Smartbox
Smartbox is an assistive technology that aids students with their communication and helps build independance. Children’s guide on each Talk Pad so that young people can be reminded who they can talk to and where they can go for help and support if they are worried.
100 Voices
100 Voices was a project to explore care and assistive technology coming together. In October 2020 SMARTBOX became part of the CareTech Group with the intention of helping more people access the assistive technology that they need.
All of our young people can have access to SMARTBOX AAC devices to help them to communicate and have more independence. Hill House are so pleased to be part of the 100 Voices Project.
SMARTBOX assessed suitability for the technology alongside our Speech & Language therapist to ensure they receive the best AAC solutions for their individual needs.
Staff were provided with device training and support and ongoing clinical support where needed to make sure the people receiving devices are supported throughout their AAC journey. We can measure the impact of AAC and how it affects people’s behaviours, their individual goals and the team supporting them.
The Talk Pad enables our young people to have a voice and to be able to make a range of choices and preferences throughout every aspect of their life from choosing lunch in the school café to being able to communicate how they are feeling to taking their device out and about, communicating with others.
Smartbox Case Study - Phoebe
Phoebe was accessed for a Smartbox device by Jay Tuck in March 2021 as part of the 100 Voices Project. Phoebe was given a Talk Pad and started to use this is May 2021.
Prior to using the Talk Pad or any form of high-tech AAC device, Phoebe had used her voice to vocalise certain sounds alongisde her non-verbal communication skills. Phoebe also used a communication book, which she was excellent at using in order to express what she wanted to talk about. Phoebe learnt how to use her communication book very quickly and used it to ask her teams lots of questions, typically about when she was doing her favourite activities and when she was next seeing her family. Phoebe's communication book was a really good stepping stone for her before she moved onto her Talk Pad.
During Phoebe's assessment, it was really clear that she enjoyed touching the screen and listening to the device speak the words. Phoebe took to her Talk Pad very quickly and enjoyed exploring her device. In the first few months Phoebe was learning where all her favourite symbols were and the team were working our which Grid suited her best. Phoebe loves swimming and she found all the symbols on her Talk Pad to communicate to her team that she wanted to go: swimming costume, water, drink, swimming pool, sea, bath, bus, tap, waterplay.
Phoebe really enjoys having a wider vocabulary at her fingertips to communicate with her team. She is now using her Talk Pad to share more feedback at her reviews; she has been expressing what subjects she likes, and who she can talk to if she needs help. Phoebe is still learning how to navigate around her Talk Pad and needs guidance and modelling from her team to help her expand what she is communicating about. There are times when Phoebe will go to her Talk Pad to communicate something and times when she enjoys sitting and exploring the Grid on her own.
Phoebe really enjoys taking her Talk Pad with her around the School and also when she goes out and about. Phoebe's Talk Pad has been with her to the park, the New Forest, the beach and to Viking Village!