PECS

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PECSPicture Exchange Communication System
Lori Frost, MS CCC-SLP and Andrew Bondy, PhD

• Presented by
• Tami Cassel, MA CCC-SLP
• Rhonda Johns, MS CCC-SLP

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PECS is

• A communication system
• A way for non-verbal students or students with
  emerging verbal skills to initiate communication

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PECS is not

• A visual schedule
• Work baskets

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Principles of PECS

• Communication Partner
• Communication Facilitator
• Pictures to communicate messages
• 3-5 high interest items
• 80 accuracy
• Change activities to maintain interest

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Choosing Reinforcers

• Items of high interest for the student
• Small items or ones that can be separated
• Variety for maintaining interest
• DONT use items that cause meltdowns

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Phase 1The Physical Exchangestudent will

• pick up a picture
• reach toward trainer
• release picture into trainers hand

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The Physical Exchange

• No verbal prompts
• Two trainers Communicative Partner
• Communicative
  Facilitator
• Single picture

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Phase 2 Increase Spontaneitystudent will

• go to communication book
• retrieve picture
• take to communication partner

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Increase Spontaneity

• No verbal prompts
• Change trainers
• One picture placed in different places
• Increase distance between trainer and student
• Increase distance between student and picture.

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Phase 3 Discrimination Training Student will
request a desired item

• go to communication book
• select the appropriate picture
• give it to the communication partner

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Discrimination Training

• No verbal prompts
• No travel, set up situation
• 2 Pictures on board
• High interest and low interest picture
• Change picture positions
• Correspondence check

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Phase 4 Sentence StructureStudent requests
present and non-present items using a multi-word
phrase

• Picking up a symbol of I want
• Putting it on a sentence strip
• Choosing the desired picture
• Putting it on a sentence strip
• Giving strip to communication partner

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Sentence Structure

• No Verbal Prompts
• Stationary Picture I want on the sentence
  strip, get desired picture, give to teacher
• Moving Picture I want on book with picture of
  desired item
• Both placed on sentence strip and given to
  teacher

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Phase 5 Answering What do you want?

• Student will spontaneously request a variety of
  items and can answer the question, What do you
  want?

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What do you want?

• Delayed prompting
• I want picture and sentence strip
• Desired item available

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Phase 6 QuestionsStudent appropriately answers

• What do you want?
• What do you see?
• What do you have?
• Questions are presented in random order

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Questions and Comments

• Tami Cassel,MA CCC-SLP
• Tamic_at_ctech.aps.k12.co.us
• 303-326-1963

• Rhonda Johns, MS CCC-SLP
• Rhondaj_at_ctech.aps.k12.co.us
• 303-326-1962

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Pyramid Educational Consultants

• 226 West Park Place
• Suite 1
• Newark, DE 19711
• http//www.pecs.com/