Picture Exchange Communication System

1. Picture Exchange Communication System Shamsi Sadeghzadeh, BCBA

2. Communication The most Important Human Behavior… Next to Breathing

3. Communication People spend most of their time • Talking • Listening • Reading • Writing • Thinking

4. Communication • The sending and receiving of a message • An interpersonal behavior • A set of arbitrary symbols used to convey meaning

5. Picture Exchange Communication System A system developed by Andrew Bondy and Lori Frost to provide an active system of picture communication to people with severe disabilities.

6. PECS, cont. • PECS is a form of augmentative & alternative communication which is an evidence based practice. • PECS is designed to teach functional communication with an initial focus on spontaneity. • Research indicates that using PECS with young children can actually assist them to develop speech. • From the very beginning, focus is on independent initiation and avoiding verbal prompt- dependency. • PECS is intended to be combined with elements of behavior analysis.

7. PECS, cont. • There is no required prerequisite training from person. • PECS does not inhibit speech development. • PECS is based on ABA. • PECS is a highly structured approach. • PECS encourages empowerment.

8. Reinforcer Assessment • Observe the child’s attempts to gain access to desired items • Observe if child protests when item is removed • Ask parents/caregivers about child’s preferences • Systematically assess to develop “reinforcer hierarchy” • Most preferred • Moderately preferred • Actively avoided

9. PECS, Phase I • Objective: - Upon seeing a “highly preferred” item, student will pick up a picture of the item, reach toward the trainer, releases the picture in the trainer’s hand, and receives a small piece of that item.

10. Phase 1, cont. • No verbal prompt is used. • Use more than one “preferred items” but present one at e time • Physical exchange-fully assisted - pick-up - reach - release • Physical exchange- unprompted - no open hand prompt

11. Phase 1-The physical Exchange • Two person prompt procedure, one to entice(communication partner) & one prompter • Communication partner’s role is to entice, reinforce & manage material • Prompter’s role is to wait for initiation, prompt, & fade prompts • Fully assisted physical exchange • Backward chaining used to fade prompt: • Unprompted physical exchange- with open hand prompt • Unprompted physical exchange without open hand prompt

12. Phase II • Objective: - The student goes to his communication board, pulls the picture off, goes to the adult, releases the picture in adult’s hand, and receives the item. - variety of trainers - no verbal prompt - Variety of pictures, one at a time - reinforcer inventory

13. Phase II, Distance & Persistence • Only one picture is on/in communication book • Child removes the picture & delivers it for exchange to CP who gradually increases the proximity • Keep close proximity between child & picture • Expand partners, reinforcers, settings • Outcome = generalization across people, places, reinforcers, and distance • May need 2nd person to prompt to get CP’s attention

14. Phase III • Objective: - The student will request desired items by going to a communication board, selecting the appropriate picture from an array, going to a communication partner, giving the picture, and receiving the item. No verbal prompts Structured & spontaneous trials- 20-30 Add incidental opportunities- 20

15. Phase III, Discrimination Training • Objective is for child to take the correct picture, take it to CP, and exchange for that item. • Training takes place where the trainer & child are sitting at a table where there are several pictures & items of preferred, non-preferred, & contextually irrelevant ones. • If child gives incorrect picture give that item, if reacts, give picture back, open hand close to the correct picture, give the correct item. • Reduce size of pictures & add variety of shapes and sizes

16. Phase IV, Sentence Structure • Objective is child to request present & non-present items using a detachable sentence strip, using an “I want…” picture /symbol followed by a picture of the item being requested. • Trainer & child read the sentence • Do not require speech but R+ any approximation • Place item out of reach & R+ the request • Place item out of sight & reinforce the request

17. Phase V, Answering”What Do You Want?” • Objective: When asked “what do you want”, child uses “I want ……” sentence strip for exchange • The desired item also available • Using zero time delay, trainer prompts child to attach the picture of item on strip and exchange • Gradual Increase of interval • If no eye-contact, prompter needed to gain staff’s attention

18. Phase 6, Commenting • Objective: Using “I see, hear, feel,…”sentence strip, child will answer different questions or make comments. • Have interesting items available • Don’t use powerful R+, reaching social consequence • Generalize to different items, settings, people • To promote spontaneous comment, replace question with “ohhh”