PECS Siesta Michelle PSY 671 F i e s t a

PECS Picture Exchange Communication System PECS is used througout the Early Childhood Developmentally Delayed (ECDD) classroom at Croyden PECS uses an icon exchange to mand (ask for) or tact (label) objects PECS book Sentence strip: used to make sentences with icons Icons

Setting and Participant Description Setting: Croyden Avenue School Participants: –Undergraduate tutors –graduate tutors –Supervisors –And the children, of course This intervention is currently hypothetical, but will hopefully be implemented next year

Current Icon Request Protocol Tutors write what icons they need on a sheet by the playroom The supervisor reads the sheet and distributes the icons --OR-- The tutor puts a red square on the outside of the booth When the supervisor comes over the tutor tells the supervisor what icons are needed

Reason to Intervene Tutors and children are currently not receiving icons for reinforcers in a timely manner Therefore the child cannot ask for a reinforcer if they don’t have the icon for it –This takes away from learning opportunities Tutors are not asking for all icons –Tutors typically only ask for icons as they need them The current icon request protocol is inconvenient and ineffective

Competing Contingencies Filling out the icon request form only slightly raises the probability of receiving icons before the next preference assessment The icon request form is rarely filled out because: –Tutors forget what icons they need since they are in the playroom –Filling out the form takes away time and attention from their child Natural Contingencies A preference assessment is when the child picks out new toys

Ineffective Natural Contingency No probability of Receiving icons Before next preference assessment Tutor fills out Icon request form Slightly higher Probability of Receiving icons Before next preference assessment. The probability is too low to control the tutors behavior

Natural Competing Contingency Given amount of Time and attention For child Tutor fills out Icon request form Less time and Attention for child Penalty of the loss of time

Baseline Graph

Baseline Graph Description Tutors had an average of 45% of their icons over the baseline period This means the child could have 55% more learning opportunities than they currently do

Specify the Performance Objectives We want tutors to have all of their icons for all of their reinforcers at all times This will increase the child’s learning opportunities

Input-Process-Output Model (Tutors with new icons) Distribution: supervisor distributes icons (supervisor with new icons) Production: supervisor puts old icons away and gathers new icons (Supervisor with forms and old icons) Distribution: supervisor obtains envelope (envelope posted and ready to be picked up) Distribution: post filled envelope on booth (icons and form in envelope) Distribution: put icons and form in envelope (completed form and old icons) Production: fill out form (Incomplete form and new toys)

Goal Specification Form Output Envelope posted and ready to be picked up by supervisor Standards Quality CurrentIdeal Icons not representing toys Icons a direct picture of toy Quantity 45% of icons100% of icons Timeliness 2-3 days of filling out form With 24 hours Cost $40 per semester$45 per semester ProcessPost envelope with old icons and completed form inside on outside of booth Production:Distribution_ X__R&D__ _ InputOld icons and form in envelope

Design the Intervention Tutors will lose points if the fail to: –Fill out the Icon Request Form –place it in the envelope –Place the old icons in the envelope –Post the envelope on the outside of the booth The icon request form is the same as the old preference assessment sheet

Performance Management Contingency Avoidance of loss of points Tutor will lose Points Tutor fills out Icon request form And posts it with Old icons on Outside of booth Tutor will not Lose points Deadline: before monitoring

Theoretical Contingency Tutor fears loss Of points Tutor fills out Icon request form And posts it with Old icons on Outside of booth Tutor does not Fear loss of points Escape

Implementing the Intervention Implemented: July 31,2008 Tutors were trained in the new procedures on July 30 th at weekly seminar meeting The tutors avoid the loss of points by completing the form and placing it and the icons in the envelope Points will be deducted if the tutors are missing icons when they are monitored

Evaluate the Intervention Baseline Intervention

Evaluate the Intervention The intervention increased the average number of icons to 83% This is a difference of 38%

Problems The icon request sheet was previously the preference assessment sheet The sheet only had space for 5 reinforcers per preference assessment So, many tutors were only asking for the 5 most preferred reinforcers I created a new sheet with room for 9 reinforcers

Evaluate the Recycle BaselineRecycleIntervention

Evaluate the Recycle The recycle increased the average number of icons to 88% –This is an additional increase of 5% This was an overall average increase of 43%

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