Methods of Modifying - Picture exchange communication system Flashcards
(9 cards)
What is it?
Developed by Bondy and Frost in 1985
• It is an alternative communication system intended to complement or
replace speech
• To functionally communicate it is necessary for a child to approach
someone and then deliver a message
• To functionally communicate is to fulfil a basic need (ask for food,
drink, favourite toy etc.)
• PECS enables those with ASD to be able to improve their functional communication
Why is it done?
One of the core communication deficits of ASD is a failure to initiate
conversation and this means children have few opportunities to have
this type of communication reinforced
• One of the first aims of PECS is to teach the child to initiate
interaction with another person, it is designed to help them
communicate spontaneously instead of in response to others
Pre programme preparation
• Before teaching PECS, it is important to determine what the child likes and what
is rewarding to the child
• A reinforcer assessment is carried out, where the child is observed
• The child’s parents and other caregivers are asked about the child’s preferences
• Various situations are set up and the child’s actions are observed
➢e.g. by placing several toys on a table and observe which ones the
child plays with, what does the child spend a lot of time doing?
Once the items a child likes are determined, it is helpful to prioritise them in a
hierarchy.
Using the PECS
Proposed by Bondy and Frost (2002)
Phases to learning PECS can be broken into 6 steps:
1. Child is taught to initiate communication
2. Expands the use of pictures to other people, places and rewards
3. Child makes specific choices between pictures
4. Teaches the child to construct simple sentences
5. Assures the child can respond to direct questions
6. Teaches child to comment about various items and activities
After completion
Children who have completed each step can:
➢request wanted and needed items spontaneously and in response to
questions
➢comment about aspects of their world spontaneously and in
response to questions
Evaluation - effectiveness
Flippin et al (2010) reviewed research studies published between 1994 and 2009
• The scientific quality of each study was evaluated and only those that reached an
acceptable level were included
• 8 experiments (18 participants) and 3 group studies (95 participants) were included
in the analysis
• PECS was found to be a ‘fairly effective’ method of improving communication in
children with ASD
• ‘Small to moderate’ gains were found in spontaneous initiation
• No reliable evidence was found that showed improvements being maintained over
time
Effectiveness
The popularity of the PECS programme can be credited by how easy it is to
implement
• Unlike many other communication training programmes, PECS does not require
children with ASD to have skills such as eye contact before training begins
• This means progress is notable as soon as they start to exchange pictures. As
children make progress immediately, it has been quickly accepted as a good method
in the ASD community
Effectiveness
Who else apart from those qualified, can PECS be used by?
• The PECS programme can be used in schools and in the home
• Teachers and teaching assistants can use PEC cards that will be useful in the
classroom environment, e.g. in an art activity or in a circle time
• Parents can use them in the home, e.g. for personal hygiene- washing, showering,
for cleaning their room
Ethics
Baron-Cohen (2009) is critical of a programme that relies on the use of external
rewards, for example, ethical questions are raised over the withholding of the
desired item until the child has exchanged pictures in step 1
• PECS is also considered controversial by some as much of the training is focussed on
making requests.
