Picture Exchange Communication System

Why PECS? Requires no prerequisite skills Teaches student to initiate communication Can lead to speech development

Phase I 2 trainers are needed Second trainer provides total physical assistance to the student No direct verbal prompts are used Use highly preferred items only Use only one picture at a time

Phase I First trainer responds as if the student has spoken Fade physical assistance Fade the “open hand” cue Be prepared to use pictures when the opportunity occurs naturally

Phase II No direct verbal prompts Use one picture at a time Use a book or board Increase the distance between the student and trainer

Phase II Increase the distance between the student and picture Trainer puts the picture away Be prepared to use pictures when the opportunity occurs naturally

Phase III No direct verbal prompts The student discriminates between preferred item and irrelevant item Trainer gives student what was asked for Check for understanding Reduce picture size Rearrange picture location on board

Phase IV “I want” on the left side of a sentence strip Show the sentence to the student Move the “I want” picture to the board or book

Phase V Trainer points to “I want” while asking “What do you want?” Gradually increase the time between asking and pointing Fade pointing cue Encourage eye contact

Phase VI Use less preferred items to teach “I see” Reinforce by giving the student a non- related tangible reward Vary “What do you see?” and “What do you want?”

Phase VI Teach “What do you have?” using low preference items Add additional questions Fade tangible reward

Moving On Use same techniques to teach adjectives Teach Yes and No