THE
PICTURE EXCHANGE COMMUNICATION SYSTEM (PECS)
SHORTHAND
NOTES
Bloorview
site:
25
Buchan Court, Willowdale, Ontario M2J 4S9
Phone:
(416) 425-6220 Toll Free: 1-800-363-2440
Fax:
(416) 494-9985
MacMillan
site:
350
Rumsey Road, Toronto, Ontario M4G 1R8
Phone:
(416) 425-6220 Toll Free: 1-800-363-2440
Fax:
(416) 425-6591
Objective:
Using the PECS, the student learns to spontaneously initiate
communicative exchanges. PECS
can be used with children or adults who are not yet initiating requests,
comments, etc. People using PECS
are taught to approach and give a picture of a desired item to a communicative
partner in exchange for that item. While
advancing through the phases of PECS, the student learns to sequence words to
create sentences. Pointing to
pictures is discouraged as pointing does not require interaction with a person.
Using PECS, students learn to gain the attention of the communication
partner in order to make a request.
PHASE I - THE PHYSICAL EXCHANGE
Objective:
Upon seeing a highly preferred item, the student will pick up the picture
of the item, reach toward the communication partner, and release the picture
into the partner’s hand.
Note:
At this phase, it
is not essential for the student to look at or identify the pictures.
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identify all of the objects, foods, activities, etc. that the student is interested in Note: avoid focusing only on one activity (such as food); it is important the student learns that communication occurs in all activities |
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develop
a representational set for those items (i.e., photographs, Picture
Communication Symbols (PCS), etc.) |
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indentify
for yourself which activies you are going to start training in |
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No
verbal prompts are used during this phase (such as “What do you want?”
or “Give me the picture”). |
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Plan
to use a variety of pictures, but only one at a time. |
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Try
to “practice” PECS during naturally occurring situations throughout the
day. |
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Although
two trainers are helpful, it is possible to do this phase with only one. |
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when
you see the student reaching for a desired item, take that opportunity to
work on the physical exchange |
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allow
the child to engage in the activity for a short period and then remove the
item (or stop the activity) |
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get
the picture that represents the identified item |
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sit
directly in front of the student |
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place
the picture of the item between you and the student |
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hold
the desired item in one hand while showing it to the student (the reason for
holding it is so that the student cannot take it) |
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hold
out your other hand as a cue for the student to give you the picture
(“open-hand cue”) |
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initially,
the student is going to reach for the desired item |
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without
saying anything (i.e., no verbal cuing!) and using hand-over-hand, help the
student to pick up the picture and put into your “open hand” (put the
object down while doing this) |
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as
the student releases the picture into your hand, you label his action by
saying something like “oh, you want the play dough!” (this is beneficial
for those children who tend to repeat sentences exactly how they are
presented as well for those who have difficulty with pronoun reversals) |
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without
delay, give the desired item to the student |
Helpful
Hints:
|
only
give parts of the activity at a time, so that you can practice this for
several turns/trials during one activity |
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if
there is only one item, take away the item after a few seconds (or one turn,
etc.) and practice the exchange several times |
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only
use items that the student has shown an interest in at that moment – the
child must want the item or else the exchange will not be reinforcing |
Fading
Cues:
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as
the student becomes familiar with the expectations of the exchange, start
fading the physical assistance (i.e., hand-over-hand) |
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next,
start fading your “open-hand” cue |
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move
on the Phase II once the student is consistently and independently
exchanging a picture in order to retrieve a desired item |