Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS)

PECS at a Glance

PECS at The Autism Project

What is PECS?

Communication impairment is one of the key deficits in autism spectrum disorder and a common cause of behavior, social and academic difficulties. The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) was developed in 1985 as an alternative training package to teach individuals with autism and other communication deficits to initiate communication using pictures.

PECS begins with teaching a student to exchange a picture (icon, or symbol) of a desired item with a “teacher” or caregiver, who immediately honors the request. Based on the teachings of B.F. Skinner, the training protocol uses prompting and reinforcement strategies that will lead to independent communication.

The system goes on to teach discrimination of symbols and then how to put them all together in simple sentences. In the most advanced Phases, individuals are taught to comment and answer direct questions. Many preschoolers using PECS also begin developing speech.

PECS does not require complex or expensive materials. It was created with educators, resident care providers and families in mind, and is readily used in a variety of settings. This teaching method is especially successful if appropriately combined with elements of behavior analysis.

PECS at a glance

Phase I: Teaches students to initiate communication right from the start by exchanging a single picture for a highly desired item.

Phase II: Teaches students to be persistent communicators- to actively seek out their pictures and to travel to someone to make a request.

Phase III: Teaches students to discriminate pictures and to select the picture that represents the item they want.

Phase IV: Teaches students to use sentence structure to make a request in the form of “I want _____.”

Phase V: Teaches students to respond to the question “What do you want?”

Phase VI: Teaches students to comment about things in their environment both spontaneously and in response to a question.

Expanding Vocabulary: Teaches students to use attributes such as colors, shapes and sizes within their requests.

Developed by: Andrew S. Bondy, Ph.D. & Lori Frost, M.S., CCC/SLP http://www.pyramidproducts.com/pecs.html

Autism Project programs that incorporate PECS

Communication Systems class at Johnson & Wales University (Winter 2011-2012)

This course examines communication and several promising systems of interventions that have been developed to address the unique communication needs of individuals with ASD, including the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), Functional Communication Training (FCT), Computer-Aided Instruction, Naturalistic Interventions; Social Narratives; Speech Generating Devices/VOCA; Video Modeling, and Visual Supports (Winter 2011-12)

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