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PECS Fact Sheet PDF

The document provides information about the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), an alternative communication system developed in the 1980s for people with communication difficulties. PECS uses picture symbols and is commonly used for children with autism but can benefit people with various conditions or disabilities. It operates in 6 phases to teach functional communication and reduce problematic behaviors associated with inability to communicate.

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Hannah M Corrales
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67 views2 pages

PECS Fact Sheet PDF

The document provides information about the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), an alternative communication system developed in the 1980s for people with communication difficulties. PECS uses picture symbols and is commonly used for children with autism but can benefit people with various conditions or disabilities. It operates in 6 phases to teach functional communication and reduce problematic behaviors associated with inability to communicate.

Uploaded by

Hannah M Corrales
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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PECS Fact Sheet

What is PECS?
Created by Andy Bondy and Lori Frost in the 1980s, the Picture Exchange
Communication System (PECS) is a form of alternative and augmentative
communication (AAC) for people with communication difficulties. Rather than
simply teaching words, PECS teaches functional communication skills through
using picture symbols, communication books, reinforcement, and specific
prompting.

Who uses PECS?


Although it is most commonly known for it’s use as an AAC system for children
with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), PECS can also be used with people
across all age groups who struggle with communication. Conditions that can
benefit from the use of PECS include:

Speech/language delays
Intellectual disabilities (ID)
Aphasia
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD)
Selective mutism
Cerebral palsy
Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
Stroke
Alzheimer’s and Dementia
Craniofacial disorders
Genetic syndromes

Why is PECS used?


Communication is a key component of our day-to-day functioning. PECS allows
people who may not be able to use traditional forms of communication to
communicate their wants and needs and connect with others. Inability to
communicate can also be frustrating, so using PECS may help reduce
problematic or aggressive behaviors of students or adults with communication
difficulties.
How does PECS Work?
Similar to applied behavior analysis (ABA), PECS has its roots in behavioral
theory. PECS creators based the system on B.F. Skinner’s verbal behavior,
which identifies 5 verbal operants—skills needed for verbal behavior. Verbal
behavior programs such as PECS uses principles of ABA to shape the verbal
behavior skills of people with communication difficulties. PECS delivers a verbal
behavior program in 6 phases, each with its own purpose.

The Six Phases of PECS


Phase 1: Initiate communication

Phase 2: Teach distance and persistence

Phase 3: Discriminate between pictures or symbols

Phase 4: Begin using sentence structure

Phase 5: Answer a direct question

Phase 6: Develop commenting

Resources:
Pyramid Educational Consultant. (n.d.) Picture exchange communication system.
PECSUSA.com. https://pecsusa.com/pecs/

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