Picture Exchange Communication System (PECs) March 4th, 2016 Presented by the P255@P7 Speech Department Hemmy Cho, Calianne Botsaris, Amanda Pellegrino, Sara Leifer, Jennifer Garcia 1. Introduction: ° What is functional communication? © Functional communication is a behavior directed to another person who in turn provides related direct or social rewards. © The goal of the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) is to teach children how to initiate communication with others. In other words, we teach children how to approach another person in order to request for something that they want, tell about something they see, etc... o PECS is divided into 6 phases. 2. Phase I: * This phase is about teaching initiation and exchange. The student must pick up the picture, reach towards the person, and then release the picture into the person’s hand. There is only one picture present and 2 people are needed (a communicative partner and a physical prompter from behind). 3. Phase II: * This phase is about teaching the student to travel to both the communicative partner and the communication book in order to exchange a picture for a desire item. Again, there is only one picture present and 2 people are needed (a communicative partner and a physical prompter from behind). However, this phase is done again after each of the other phases in PECS.4, Phase Ill: * In this phase the goal is for the student to choose from a variety of different pictures on or within the communication book. * This phase is divided up into two parts and is about teaching how to discriminate between two or more pictures: o Phase III A: The student is taught to discriminate between two pictures, where one is a highly desired item and the other is a non-preferred or distracting item. o Phase III B: The student is taught to discriminate between two (then three, then many) highly preferred items. 5. Phase IV: * In this phase, the student learns to expand his or her utterances by constructing a sentence strip (“I want” symbol + symbol of desired item) and then exchanging a sentence strip with a communicative partner. The student can then expand their sentence by including attributes and additional vocabulary (ex. “I want red ball”). 6. Phase V: * In this phase, the student learns to respond to the question “What do you want?” while continuing to spontaneously request a variety of items. 7. Phase VI: © During this phase, the student learns to answer questions such as “What do you want?”, “What do you see?”, “What do you hear?” and “What is it?” and to spontaneously comment on the world around them by constructing and exchanging a sentence strip. 8. Questions and AnswersIs this person a candidate for PECS? Is he/she using functional communication? Can PECS be used to increase vocabulary? Can PECS be used to increase length of utterance? Copyright, 2012, Pyramid Educational Consuttants - May be reproducedAll persons, regardless of the extent or severity of their disabilities, have a basic right to rece nae communication, the conditions of their own existence. Beyond this general right, a number of speci communication rights should be ensured in all dally interactions and interventions involving persons who have severe disabilities. These basic communication rights are as follows: Q Communication Bill of Rights 1. The right to request desired objects, actions, events, and persons, and to express personal preferences, or feelings. 2. The right to be offered choices and alternatives. 3. The right to reject or refuse undesired objects, events, or actions, including the right to decline or reject all proffered choices. 4. The right to request, and be given, attention from and interaction with another person. 5. The right to request feedback or information about a state, an object, a person, or an event of interest. 6. The right to active treatment and intervention efforts to enable people with severe disabilities to communicate messages in whatever modes and as effectively and efficiently as their specific abilities will allow. 7. The right to have communicative acts acknowledged and responded to, even when the intent of * these acts cannot be fulfilled by the responder. 8. The right to have access at all times to any needed augmentative and alternative communication devices and other assistive devices, to have those devices in good working order. 9. The right to environmental contexts, interactions, and opportunities that expect and encourage persons with disabilities to participate as full communicative partners with other people, including peers. 10, The right to be informed about the people, things, and events in one's immediate environment. 