Moving On From PECS
An Introduction
ACE Centre Network Day
20th March 2012
Karen Bailey and Rachel Moore
ACE Speech and Language Therapists
An Introduction
• PECS (Picture Exchange Communication
System) is a useful tool for developing
communication
• Well known tool for teaching skills for
developing communication
• What if an individual doesn’t develop
functional speech?
Why was PECS developed?
From PECS Training Manual - Lori Frost & Dr Andy Bondy
Different communication systems had
been tried & failed because of:• lack of initiation for communication
• lack of response to social rewards
• poor motor imitation
? Question ?
What about individuals who no longer
need PECS to initiate communication
and…
• have not developed functional speech?
or
• need visual support in order to speak?
Criteria for giving up PECS
according to PECS trainers
From PECS Training Manual- Frost & Bondy
• Speech vocabulary is as large as PECS
vocabulary
• Initiation with speech is intact
• Length of spoken utterance is as long as
PECS utterance
• Speech is intelligible to untrained listener
Alternative AAC resources
• No Tech - Signing
• Low Tech - Books and charts
• Voice output Communication Aids
When moving on from PECS…
Consider the importance of…
• Pointing
• Modelling
• Visual prompts
Modelling in action
Benefits of managing a
pointing system
• speed
• fluency
• creativity
• portability
• maintenance
Language
Functions
Social
Request
Describe
Question
Direct
Give Information
Core Vocabulary
Fringe Vocabulary
Pointing in action
Low tech book
Pointing in action
Voice Output Communication Aid
Alternative AAC resources
• Books and charts
• Speech output devices
Concerns when moving on from
PECS
• Loss of familiar system
• Not building up a complete sentence
Case Study - Henry
• On the autistic spectrum
• Limited understanding in most
situations
• Limited speech and expressive language
• Exceptional knowledge and use of
language associated with the world of
dinosaurs
• Highly supportive team around Henry who
are prepared to put time into generating
resources for him
Case Study - Henry
• Clicker 5 was introduced to develop his
expressive language as well as his literacy
• Important features included visual support
(symbols) and auditory feedback
• Be aware of using too much media in the
grids but do use this as a reward
Henry’s grids
Following an assessment
Clicker 5 was introduced to Henry
• Open grid:
– (grids from assessment day
– Planet Earth, with and without sound)
• Forced order:
– (forced order Jurassic park story)
• Moving on to open grids
Assessment grids
Clicker Forced Order
Clicker More Forced Order
Henry’s grids
Following an assessment
Clicker 5 was introduced to Henry
• Talking story:
– (dinosaur Talking Book)
Clicker Talking Story
Henry moving on
• Talking books to help with transition into
new school. Included pictures and
video of school, new teachers and
peers, new classroom etc
• iPad:
– “We found ‘Pictello’ fantastic!”
• Visual instructions / visual stories
– Visual schedules
Useful apps
• Pictello: for creating stories
based on visual scenes
• Visual schedules:
e.g. First then visual schedule for
autism with text, voice and picture.
CONCLUSION
• PECS can be an important first step in the
path towards social interaction
• When this first step has been achieved,
other methods should be considered for
further developing communication
Future ACE Centre Courses
• Getting Started with AAC
Thursday 22nd March 2012, 10am to 4pm
ACE Oxford
• Moving On From PECS
Wednesday 30th May 2012, 10am to 4pm
ACE Oxford
• iPads, iPods and Communication
Tuesday 3rd July 2012, 10am to 4pm
ACE Oxford
Delegate fee for above one-day courses - £120