SPED 603 METHODS & MATERIALS FOR TEACHING

EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN

PICTURE
EXCHANGE
COMMUNICATION
SYSTEM
Presented by: Cheryl Ann E. Montebon
MAIN TOPICS
POINTS TO TALK ABOUT
❑ Meaning
❑ History
❑ Purpose
❑ Phases
❑ Tips
 Picture Exchange
Communication
System
is a unique alternative/ augmentative
communication system.
It is used for learners who have various
cognitive, physical and communication
challenges.

SPECIFICALLY FOR NON-VERBAL STUDENTS

 HISTORY
✔ It was developed in the USA in 1985.

✔ By Andy Bondy, PhD and Lori Frost, MS, CCC-SLP.

✔ It was first implemented with students diagnosed

with autism at the Delaware Autism Program.

 Andy Bondy
- PhD

o President and Co-founder of

Pyramid Educational Consultants

o Innovative leader in the field of

autism and applied behaviour
analysis.
.
 Lori Frost
-MS, CCC-SLP

o Vice-President and co-founder

of Pyramid Educational
Consultants.
o Co-author of “The PECS Training
Manual”
o She was the driving force behind
creating PECS.
o She has worked as a speech
pathologist.
.
WHAT’S THE
PURPOSE?

“The primary goal of PECS is to

teach Functional Communication.”
“The Six
Phases
of
PECS.”
PHASE I

HOW TO COMMUNICATE
Individuals learn to exchange
single pictures for items or
activities they really want.
PHASE II
DISTANCE AND PERSISTENCE
Still using single pictures,
individuals, learn to generalize
this new skill by using it in
different places, with different
people and across distances.
They are also taught to be more
persistent communicators.
PHASE III
PICTURE DISCRIMINATION
Individuals learn to select from
two or more pictures to ask for
their favorite things. These are
placed in a PECS Communication
Book—a ringed binder with
self-adhesive hook fastener strips
where pictures are stored and
easily removed for
communication.
DIFFICULTY INTEREST APPLICATION

Presentations Presentations
are tools that are tools that
can be used as can be used as
lectures. lectures.
DIFFICULTY INTEREST APPLICATION

Presentations Presentations
are tools that are tools that
can be used as can be used as
lectures. lectures.
DIFFICULTY INTEREST APPLICATION

Presentations Presentations
are tools that are tools that
can be used as can be used as
lectures. lectures.
DIFFICULTY INTEREST APPLICATION

Presentations Presentations
are tools that are tools that
can be used as can be used as
lectures. lectures.
PHASE IV
SENTENCE STRUCTURE
Individuals learn to construct
simple sentences on a
detachable Sentence Strip using
an “I want” picture followed by a
picture of the item being
requested.
PHASE V
RESPONSIVE REQUESTING

Individuals learn to use PECS to

answer questions such as “What
do you want?”
PHASE VI
COMMENTING

Individuals are taught to comment

in response to questions such as,
“What do you see?”, “What do
you hear?” and “What is it?” They
learn to make up sentences
starting with “I see”, “I hear”, “I
feel”, “It is a”, etc.
ATTRIBUTES & LANGUAGE
EXPANSION

Individuals learn to expand their

sentences by adding adjectives,
verbs and prepositions.
 TIPS FOR SUCCESS
1. Have a box of motivating items for each child, clearly labeled so
other staff members can communicate with the student too.
2. Ensure the student’s communication book is accessible and all
pictures are there at the start of each day.
3. Have spare pictures.
4. Use aprons so that you could store spare pictures and items in to
ensure those opportunities for communication were always
available.
5. Be prepared to go back a step – that is ok. It is not failure it just
means the previous step needed some more time.
6. Do not give up. When it feels like it will never work, you have
bleeding fingers from laminating, cutting and velcroing pictures and
the items are being snatched and flung in your face, just remember
this is a process and when you succeed you will give that student a
lifeline to life – communication.
 SAMPLE VIDEO

DIFFICULTY INTEREST APPLICATION

Presentations Presentations
are tools that are tools that
can be used as can be used as
lectures. lectures.
THANK YOU!
 REFERENCES:
• https://pecsusa.com/pecs/
•
https://teacherbooker.com/pecs-six-steps-how-to-m
ake-it-fun/
•
youtube.com/watch?v=aouSfDAW-Q8&feature=yout
u.be