4 June 2026 | Personalised for Nat's context

What we're actually trying to solve

Fletcher recently used Proloquo independently to ask for "squeezes" — a significant milestone. He's not starting from zero. The goal isn't to teach him the app through instruction, but to reduce the friction so that success moment can happen more easily and more often. We want him to recognise the icon, get into the app, and find his way back to the home screen — all without it ever feeling like a demand.

A few different approaches

1. Remove the opening step entirely (lowest friction)

Set up the iPad so Proloquo is already open whenever he picks it up — through Guided Access, auto-launch, or simply leaving it running. If there's no app to find, there's nothing to learn and nothing to avoid.

2. Visual anchoring — physical icon in his space

Print the Proloquo icon at credit-card size and leave it near the iPad with zero explanation. No instruction. His brain builds visual familiarity passively — over time the symbol just means something without anyone telling him it should.

3. Modelling through parallel use (no eye contact, no invitation)

Nat uses Proloquo herself in his presence — pressing words, navigating home, narrating declaratively. Especially resonant given his gestalt processing profile: his brain collects language chunks from observed context, not instruction. You don't need him to watch. You just need it to happen.

4. Short video modelling

A brief screen-recording of someone opening Proloquo and pressing the home button, looped silently on a device nearby. Novelty grabs PDA kids in a way that live instruction doesn't. Zero expectation to mirror it — just passive absorption.

Stepping it out (recommended approach)

Start with removing friction, then layer in passive exposure.

1. Today — check iPad settings. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Guided Access and set it up for Proloquo. This locks the iPad into Proloquo whenever you enable it — he never has to find the app icon at all. Or, simpler: just leave Proloquo open and the screen on near his space. No setup required.
2. Today — move the icon to the dock. If Guided Access feels like too much right now, just drag the Proloquo icon to the bottom dock (4 most prominent positions on every home screen). 30 seconds. The icon is now always visible and in a consistent location — his brain starts building map memory without any effort on his part.
3. This week — print the icon. Screenshot or download the Proloquo logo, print it at credit-card size, and attach it loosely to the iPad cover or leave it near the device. No explanation. Just visual presence.