do we care,

這樣不只顯示我們在乎，

but we respect them enough to listen to their point of view.

也顯示我們尊重他們， 願意傾聽他們的觀點。

Respect goes a long way.

尊重是能長久的。

Plus, it shows them that they have everything they need

此外，也讓他們知道， 有他們所需的一切，

to be able to resolve these problems on their own in the future

在將來能夠靠自己來解決這些問題，

或甚至避免這些問題， 透過溝通來避免。

and maybe even avoid them, because, you know, communication.

On most servers, as video games are,

在大部分的伺服器上， 就像電玩遊戲一樣，

children are rewarded, well, players are rewarded,

孩子會得到獎賞，玩家會得到獎賞，

for how well they do in a competition, right?

依據他們在競爭中的表現，對吧？

The better you do, the better reward you get.

你表現越好，得到的獎賞就越好。

That can be automated; the server does the work, the code is there.

那是自動化的；由伺服器 來進行，程式都寫好了。

On Autcraft, we don't do that.

在《自閉創世神》，我們不這麼做。

We have things like "Player of the Week" and "CBAs,"

我們有「每週玩家」和「CBA」，

which is "Caught Being Awesome."

是「被發現很了得」的縮寫。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

We award players ranks on the servers based on the attributes they exhibit,

在伺服器上，我們根據玩家 展現出的特性，頒「等級」給他們，

such as the "Buddy" rank for people who are friendly towards others,

比如，頒給對其他人友善的 玩家「夥伴」等級，

and "Junior Helper" for people that are helpful towards others.

頒給會幫助其他人的 玩家「低年級幫手」等級。

We have "Senior Helper" for the adults.

至於「高年級幫手」 則是頒給成人的。

But they're obvious, right?

但，這些等級很明顯，對吧？

Like, people know what to expect and how to earn these things

人們知道要預期什麼， 以及如何取得這些等級，

because of how they're named.

因為等級的名稱很清楚。

As soon as somebody signs onto the server,

當一個人登入伺服器之後，

they know that they're going to be rewarded for who they are

他就會知道，在這裡， 獎賞的依據是他的本質，

and not what they can do.

而非他的能力。

Our top award, the AutismFather Sword,

我們的最高獎賞，自閉症爸爸寶劍，

which is named after me because I'm the founder,

以我命名，因為我是創始人，

is a very powerful sword that you can't get in the game any other way

它是把非常強大的劍， 在遊戲中只有一種方式取得，

than to show that you completely put the community above yourself,

就是展現你完全置社群於自己之上，

and that compassion and kindness is at the core of who you are.

且你本質的核心是同理心和仁慈。

We've given away quite a few of those swords, actually.

我們確把這個獎頒給了幾個人。

I figure, if we're watching the server to make sure nothing bad happens,

我認為，如果我們監控伺服器 是要確保壞事不要發生，

we should also watch for the good things that happen and reward people for them.

那麼我們也應該要觀察發生了 什麼好事，並提供對應的獎賞。

We're always trying to show all the players

我們一直試著要讓所有的玩家知道，

that everybody is considered to be equal, even me.

每個人都被視為是平等的，包括我。

But we know we can't treat people equally to do that.

但若要做到這點， 我們無法平等地對待大家。

Some of the players get angry very easily.

有些玩家非常容易發怒。

Some of them have additional struggles on top of autism,

有些玩家除了自閉症之外 還有其他的問題，

such as OCD or Tourette's.

比如強迫症或妥瑞氏症。

So, I have this knack of remembering all of the players.

我有個本領，能記住所有的玩家。

I remember their first day, the conversations we've had,

我記得他們的第一天， 我們當時的對話，

things we've talked about, things they've built.

我們談過的事情，他們建立過什麼。

So when somebody comes to me with a problem,

所以，當有人帶著問題來找我時，

I handle that situation differently than I would with any other player,

我對那情況的處理方式， 會和對其他玩家的方式不同，

根據我對他們的所知而異。

based on what I know about them.

For the other admins and helpers, we document everything

對於其他的管理者和幫手， 我們會把一切記錄下來，

so that, whether it's good or bad or a concerning conversation,

所以，不論是好事、 壞事，或關心的對話，

it's there, so everybody is aware.

就在記錄中，人人都知道。

I want to give you one example of this one player.

我想分享個例子，一名玩家的例子。

He was with us for a little while,

他加入我們一陣子了，

but at some point he started spamming dashes in the chat,

但在某個時點，在聊天中， 他開始發垃圾式的破折號，

like a big long line of dashes all the way across the screen.

比如非常長的一條破折號， 有整個螢幕那麼長，

A little while later, he'd do it again.

沒多久，他又再做一次。

The other players asked him not to do that, and he'd say, "OK."

另一名玩家請他不要 這樣做，他說「好」。

然後，他又做了。

And then he'd do it again.

It started to frustrate the other players.

這開始讓其他玩家感到心煩。

They asked me to mute him or to punish him for breaking the rules,

他們要求我將他消音， 或以破壞規則的名義懲罰他，

but I knew there had to be something more to it.

但我知道一定沒有這麼單純。

So I went to his aunt, who is the contact that I have for him.

所以我去找他的姑姑， 也就是他的聯絡人。

She explained that he had gone blind in one eye

她解釋說，他有一隻眼睛失明了，

and was losing his vision in the other.

另一隻正在失去視力。

So what he was doing was splitting up the chat

所以，他在做的行為， 是在把聊天給切隔開，

into easier-to-see blocks of text,

變成比較容易看的區塊，

which is pretty smart.

