Picture Exchange Picture Exchange Communication System Communication System

(PECS)(PECS)

Presented by:Presented by:

Erryn Garnett & Dana JusticeErryn Garnett & Dana Justice

IntroductionsIntroductions

The Picture Exchange Communication The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) second ed. training manualSystem (PECS) second ed. training manual

A method of teaching functional A method of teaching functional communication skills communication skills

Was designed by Lori Frost, M.S., CCC/SLP Was designed by Lori Frost, M.S., CCC/SLP and Andy Bondy, Ph.Dand Andy Bondy, Ph.D

Published by Pyramid Education Products, Published by Pyramid Education Products, IncInc

Based on the methodologies of Based on the methodologies of The The Pyramid Approach to EducationPyramid Approach to Education

Goals and Intended Goals and Intended OutcomesOutcomes

Functional Communication Functional Communication Social SkillsSocial Skills Preventing and reducing Preventing and reducing

contextually inappropriate contextually inappropriate behaviorsbehaviors

Generalization/IndependenceGeneralization/Independence

Intended PopulationIntended Population

Any child or adult who hasAny child or adult who has

communication difficulties or communication difficulties or disordersdisorders

Autism spectrum disordersAutism spectrum disorders Neurological disordersNeurological disorders Developmental delays Developmental delays

Teaching Strategies/ Teaching Strategies/ Evaluation ProceduresEvaluation Procedures

Teaching strategies include: Teaching strategies include: – Shaping Shaping

the gradual change in the criteria we set for the gradual change in the criteria we set for reinforcementreinforcement

– FadingFading (verbal, gestural, modeling, physical prompts)(verbal, gestural, modeling, physical prompts)

– Prompt hierarchies Prompt hierarchies (most to least, least to most)(most to least, least to most)

– Delayed prompting Delayed prompting (constant, progressive)(constant, progressive)

– Chaining strategiesChaining strategies (forward, backward chaining)(forward, backward chaining)

Data-based Evaluation Procedures Data-based Evaluation Procedures

Preparation for TrainingPreparation for Training

Assess student communication Assess student communication skillsskills

Organize training environmentOrganize training environment Establish reinforcer hierarchyEstablish reinforcer hierarchy Prepare materialsPrepare materials

Materials Materials

Phase I - “How” To Phase I - “How” To CommunicateCommunicate

Materials: Materials: Picture symbols and highly preferred reinforcersPicture symbols and highly preferred reinforcers

Student learns the “nature” of Student learns the “nature” of communicationcommunication

Pick-up → Reach → Release Pick-up → Reach → Release Physically Assisted Exchange (Two-Person Physically Assisted Exchange (Two-Person

Prompting)Prompting)– Backward ChainBackward Chain

Independent ExchangeIndependent Exchange Picture discrimination not yet requiredPicture discrimination not yet required Structured and relaxed settingsStructured and relaxed settings

Phase II - Distance and Phase II - Distance and PersistencePersistence

Materials: Materials: Communication board, picture symbols, and reinforcersCommunication board, picture symbols, and reinforcers

Teach students to communicate in “real world” Teach students to communicate in “real world” situations and to “keep trying”situations and to “keep trying”

Step 1: Remove picture from comm. bookStep 1: Remove picture from comm. book Step 2: Increase distance between trainer and Step 2: Increase distance between trainer and

studentstudent Step 3: Increase distance between student and Step 3: Increase distance between student and

comm. bookcomm. book Step 4: Assess and eliminate additional Step 4: Assess and eliminate additional

prompts:prompts:– Distance to communicative partnerDistance to communicative partner– Variety of communicative partnersVariety of communicative partners– Variety of rooms (environments)Variety of rooms (environments)

Phase III - Picture Phase III - Picture DiscriminationDiscrimination

Materials: Materials: Communication book, highly preferred Communication book, highly preferred and low/non preferred R+ items, and their and low/non preferred R+ items, and their corresponding picture symbolscorresponding picture symbols

Phase IIIA: High Preferences vs Phase IIIA: High Preferences vs Low/non preferencesLow/non preferences

Phase IIIB: 2-5 High PreferencesPhase IIIB: 2-5 High Preferences Looks inside bookLooks inside book Discrete Trial at structured table Discrete Trial at structured table

top settingtop setting

Phase IV - Sentence Phase IV - Sentence StructureStructure

Materials: Materials: Communication book, communication Communication book, communication board, sentence strip, “I want” picture, reinforcers and board, sentence strip, “I want” picture, reinforcers and corresponding picturescorresponding pictures

