Title: Picture%20Exchange%20Communication%20System%20(PECS)%20based%20on%20PECS%20Bondy%20
1Picture Exchange Communication System(PECS)base
d on PECSBondy Frost, 1994 2002
- Presented by
- Medley Sapp, MEd.
- Sharon Jasperson, Technical Assistant
2The Important Info
3Introductions
- Name
- School
- Program
- Grade level
- Experience with PECS
4Participation Expectation
- Participate in all activities and discussions
throughout the day. - Be respectful and attend to colleagues input.
- Silence cell phones and no texting.
- Share questions, grow as a professional, and have
fun learning more about PECS in the classroom.
5Information about the Assistive Technology
Department
- Website
- http//ccsd.net/departments/assistive-technology-s
ervices
6PECS Developed by Andy Bondy and Lori Frost
- Blends the fields of Applied Behavioral Analysis
and Speech Language Pathology - http//www.pecs.com/
- Pyramid Products
7Fact or Myth?
- Schedules are PECS.
- Choice boards are PECS.
- Visual Prompts/Cues are PECS.
- Pointing to a pictures is PECS.
- Discrimination is a prerequisite to start PECS
- PECS can only be used with students with autism
8What is PECS?
- The Picture Exchange Communication System is a
communication training system that teaches a
means of functional communication within a social
context (Bondy Frost, 1994). - Goal is to develop SPONTANEOUS INITIATION AND
COMMUNICATION. - (PCS are Picture Communication Symbols)
9Why PECS vs. Other Systems?
- PECS requires a student to give a picture to a
communicative partner (requesting)with a concrete
outcome (reinforcement) (Bondy Frost, 1994). - Other picture systems such as picture pointing
focus on labeling rather than requesting(Carr,
1982PowersHandelman,1984 in Bondy Frost,
1994). - Picture pointing systems may be good for
typically developing children that are
intrinsically motivated and reinforced socially.
For students with autism, concrete reinforcers
are often required as they are generally not
motivated by social praise.
10Why PECS vs. Other Systems? CONT
- PECS does not require prerequisite imitation or
motor skills which may be required for picture
pointing or sign language systems (Bondy Frost,
1994)
11When is PECS Appropriate?
- Student is not using functional communication.
- Student is using functional communication but
cannot be understood by unfamiliar listeners. - The student does not initiate communication.
- To increase mean length of utterance.
- To increase vocabulary.
12So, How do I get Started?REINFORCERS
- The only prerequisite for implementing PECS is
knowing the reinforcer. - Every child is unique and is motivated and
reinforced by different items and social rewards.
- To address individual needs and tastes give
reinforcement assessments regularly to have
access to powerful reinforcement when teaching
the various phases of PECS.
13Informal Reinforcer Assessment
- Look at what student is trying to get
- Ask family about childs preferences
- Formally develop a reinforcer hierarchy
- Most desired
- Moderately preferred
- Tries to avoid
- Assess at different times of the day
- Reinforcer First Strategy
- Group Work List of Reinforcers
14Formal Assessment of Reinforcers
- Select an assortment of reinforcers ( see
handout) - Put the reinforcers out within the childs reach
and see what he selects. Repeat procedure with
different items. - Display the items the child has selected in the
previous steps. See which of these items he
reaches for first. - This should be your STRONGEST reinforcer. Begin
here - PECS
Group, 2010
15Reinforcer First Strategy
- Students know what they will get when they make
the request. - PECS Group, 2010
16Determine Symbols to be used
- Objects
- Photographs
- Picture Icons (Pogoboards)
- Line Drawings
- Words
17Organizing PCS Items
- Blocks/objects in shoe box for student use
- Blocks/objects in shoe box for staff use
- File pictures
- Tempo Loop fabric on the wall (for students to
pick, replace, or staff to replace lost PCS
18(No Transcript)
19PCS Storage
20Understanding the Phases of PECS
- Teach one phase at a time.
- Sequential progression through each phase is the
best predictor of success in a student initiating
communication, commenting, and requesting that
will last a lifetime. - Bondy and Frost, 2002
21Phase I
- Phase I teaches students HOW to communicate.
- GoalINITIATION The student MUST go first.
22PHASE I Teaching the Physically Assisted Exchange
- Requires 2 people Communicative Partner and
Prompter. - NO verbal prompts.
- Present one picture at a time (NO BOOKS OR
SENTENCE STRIPS ARE USED). - Conduct training across the day, not at one time
or in one place. - Use different reinforcers.
- Modify symbol/picture to match motor skills
(Block example Jas/Timoteo)
23PHASE I CONT
- Communicative Partner
- Entice the student
- R student exchange (w/item) within 1/2 second
- Pair social praise w/R
- Time open hand (student reaches for comm.
partner)
- Physical Prompter
- Wait for student initiation (Reach for object)
- Physically prompt student pick up, reach,
release - STUDENT
- Pick up ? Reach? Release
24Picture of Phase I Example
25PHASE I ERROR CORRECTION
- Backstep error correction is used when the
student makes an error in the task. - Example student picks up picture and drops it
before putting in communicative partners hand.
Physical prompter goes back to the last step
performed correctly and prompts from that point
through end of task.
