SmartBox Success Stories
Discover how Smartbox has empowered students to find their voice and express themselves in new ways. These personal stories show the real impact of communication technology in everyday life.
A had previously gone shopping with staff to buy clothes for herself. This term, she has taken a more active role in the process by using her Talk Pad to make choices and communicate her preferences. For example, she used her Talk Pad to indicate the colours she wanted for different types of clothing. This process has helped her to explore her personal preferences and make meaningful choices with increasing confidence.
J was able to use Voco Chat to ask for a break or to request a trip out and about. She has learned to locate more symbols and express how she feels, what she needs, where she wants to go, and what she likes and wants. J will now carry her Talk Pad around the school and can use it more independently to start a conversation or communicate something to an adult.
F loves to work on his scrapbook. He enjoys reflecting on the past and sharing information about himself. F then started to explore the correct language to use for reflecting on more recent experiences. He used reference words to start his sentences and find the adjectives he wanted. F then worked on expanding his sentences and using his Talk Pad to find the words he wanted to describe his experiences. He has really enjoyed this as he likes to remember what he has done and share his experiences with others.
D helped to create his own bespoke `clever action toolkit` on the Talk Pad. This is a collection of strategies that he has chosen that helps him to feel better at times when he needs some extra support. Clever actions included; going for a walk, taking some deep breaths and listening to music. Alongside learning about the Zones of Regulation, D has begun to be able to identify how he is feeling and use his Talk Pad to choose / ask for a clever action which he has then taken. This has been great work in developing D’s self – regulation skills.