Blog #115~SETT to Talk
For the past few weeks, I’ve been writing about the SETT meeting process. Recently, we did a SETT meeting at Nick’s school to re-evaluate the device he uses to communicate. This is called an Augmentative and Alternative Communication device (AAC). Nick is 21 years old and has Down syndrome and autism.
SETT is an acronym for Student, Environment, Task and Tools. The team gathered to ask key questions and get information that will help to pinpoint what technologies would best suit the student.
S= Student (abilities, learning styles, concerns)
E= Environment (What places will the talker be used and how)
T=Tasks (What type of work and learning will the student be doing?)
T=Tools (What tools are needed on the device to make it a success for Nick?)
In Blog #114, I covered Nick’s abilities, learning style, needs and concerns. The last three areas we brainstormed on were the Nick’s environment, tasks that we wanted Nick to be able to do on the talker and what tools would be needed to make this a success. Take a look at what the team came up with in these areas:
Environment:
* Uses a “change” visual
* PECS book at home – items to request, pictures of people, task strips
* Private SLP services – 1:1 for speech and occupational therapy
* Video modeling strategy successful
* Attends ESY (Extended School Year-summer school)
* Bowling, mall, library, out to lunch
* Church
* Job: delivery run to CEC for STEPS
* Shopping at Meijer and Wal-Mart
* Goes to movies, lunch/breakfast, and the park
*Has a respite worker at home
* Production class: shredding, sorting, bagging, cleaning
*Visits to family – grandparents, aunt and uncle
*Older brother, Hank, attends NIU
*Cooking
* Functional reading and math
* Yoga
* Dance party Fridays
* Uses classroom leisure choice board independently
* Small group or 1:1 instruction, especially for unfamiliar tasks
* Adult supervision for safety
* Visual supports
* Cues to stay on task for jobs he knows
* Needs to know expectations, both visually and auditorally- what to do, how many to do, how many are left
* Does visual schedule for the day
* Benefits from hand‐over‐hand and modeling for fine motor tasks
* Looks for peer models
* Task strip for hygiene routines, with point prompts, at home
* Visual learner
* Flexible with symbol sets – familiar with PCS, SymbolStix, Proloquo2Go
* 15 buttons on current AAC home page
* Uses visual support to order at restaurants instead of his AAC device
Tasks:
*“That’s gross”
* “I like that”, “I don’t like that”
* “That’s crazy”
* Flirting
* Gain attention
*Need help
* “Stop”
* “I need a break”
* Emotions
* Preferred items and activities
* Requesting
* Sharing his humor
* Order at restaurants
* Communicate what’s bothering him
* Sensory vocabulary – “hot”, “loud”, “crowded”
* “Where is the fire alarm?”
* “I’m tired”
* “I’m mad”
* Ask questions
* Share personal information
*Basic needs – bathroom, drink/thirsty, hungry
* Greetings
* Age‐appropriate vocabulary
* Comments
* Weather and calendar vocabulary
* Names – People past and present
The team looked at what tools would be needed on the device that would work for Nick. Each member could choose the top three most important aspects to focus on in particular (these have 3 *** by them):
Tools:
* Portable
* Shoulder or waist strap
* Durable
* Waterproof
* Loud enough for all environments
* Ability to add vocabulary
* Combination of single words and phrases***
* Import photographs
* Easy to program
* Ability to program on the fly
* 7‐8” screen size
* Sturdy case (“bounceproof”)****
* Quick and consistent response from AAC device***
* Category‐based******
* 2‐3 hits to communicate message**
* Online tech support
*Cloud or USB backup
* Warranty
* Cost
*Dedicated communication device
* Ability to hide buttons
* 8‐12 buttons per page
* Keyboard‐sized buttons or larger
*Long battery life
* 1 charger for whole system
* No replacing batteries
The SETT process was enlightening. The team covered a lot of ground in looking at many aspects of communication for Nick. As you can see, there are so many things to consider when looking into a voice output device. Nick just got his new AAC device last Thursday. I can’t wait to share with you how he is navigating it! That’s what is in my noggin this week!
~Teresa 🙂
Down Syndrome with a Slice of Autism 
My goodness this is so involved and interesting to someone like me. Good luck with the new AAC device and I will be interested to see how things work out.
Yes Deb, it’s an interesting and comprehensive process. I learned a lot about how Nick operates and the team did as well of how his other environments are and how he ticks. Stay tuned, I’ll be sharing what he’s been up to with the new AAC device. Thanks for your feedback, always great to hear from you. 🙂
Evan uses a vantage light device. He doesn’t always use it but he can spell like a champ because he decided he would rather use the keyboard feature with word recognition. Good luck and keep us posted!
That is awesome that Evan uses the keyboard/word recognition. Nick’s recognition is McDonalds and Taco Bell logos 😉 Thanks for sharing and good to hear from you Wendy. I’ll keep you posted!