26Phase I PCS Travel
27Things to Remember
- The child initiates the training sequence not the
silent partner. - Do not conduct training in one session. Trials
should be spread out throughout the entire. - Change trainers right from the beginning so
student does not communicate with only one person - Change reinforcers as often as possible so
student does not come satiated or get tired of
the reinforcer. - PECS Group, 2010
28Practice Phase I
29Phase I Troubleshooting
- What happens if the child will not reach for the
reinforcer ? Check the strength of the
reinforcer. -
- What happens if the child quits handing the
reinforcer in the middle of training? Try to end
the session with a successful training sequence. - What happens if the child cant see the picture?
Try larger pictures, adding color or tactile
cards. - What happens if the child gets upset when I take
a toy? Getting upset is an initiation to go
through the training sequence very quickly and
give the toy back. - PECS Group, 2010
30Phase I Data
31 Phase ICriteria For Mastery
- Independent exchange across 3-5 reinforcers with
2 communicative partners in 2 different
environments.
32Phase I Review
- What type of prompts are used?
- What does the Communicative Partner say when
enticing? - What does the Physical Prompter say?
- When is the Communicative Partners open hand
presented? - How quickly is the reinforcer given to the
student? - How many pictures are used?
- Is discrimination required?
- How many trainers are required?
33Phase II Distance and Persistence
- Goal Travel to the book and travel to the
communicative partner communicate in multiple
places with multiple people. - Introduce communication book
- Students carry communication books to all
environments. - Compile pictures in book.
34PHASE II DISTANCE AND PERSISTENCE
- Introduce communication book.
- 2 Trainers (just in case!)
- No verbal prompts used.
- Teach variety of pictures but only one at a time
on front of the book. - New skills is increasing distance to
communicative partner then increase distance from
student to book.
35PHASE II CONT
- Train across the day student should take the
book everywhere they go. This requires 2
trainers. - Use a variety of communicative partners.
- Use backstep error correction as needed.
36Phase II Communication Book Picture Example
37Phase II Picture Example
38Practice Phase II
39Phase II Troubleshooting
- Student gets distracted while traveling
decrease the distance, find new, more powerful R - Student is not able/allowed out of seat teach
the student to call the communicative partner
(bell, Big Mack) - Carrying the book is difficult use straps,
backpacks, possible books located in all
environments.
40Phase II Data Sheet
41Phase II Criteria for Mastery
- Student should be able to cross a room to
retrieve a picture and travel across the room to
the communicative partner. Student should have
5-10 reinforcers.
42Phase IIReview
- How many trainers are required?
- How many pictures are used?
- What does the Communicative Partner say while
enticing the student? - What does the Physical Prompter say to the
student? - What is the goal of Phase II?
43Phase IIIDiscrimination
- Goal of Phase IIIStudent chooses among pictures
on the communication book. - IIIA Simple Discrimination Highly preferred vs.
distracter - IIIB Conditional Discrimination Two reinforcers.
44PHASE III
- Present 2 items w/pictures one highly preferred
and one non-preferred or a distracter. - New skill is choosing correct picture verbally
R when student touches correct picture. - Physical prompter is not needed (Physical
prompter is used for initiation not needed when
initiation is spontaneous). - Communicative partner may prompt using 4-step
error correction.
45PHASE III CONTStudent chooses incorrect
picture4-step error correction
- If the student chooses the incorrect picture,
give no social R and give the student the item,
then go into 4-step error correction.
464-Step Error Correction
- STUDENT GIVES INCORRECT PICTURE
- Give item corresponding to picture. (my turn)
- 1. Model or Show correct picture.
- 2. Prompt hold hand near correct picture,
gesture. - Verbal R but do not give item.
- 3. Switch (do this)
- 4. Repeat.
- 3 trials then errorless (take away distracter)
474-Step Error Correction
48Practice Phase III A
49Phase IIIA Data
50PHASE III CONTDISCRIMINATION OF 2 R ITEMS
CORRESPONDENCE CHECK
- Present book w/2 pictures of R items with the
items. - Student requests.
- Communicative partner, instead of giving items
says, take it, go ahead, etc.) - Student takes correct item R
- Student takes incorrect item block access and
go into 4-step error correction. (Model/show,
prompt, verbal R, switch, repeat)
514 Step Error Correction with 2 R
52Practice Phase III Correspondence Check
53Troubleshooting Discrimination Challenges
54Phase IIIB Data
55Phase III Mastery
- Student is able to discriminate from a field of 5
pictures. - Final step in discrimination training is to teach
the student to look inside of the book for a
specific picture.
56Final Step in Discrimination
- Remove the pictures from the outside of the book.
Open the book and encourage the child to take a
picture from there. - When the student is proficient at thumbing
through the book and finding a picture there is
no longer a need to rotate the pictures. - Organize the book so items are on pages by
category. Tabs may be used to help organize
categories and separate different pages of the
book. - PECS Group, 2010
- When a child is correctly choosing between 5
pictures, teach the child to get the pictures
from inside the book.
57Phase III Review
- How many trainers are required?
- What two pictures are used in Phase IIIA?
- What two pictures are used in Phase IIIB?
- What error correction procedure is used in Phase
III?
58Phase III iPad app
59Video
60PECS and IEPs
- In accommodations/modifications student will use
alternate communication system using pictures or
other symbols. - Write specific goals
- Upon seeing and wanting a particular item, and
with a picture of that item in reach, student
will pick up the picture, reach to person holding
the item, and release the picture into that
persons hand. - Download objectives from www.pecs.com
61Pogoboards
- www.pogoboards.com
- Look up school user and password _at_
- http//sssd.ccsd.net/assistivetech.html
- Practice making Picture Communication Symbols to
use with PECS.
62Thank You for Coming!