Orientation and mobility techniques are essential for individuals who are blind or have visual impairments to navigate and interact with their environment confidently. Among these techniques, WESSSTT stands out as a comprehensive approach that leverages multiple senses to gather information. The acronym stands for Weight, Ends and Edges, Size, Shape, Sound, Texture, and Temperature. A mnemonic for exploring anything thoroughly. This technique enables individuals to explore objects tactilely and utilise various sensory cues to gain a deeper understanding of their characteristics. In this blog post, we will delve into the WESSSTT technique and how it can be applied when exploring objects.
Weight: Unveiling an Object's Heft
The weight of an object provides valuable information about its size, material, and potential use. When exploring an object using WESSSTT, individuals can hold the object in their hand or manipulate it to gauge its weight. A heavier object may indicate durability or sturdiness, while a lighter object may suggest fragility or portability. The weight can also hint at an object's function or purpose, helping individuals form mental representations of its characteristics.
Ends and Edges: Tracing the Contours
Exploring an object's ends and edges allows individuals who are blind to gather insights into its shape, size, and orientation. By running their fingers along the edges, individuals can detect curves, corners, and contours, which provide important clues about the object's overall form. The presence of sharp edges might indicate a potential hazard, while smooth and rounded edges may imply a safer object to handle. Paying attention to the ends and edges of objects aids in building mental images and facilitates recognition.
Size and Shape: Unveiling Dimensions
Size and shape play significant roles in understanding an object's characteristics and spatial relationships. By carefully examining an object's dimensions using touch, individuals can determine its size, proportions, and overall shape. Exploring objects of various sizes and shapes enables individuals to develop a mental map of their environment, aiding in spatial awareness, object recognition, and efficient navigation.
Sound: Listening for Clues
Sound serves as a valuable sensory cue when exploring objects. By tapping, shaking, or manipulating an object, individuals can listen for auditory feedback that provides additional information. Sounds can indicate the object's material, structure, or even its contents. For example, a metallic clang might suggest a metal object, while a dull thud could imply a soft or cushioned item. Integrating sound into the exploration process allows individuals to gather more comprehensive information about an object's properties.
Texture: Unraveling Surface Characteristics
Texture refers to the surface characteristics of an object, providing insights into its composition and properties. Running fingers across an object reveals whether it is smooth, rough, bumpy, or textured. Texture exploration allows individuals to differentiate between materials, such as wood, plastic, fabric, or glass. Detecting changes in texture can also provide cues about transitions between different parts of an object, aiding in understanding of its structure and purpose.
Temperature: Feeling the Thermal Signatures
Temperature variations can offer subtle yet meaningful information about an object's environment or composition. By touching an object, individuals may sense changes in temperature. For instance, a cold sensation might indicate the object has been refrigerated, while warmth could signify recent use or exposure to sunlight. These temperature cues enable individuals to gain a deeper understanding of an object's context and potential interactions with it.
Applying WESSSTT for Object Exploration
When exploring an object using WESSSTT, there are some important things to consider during explicit teaching of this technique. Firstly, avoid naming the item immediately. Sometimes learners may like to find their own name for the item based on something they identify while exploring, for example, tongs may be labelled as 'clickers' by a learner due to the sound they make when they are clicked together, and that is totally ok.
Secondly, always have other objects available for comparison to bring meaning and connection to the object. Learners can compare size, weight, shape, etc. Comparison is vital.
Thirdly, when introducing this technique, it's fun to role model WESSSTT and explore together with the learner by verbalising the exploration which will encourage the learner to join in.
Fourthly, and most importantly, use language that withholds judgement or force, words that offer or invite the learner to participate create a safe space for exploration.
Lastly, find a quiet & slow-paced environment that will support the learner in taking their time to go through each step of the technique. Often when first introduced, learners may rush through each step and find verbalising these quite challenging. It may reveal concepts that have not been developed, or, it could be a lack of opportunity in exploring items and describing these in detail.
When introducing WESSSTT, individuals can follow a systematic approach:
Hold the object and assess its weight, noting any implications regarding size, material, or function. For example, how heavy is it? Is it heavier or lighter than another object?*
Run fingers along the edges to trace the contours, identifying curves, corners, and overall shape. For example, Are the edges sharp or rounded? Are the corners sharp or not? Are the sides flat or curved?*
Examine the object's dimensions and proportions, using touch to understand its size and shape. For example, How big or wide is it? Compare the object to another, or to self. Is it like a box, ball, book?*
Tap, shake, or manipulate the object to listen for auditory cues, allowing sound to reveal additional information. For example, I wonder what sound this makes when I do this...
Explore the object's surface texture, identifying smoothness, roughness, or unique tactile patterns. For example, it may be smooth in some areas and rough or bumpy in others.
Sense the temperature of the object, noting any variations that may provide context or insights into its recent history.
WESSSTT's multisensory approach revolutionises object exploration for individuals who are blind or have visual impairments. By incorporating the senses of touch, sound, and temperature, individuals can gather a wealth of information about an object's weight, ends and edges, size, shape, sound, texture, and temperature. This comprehensive exploration process empowers individuals to develop concepts, create mental representations, and understand the characteristics of objects. This will assist with future development of making informed decisions while navigating and orientating their way in daily living and through the environment.
*O&M gurus, Department of QLD Education, Statewide Services Orientation & Mobility.
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