Assistive Technology Network

Information Gathering

The first step of this collaborative process is to gather information about the student, their environment(s), and their daily communication tasks. A useful tool for collecting and organizing this information is the SETT Framework, developed by Joy Zabala.

The SETT framework is a flexible tool used to identify the characteristics of the Student, the Environment in which the student learns, and Tasks required to be an active learner in the environment.  Using information collected from these three areas of the SETT Framework, the team identifies a system of Tools to support the student in actively interacting and participating in the tasks in the environments.  Information can be obtained through observations in multiple environments throughout the day, interviews with team members, and file reviews, and should always include the family and even the student, when appropriate.

Here are some examples of the SETT Framework - One Page Charts for information gathering based on the SETT Framework.