11. The right to be communicated with in a manner that recognizes and acknowledges the inherent dignity of the person being addressed, including the right to be part of communication exchanges about individuals that are conducted in his or her presence. 12. The right to be communicated with in ways that are meaningful, understandable, and culturally and linguistically appropriate. ‘National Joint Committee for the Communicative Needs of Persons with Severe Disabilities (1992) ‘Copyright, 2012, Pyramid Educational Consuttants - May be reproducedReview of PECS™ Phases |__ Procedures [Special Considerations _| No verbal prompts used Must have powerful R+ Wait for initiation Shape two types of travel: to communicative partner and to book Never say, “Get your book.” Single teacher Distracter item must elicit negative reaction Reinforce at point of choice Reincorporate traveling 2-person prompting procedure Communicate Shaping and/or 2-person prompting procedure Stimulus generalization Distance and Persistence Discrimination teaching 4-Step Error Correction Procedure Discrimination — High vs. Distracter Discrimination teaching with Correspondence Checks 4-Step Error Correction Procedure Backward Chaining Backstep Error Correction Procedure for order errors Delayed Prompting — Constant Time Delay to. encourage speech Single teacher Teach to look inside book Reincorporate traveling Discrimination — Multiple Preferred No verbal prompts used Teach student to “read” Sentence Strip Reincorporate traveling Sentence Structure Conduct Rt assessment for attributes Reincorporate traveling Expanded sentence structure Discrimination Forward Chaining Discrimination training ‘Mix opportunities for spontaneous and responsive requesting “Answering “What go you want?” Delayed Prompting — Progressive Time Delay Delayed Prompting — Progressive Time Delay Discrimination Training Reinforce requests and comments appropriately Commenting Copyright, 2012, Pyramid Educational Consultants - May be reproducedPhase IV Stationary "I want” ‘Waits for initiation Uses physical prompting only Uses Backward Chaining to fade prompts Imm, verbal feedback for Indep. ‘Moves the Sentence Starter up Waits for initiation toward icon of preferred iter ___ Uses physical prompting only toward the Sentence Starter Uses imm, verbal feedback for indep. LL ‘toward the Sentence Starter “ es Phase A ‘Communicative Portner __— Arranges for preferred and non- __ Wonverbat enticement preferred = Apeture ata time Has both itersin sight Provides open hand AFTER Ueesimmesiat verbal feedback at the reach point ofthe cholee Gives tem within second Uses 4-step eror correction = Labels theitem Mode the correct icon Fades the open hand — Prompt te eorrecticon Phys! Prompter switch WAITS forthe REACHntation — Repeat = Prysteatyoroms fr pek- Max 2.3 errr correction cycles updreachPrelease __— Fades prompts effectively interupt imerteringbehavioe (playing wth the con) Phase is _— Noverbal prompting = Noketo the student ‘Arranges for2 preferred items Uses a plate or tray to hol items Phase = does WoTIabel he eon atthe exchange Communicative Porner Offers the choices on the tay saying Het Ul I ‘One picture at atime Non-verbal enticement ‘Gradually Increases distance fom student Eliminates “body language” cues, turns away from the student Re within second Labels the item Physlal Promoter WATS for intation Physlea assistance to go tothe ‘communicative partner If needed Physica assistance to go to the «communication book and then the ‘communiatve partner ‘Avolds verbal prompting and Rt “take tor indicating a choice Labels the tem iit corresponds to the Icon that was exchanged Conducts the 4Step Error Correction if the item the student attempted to take did not mateh Teaches othe “reach” Model the leon Prompt the correction Switch the focus Repeat by offering both items Phase V ‘Simultaneous presentation ofthe prompt ‘and the question second delay Gradual increase n the delay Differential Rt for independent response Phase vi — Simutaneous presentation ofthe pr and the question ne 1-second delay Gradual neat nthe detay Soc rae ONY Ming commenting questions wth requesting questionsEarly PECS Do’s and Don’ D DON’T Promote Spontaneous Initiations Verbally Prompt - do not say: use physical prompts “What do you want?” arrange the environment “Do you want lay use two people in Phases I and II (or when introducing ‘yes/no’ ‘help’ or ‘break’) “Give me the picture.” “You need to ask...” “Can you .....” Do Teach Communication Everywhere Do not Insist on Imitated Speech (From Pi & Body, PECS Tsing Mast, ‘Konan, 2000, by Pramid Educational Cones ou