|
What is 'PECS'?
| The Picture
Exchange Communication System (PECS) was developed over 20 years ago as a unique augmentative, alternative training package that allows children and adults with autism and other communication difficulties to initiate communication. First used in the United States, PECS has received worldwide recognition for focusing on the initiation component of communication.
PECS begins with teaching students to exchange a picture of a desired item with a teacher, who immediately honours the request. For example, if they want a drink, they will give a picture of 'drink' to an adult who directly hands them a drink. Verbal prompts are not used, thus encouraging spontaneity and avoiding prompt dependency. The system goes on to teach discrimination of symbols and how to construct simple "sentences." Ideas for teaching commenting and other language structures such as asking and answering questions are also incorporated. It has been reported that both pre-school and older students have begun to develop speech when using PECS. The system has been successful with adolescents and adults who have a wide array of communicative, cognitive and physical difficulties.
The foundation for the system is the PECS Training Manual (Frost and Bondy 1994). The manual provides information to implement PECS effectively, guides readers through the 6 phases of training and provides examples, helpful hints for teaching discrimination and templates for data collection and progress reporting. There is also a video available, which provides a useful overview of the background and the six phases of PECS.
|
|
PECS at a glance
Phase I
Teaches students to initiate communication right from the start by exchanging a single picture for a highly desired item.
Phase II
Teaches students to be persistent communicators- to actively seek out their pictures and to travel to someone to make a request.
Phase III
Teaches students to discriminate pictures and to select the picture that represents the item they want.
Phase IV
Teaches students to use sentence structure to make a request in the form of “I want _____.”
Phase V
Teaches students to respond to the question “What do you want?”
Phase VI
Teaches students to comment about things in their environment both spontaneously and in response to a question.
Expanding Vocabulary
Teaches students to use attributes such as colors, shapes and sizes within their requests.
PECS Research
Click here for PECS related research
Click here
for PECS case study with an adult
PECS: Training, Resources & Certification
We are the primary source of training for PECS and are pleased to include details on the website of
|
What is The Pyramid Approach to Education?
The Pyramid Approach to Education is a unique teaching method that establishes effective learning environments for children and adults with autism or related developmental disabilities and severe learning impairments. Created by Dr. Andrew Bondy, this system offers sound principles for those who teach, whether in a classroom or at home.
The Pyramid Approach is based on two different types of learning elements: structural and instructional. Through the use of applied behavior analysis, this method provides the foundation for a positive environment for growth. Structural elements focus on functional activities and communication, powerful reinforcers, and behavior intervention plans. These elements form the base of the Pyramid Approach, creating the necessary positive setting that will foster learning. Instructional elements include lesson formats, prompt strategies, error correction strategies (uniquely developed and suited to specific prompting strategies), and generalization. All elements involve data-based decision making. When all of the elements of the educational pyramid are combined, this system results in success in a broad array of settings.
Dr. Bondy developed this system of teaching after years of working with children and adults with autism and related developmental disabilities. It is a very systematic program that allows educators to individualise each child's learning environment to reach maximum benefits. It is one of the few approaches that encourage creativity and innovation on the teacher's part, and utilises a broad spectrum of behaviour analysis principles. The Pyramid offers a unique blend of applied behaviour analysis and an emphasis upon the development of functional communication skills, regardless of communication modality. The Pyramid emphasises how to teach, rather than simply what to teach.
|
