Picture+Exchange+Communication+System

Kellie Snowden SPED 843  Dr. Aronin  Spring 2011

 Picture Exchange Communication System __Description of Intervention Method __ The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) is an augmentative communication system that was developed by Lori Frost and Andy Bondy. It is based on Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) principles. PECS is a picture based functional communication system that has six phases and teaches students to initiate communicative exchanges. A reinforcer inventory is completed with the student before beginning the phases of PECS. Phase I (“How” to Communicate) teaches the child to pick up an icon and give it to a communication partner. Phase II (Distance and Persistence) teaches the child to get the icon off the communication book and travel to a communication partner. Phase III (Picture Discrimination) teaches the student to select the appropriate picture when given multiple pictures. Phase IV (Sentence Structure) teaches the child to use multi-word phrases by placing the icon for “I want” on a sentence strip. Phase V (Responding to “What do you want?”) teaches the student spontaneously request a variety of items and answer the question, “What do you want?” Phase VI (Commenting) teaches the child to appropriately answers “What do you want see?,” “What do you have?,” and similar questions when asked randomly.

__Types of Students Who Benefit from the Method __ PECS was initially developed for preschool children with ASD and other social communicative disorders with no socially functional/ acceptable speech. However, PECS can be used with people of any age and with a variety of diagnoses.

__Qualifications for Using the Method __ Training is required of individuals implementing PECS. At least one person on the team using PECS needs to be trained on the phases and requirements of PECS. The trained individual can then instruct others on how to implement the communication system. Many times, a speech-language pathologist will be the trained professional, and he/she will oversee and instruct the teachers, paraprofessionals, and parents on how to implement PECS with the child. Trainings include the PECS Overview training, which is appropriate for all members of the educational team, a two-day intensive PECS Basic Training, an intensive two-day PECS Advanced Training, PECS Review, Practice and Problem Solving workshop, and an Incorporating PECS Across the Day workshop. There is also PECS training manual that implementers should read and become familiar with.

__Costs of Using the Method __ The costs of implementing PECS varies based on what form of technology one wants to use to create the communication book. For every student using PECS, he/she will need a binder. The person creating the book will also need Velcro, icons to represent objects, and lamination. Many people use the Boardmaker software from Mayer-Johnson to create symbol-based visuals, which costs $329.00. “Pics for PECS” is a CD of picture exchange communication symbols that is also used by teachers and therapists. It costs $56.00. In order to represent specific objects, a digital camera might also be needed. Implementers will also need a computer, printer, and ink to make the icons for the communication book. Other costs associated with using PECS include staff training and the time needed to create the communication book and implement each phase of the method. The two day PECS trainings cost $295.00 to $395.00.

__Potential Risks with Using the Method __ Some problems that might arise while using PECS are pictures being lost, not having a picture for an item the student wants, and having too many pictures to fit in the communication book. These issues can be resolved by making multiples pictures/icons of items for the book, quickly creating a symbol for the student to use, and using an electronic system that is able to hold more pictures than the original communication book. Students can become prompt dependent if the phases are not taught according to the PECS manual.

__Benefits of Using the Method __ <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">There are many benefits associated with using PECS. Children gain the ability to communicate in a socially appropriate way, initiate social communication, and request basic wants and needs. Some children also acquire independent speech while using PECS. Problem behaviors can also decrease when children gain the ability to functionally communicate with others if the function of the behavior was to communicate wants and needs. Another benefit for using PECS is that many people in the child’s community can use PECS without specific training because the system and pictures are easy to understand.

__<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Settings for Method Use __ <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">PECS can be implemented at home, school, and other community settings. The method needs to be taught by a trained individual, but once the student is able to use PECS, the communication book travels with the student so he/she can communicate in all settings. Environmentally specific communication boards can be set up in centers of a classroom for a child to communicate. PECS can be used in literacy activities, any activity that requires communication, and throughout the child’s day.

__<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Field’s Attitude Towards the Method __ <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">PECS is used a lot with younger students. Some people feel that when you implement PECS that you are giving up on the child ever verbally communicating. This is a common misconception. It is a researched-based method that is widely used.

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">Summary of Research Study <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; margin: 0in 0in 6pt 0.5in; text-align: left; text-indent: -0.5in;">Ganz, J.B., Parker, R., and Benson, J. (2009) Impact of the picture exchange communication system: effects on communication and collateral effects on maladaptive behaviors. //Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 25 (4), 250-61.// __<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Description of Subjects __ <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">The participants in this study were three male students between 3 and 8 years of age. They all had an autism spectrum disorder and used one-or-more-word phrases but infrequently spoke spontaneously. They all also attended a private school for children with autism either in a classroom or for therapy.

__<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Description of Research Design __ <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; margin-bottom: 6pt; text-indent: -0.5in;">First, a reinforcement assessment was completed for each student. A multiple-baseline-probe design was used with staggered starts for the participants. After the baseline data was collected, the experiments carried out ten 5-minute sessions of Phase I PECS training. Then, probe data collection sessions similar to the baseline sessions followed. Next, one generalization probe was conducted for each student using a novel adult. Maintenance followed the procedures for the probe data sessions.

__<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Dependent Variable __ <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">There were three main dependent variables in this study. They were picture use, word use, and maladaptive behaviors. Picture use was defined as a child independently picking up a line drawing corresponding with a preferred toy and placing it in the hand of an adult holding or close to the item. Word use occurred when a student used a word, phrase, or intelligible word approximation to make a request to an adult who was holding or close to a desired item. Maladaptive behaviors occurred when a student screamed, engaged in aggression toward self or others, or left the table.

__<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Independent Variable __ <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">The independent variable is the use of the Picture Exchange Communication System. The communication binder was on the table during each phase of the study. The front of the binder and pages inside the binder had Velcro strips that held color line drawings with Velcro on the backs of the pictures.

__<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Summary of Results __ <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">None of the students used pictures during the baseline. Ethan, Adrian, and Jarek averaged 5.6, 8.6, and 9 pictures per 5-minute session during intervention. They used 5, 2, and 9 pictures during the generalization session. They also maintained the use of the pictures during the maintenance sessions. Ethan never used any intelligible words. Adrian averaged 3 words per intervention session and used words during the maintenance sessions. Jarek averaged 1.9 words per intervention session and used words during the maintenance sessions. Ethan’s and Adrian’s maladaptive behaviors followed an ascending trend, and Jarek’s maladaptive behaviors followed a decending trend. Adrian’s and Jarek’s use of independent words varied throughout the study. Overall, the data indicates that PECS had large effects on picture use for all students and on word use for two students. The data also indicates that PECS had questionable effects on maladaptive behaviors.