Adds R+ icon to sentence stripAdds R+ icon to sentence strip Constructs entire stripConstructs entire strip Points to pictures during read-backPoints to pictures during read-back

AttributesAttributes

Materials: Materials: Communication book, communication Communication book, communication board, sentence strip, “I want” picture, reinforcers with board, sentence strip, “I want” picture, reinforcers with varying levels of preferred attributes and corresponding varying levels of preferred attributes and corresponding picturespictures

Constructs 3 icon sentenceConstructs 3 icon sentence Discriminates High vs. low Discriminates High vs. low

preference attribute iconpreference attribute icon Discriminates 2+ preference Discriminates 2+ preference

attribute iconsattribute icons Uses multiple exemplarsUses multiple exemplars Uses multiple attributesUses multiple attributes

Phase V – Responding to Phase V – Responding to “What Do You Want?”“What Do You Want?”

Materials: Materials: Communication book, communication Communication book, communication board, sentence strip, “I want” picture, reinforcers and board, sentence strip, “I want” picture, reinforcers and corresponding picturescorresponding pictures

0 second delay0 second delay 3-5 second delay3-5 second delay Answers independentlyAnswers independently Answers and spontaneous requestsAnswers and spontaneous requests

Phase VI - CommentingPhase VI - Commenting

Materials: Materials: Communication book, communication board, Communication book, communication board, sentence strip, “I want” “I see” “I have” “I hear” “It is” sentence strip, “I want” “I see” “I have” “I hear” “It is” pictures, reinforcers, stimuli and corresponding picturespictures, reinforcers, stimuli and corresponding pictures

First comment questionFirst comment question Discriminate comment vs. request Discriminate comment vs. request

sentence starterssentence starters Comment + Request + spontaneous Comment + Request + spontaneous

requestrequest 22ndnd comment question comment question Discriminates all sentence startersDiscriminates all sentence starters Spontaneously commentsSpontaneously comments

Additional SkillsAdditional Skills

Request assistanceRequest assistance Indicate “no”Indicate “no” Indicate “yes”Indicate “yes” Request “break” Request “break” Respond to “wait”Respond to “wait” Follow functional directions Follow functional directions Transition between activitiesTransition between activities Follow schedule Follow schedule

ModificationsModifications

Although PECS is specially designed Although PECS is specially designed for students with special needs, for students with special needs, additional modifications can be additional modifications can be mademade

Varying levels of PECS Varying levels of PECS implementation based on skill set implementation based on skill set

Use of Assistive Communication Use of Assistive Communication DevicesDevices

Different formats/sizes of picturesDifferent formats/sizes of pictures

ActivityActivity

Phase IIIA: Discrimination between preferred and Phase IIIA: Discrimination between preferred and non-preferred itemsnon-preferred items

Groups of 2: Teacher and StudentGroups of 2: Teacher and Student One picture represents preferred and the other One picture represents preferred and the other

represents the non-preferred item – You Choose!represents the non-preferred item – You Choose! Complete Discrete trialsComplete Discrete trials Give praise and R+ for choosing “Preferred” Give praise and R+ for choosing “Preferred”

picture picture If student chooses “non-preferred” picture, allow If student chooses “non-preferred” picture, allow

access to non-preferred item then complete access to non-preferred item then complete error correction procedure:error correction procedure:– Model - Tap target pictureModel - Tap target picture– Prompt - Hold out hand for picture (but do not give R+)Prompt - Hold out hand for picture (but do not give R+)– Switch – compliance or remove eye contactSwitch – compliance or remove eye contact– Repeat Repeat

SummarySummary

PECS is a adaptive system of PECS is a adaptive system of functional communication intended for functional communication intended for individuals with communication individuals with communication challenges.challenges.

There are six phases.There are six phases. PECS can be used as a person’s PECS can be used as a person’s

primary mode of communication or primary mode of communication or can be phased out as verbal can be phased out as verbal communication abilities progress communication abilities progress beyond their current level of beyond their current level of functioning with PECSfunctioning with PECS

ResourceResource

Frost, M.S., CCC/SLP, Lori, and Frost, M.S., CCC/SLP, Lori, and Andy Bondy, Ph.D. Andy Bondy, Ph.D. The Picture The Picture Exchange Communication System Exchange Communication System Training ManualTraining Manual. Newark: Pyramid . Newark: Pyramid Educational Products, Inc., 2002. Educational Products, Inc., 2002.