Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS)
The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) is a pictorial system that teaches autistic individuals with social-communication deficits functional communication using pictures (black-and-white or color drawings) as the communicative referent. The pictures are kept by the individual on a notebook (PECS board) with velcro. Initially, the individual may be taught to exchange a single picture to communicate a request. Following mastery of that skill, the individual is taught, in a progressive sequence based on ability, to use their PECS board and create a ‘‘sentence’’ by selecting picture cards (e.g., ‘‘I want’’ card plus ‘‘juice’’ card) and delivering the cards to a communicative partner as a request for a desired item. PECS emphasizes teaching an individual to initiate requests (for seen and unseen items), respond to questions (e.g., ‘‘What do you want?’’), and make social comments (e.g., ‘‘I see [object]’’). Find examples from literature here.
Intervention type
PECS is an augmentative and alternative communication system (AAC) that is used to supplement or replace natural speech for individuals without functional speech. Unlike other AAC systems, PECS is unique in that it does not require prerequisite skills, such as pointing, labeling, or matching, but rather teaches individuals to request preferred items, which is a functional skill maintained by consequent access to preferred reinforcers. The PECS training protocol involves six phases:
- Phase I teaches the child to initiate requests using a picture card exchange.
- Phase II instructs the child how to request desired items by traveling to a communication book and to the communication partner.
- Phase III is intended to instruct picture discrimination between two or more pictures from a communication book.
- Phase IV teaches the child to develop a sentence by combining pictures (e.g., “I want”+“desired item”).
- Phase V teaches the child how to respond to questions (e.g., “What do you want?”).
- Phase VI introduces the child to additional sentence starters using pictures (e.g., “I see,” “I hear,” and “I smell”).
Behavioral mechanism(s)
PECS uses basic behavioral principles and techniques such as shaping, differential reinforcement, and transfer of stimulus control via delay to teach functional communication using pictures (black-and-white or color drawings) as the communicative referent.
Severity and behavioral function considerations
PECS is appropriate as a functional communication tool to replace challenging behaviors designed to request access to preferred items (tangible) or escape/avoid unpleasant stimuli (e.g., demands.). It has less utility, if any, as an intervention to address challenging behavior maintained by automatic reinforcement (e.g., sensory consequences). PECS is a communication system specifically designed to support nonverbal or minimally verbal individuals and has been successfully implemented across a wide range of challenging behavior severities.
Caregiver, context and practical considerations
PECS is appealing for several reasons:
- The system requires few complex motor movements on the part of the speaker and does not require the listener to be familiar with an additional language such as sign language;
- The PECS system has a relatively low cost and is portable and suitable for use in many settings;
- Case reports indicate that the system can be taught relatively rapidly;
- The PECS system incorporates functional communicative responses that promote meaningful interactions between the child and the environment.
- Research suggests that caregivers can implement PECS with high procedural integrity.
