Effective Communication: What is PECS and How Does it Work?

Communication is essential in life, on personal, educational, and professional levels. It is easy to take for granted the ability to easily speak and convey thoughts if we have no problems with language. However, for those who struggle to communicate, augmentative alternative communication (AAC) devices and systems are key considerations.

Augmentative Alternative Communication (AAC)

AAC devices are one form of assistive technology that removes, or at least diminishes, language barriers, and facilitates communication for those who have speech disorders, weak reading skills, various types of learning disabilities, or who are entirely non-verbal.

Effective assistive technology also fulfills some of the stipulations contained within Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) for students. This is especially true for those on the autism spectrum.

AAC devices or systems include both low-tech to high-tech varieties to promote functionality in the areas of speech and language, as well as in literacy. One low-tech AAC system that is an easy and direct form of assistive technology is the Picture Exchange Communication System, known by its acronym, PECS.

Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS)

The simplicity and genius of PECS is in its presentation of everyday objects and actions in pictures or images on cards. Whether working with individual picture cards or using them in a game, this pictorial system of communication operates on these principles for the speech-impaired person who:

• Recognizes what the picture represents
• Exchanges the card with a "communication partner" who could be a parent, another family member or friend, teacher, speech therapist, or other professional
• Receives the object pictured or engages in the action represented in the picture

PECS originated in 1985, the invention of Andrew Bondy, Ph.D., and Lori Frost, SLP-CCC. The primary use of PECS at the time was with autistic children. This was due to its ease of use and its relatively low cost for parents and professionals alike who worked with students who struggled with communication challenges.

So how does PECS work?

PECS consists of six basic phases of interaction between students or other individuals, and their "communication partners" who could be parents, teachers, or others. The phases are as follows:

1. Phase 1: How to Communicate. The individual exchanges single picture cards for desired items or activities.
2. Phase 2: Distance and Persistence. The individual generalizes the newly acquired skill by using single picture cards in different settings with different people
3. Phase 3: Picture Discrimination. The individual learns to select two or more picture cards from the communication book to request additional desired items or actions.
4. Phase 4: Sentence Structure. The individual constructs simple phrases or sentences using the sentence strip in the communication book. This can include the phrase "I want" followed by the picture depicting the item or action the individual is requesting. The individual continues to expand his or her language skills by adding descriptive words to the sentences. For instance, "I want red"
5. Phase 5: Responsive Requesting. The individual uses the communication book and sentence strip to answer questions, such as, "What do you want?"
6. Phase 6: Commenting. The individual uses the communication book and sentence strip to comment and respond to questions about what he or she sees, hears, feels, and so on. They accomplish this by starting sentences with the appropriate verb, such as "I see", "I hear", or "I feel" (Pyramid Educational Consultants, 2010).

Other PECS examples

The communication book, pictured at the beginning of this blog post, is the primary PECS communication device. However, there are numerous applications of PECS or similar picture cards that can be constructed and used in various types of games to promote growth in communication.

For instance, consider games and activities.

Beginning blends is an activity that shows the beginning consonants of different words, such as "ch", "cr", "fl", and "st", as shown, along with their relevant pictures. The blend cards are in the top row and then students take turns choosing the correct pictures to place under the appropriate blend sound. For example, cherry goes under the picture of cheese, since both begin with “ch.” Along with each action, teachers and students practice the sounds and words.

In the Animal Lotto game, teachers can help students learn the names of animals, as well as improve their matching skills and eye-hand coordination.

In the Yes/No workbook, each page contains a question, requiring a student to respond with a  smiling “Yes” or frowning “No” picture card.

Conclusion

PECS is a relatively easy yet effective form of assistive technology, specifically designed to accommodate individuals with communication disorders and challenges.

While PECS was originally designed to help children with autism, it has since proven effective for individuals of all ages, with dozens of wide-ranging diagnoses almost from A to Z. These are representative examples:

• Aphasia
• Alzheimer's Disease
• Cerebral Palsy
• Cleft lip and/or palate
• Cochlear implant
• Cognitive impairment
• Deaf/hearing impaired
• Developmental delays
• Down syndrome
• English as a 2^nd lanuage (ESL)
• Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
• Microcephaly
• Seizure disorder/Epilepsy
• Selective mutism
• Tourette syndrome
• Traumatic/acquired brain injury
• Wolf Hirschorn Syndrome

To learn more about PECS and its related Pyramid Approach, along with opportunities for PECS training, go to Pyramid Educational Consultants.

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