這是很聰明的方式。

So that very same night, I talked to a friend of mine who writes code

同一天晚上，我和寫程式的 一位朋友談及此事，

我們為伺服器做了一個全新的插件，

and we created a brand-new plug-in for the server

that makes it so that any player on the server,

讓在伺服器上的任何玩家，

including him, of course,

當然，也包括他，

could just enter a command and instantly have every single line

只要下一條指令， 就能用破折號把每一行字

separated by dashes.

立即分隔開來。

Plus, they can make it asterisks or blank lines

此外，也可用星號、空白， 或任何符號來做分隔線，

or anything they want -- whatever works best for them.

只要他們覺得適合。

We even went a little bit extra and made it so it highlights your name,

我們甚至還多做了一點， 把名字特別標記出來，

so that it's easier to see if somebody mentions you.

所以，如果有人提及你， 會比較容易看見。

It's just one example of how doing a little bit extra,

這個例子說明，只要多做一點點，

a small modification,

一個小小的修改，

still helps everybody be on equal footing,

仍然能協助讓大家的立足點平等，

即使這一點額外功夫 只是為了一個玩家而做。

even though you did a little extra just for that one player.

The big one is to be not afraid.

重要的是不要害怕。

The children on my server are not afraid.

在我的伺服器上的孩子都不害怕。

They are free to just be themselves,

他們可以自由自在做自己，

and it's because we support and encourage and celebrate each other.

那是因為我們支持、 鼓勵，並頌揚彼此。

We all know what it feels like to be the outcast

我們都知道被排除的感覺，

and to be hated simply for existing,

只因為存在就被討厭的感覺，

and so when we're together on the server, we're not afraid anymore.

所以當我們一起在這個 伺服器上時，我們不再害怕。

For the first two years or so on the server,

在伺服器上的前兩年左右，

I talked to two children per week on average that were suicidal.

我平均每週會和兩個 有自殺傾向的孩子說話。

But they came to me because I'm the one that made them feel safe.

但，他們來找我， 是因為我讓他們感到安全。

They felt like I was the only person in the world they could talk to.

他們覺得在這世界上 他們能談的對象只有我。

So I guess my message is:

所以，我想傳達的訊息是：

whether you have a charity or some other organization,

不論你有個慈善機構或其他組織，

or you're a teacher or a therapist

或者你是個老師或治療師，

or you're a parent who is just doing your very best,

或者你是個盡力而為的家長，

or you're an autistic, like I am,

或你也有自閉症，跟我一樣，

no matter who you are,

不論你是誰，

you absolutely must help these children strip away those fears

你一定得要協助這些孩子 脫離那些恐懼，

before you do anything else,

然後再做其他的事，

because anything else is going to feel forced

因為，除非他們不再害怕， 不然其他一切

unless they're not afraid.

感覺起來都會是強迫式的。

It's why positive reinforcement will always do better

那就是為什麼正強化的 效果總是比任何

其他形式的懲罰要來得好。

than any form of punishment.

They want to learn when they feel safe and happy.

當感到安全且快樂時， 他們就會想學。

It just happens naturally; they don't even try to learn.

這會自然發生； 他們甚至沒有試圖去學。

These are words from the kids on the server to describe the server.

這些，是伺服器上的孩子 用來形容伺服器的字詞。

The one thing I would hope that you could take away

我希望各位今天能帶走的訊息是，

is that no matter what somebody else is going through in life right now,

不論現在其他人在人生中 正在經歷什麼事，

whether they're being bullied at school or at home,

不論是在學校或在家被霸凌，

if they're questioning their sexuality or even their gender,

如果他們在質疑他們的 性向或甚至性別，

which happens a lot in the autism community,

這在自閉症社群中很常見，

if they're feeling alone or even suicidal,

如果他們感到孤單或甚至想自殺，

you have to live your life in such a way

你得要調整你過生活的方式，調整成

that that person feels like they can come to and tell you.

讓那個人覺得他能夠找你、和你談。

They have to feel perfectly safe in talking to you about it.

必須要讓他們覺得和你 談心事是完全安全的。

If you want to see a group of autistic children --

如果你想要看一群自閉症孩子——

kids who society wrongly thinks are supposed to be antisocial

被社會誤認為是反社會 且缺乏同理心的孩子——

and lacking in empathy --

if you want to see them come together and build the most compassionate

如果你想要見到他們團結起來，

建立你所見過最有同情心、 最友善且慷慨的社群，

and friendly and generous community you've ever seen,

一個會讓人們想要在文章中稱為是

the kind of place that people would write about

as one of the best places on the internet,

「網路上最棒的地方之一」，

they'll do that.

他們辦得到。

I've seen it.

我見過那地方。

I'm there every day.

我每天都在那裡。

But they have some huge obstacles that they have to overcome to do that,

但，他們要做到那樣， 得要克服很大的障礙，

and it would be really helpful to have somebody there

很有幫助的方式是，有人能在那裡，

who could help to show them that the only thing they really have to fear

協助讓他們了解， 唯一要害怕的事是自我懷疑。

is self-doubt.

所以我想、我請求各位， 為他們去當那個人，

So I guess I'm asking you to please be that person for them,

because to them,

因為，對他們來說，

those kids --

對那些孩子來說，

it means everything.

這是他們的全部。

Thank you very much.

非常謝謝。

(Applause)

（掌聲）