What is PECS?

The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) is a way for people with limited or no verbal communication skills to communicate using pictures.  The person with limited or no verbal communication skills communicates with another person by giving the person a picture or a desired item in exchange for the desired item.

Why use PECS?

• Can decrease tantrums and negative behaviors
• Studies have shown that it helps people develop verbal language

Six Phases of PECS:

• Phase I: How to Communicate – The person with autism learns to exchange single pictures for items or activities they want or would like to do.
• Phase II: Distance and Persistence – The person with autism learns to use this new skill in a variety of settings with a variety of people.  This teaches them to be more persistent communicators.
• Phase III: Picture Discrimination – The person with autism learns to choose from two or more pictures to ask for their favorite items.  The pictures are placed in a ring binder with Velcro strips.  The pictures are stored in the binder and can be easily removed to communicate.
• Phase IV: Sentence Structure – The person with autism learns to form simple sentences on a detachable sentence strip using an “I want” picture followed by a picture of the requested item.
• Phase V: Answering Questions – The person with autism uses the PECS to answer the question “What do you want?”
• Phase VI: Commenting – The person with autism is taught to comment in response to questions such as “What do you see?”, “What do you hear?”, “What is it?”.  The person learns to form sentences starting with “I see”, “I hear”, “I feel”, etc.

For more information please see: https://nationalautismresources.com/the-picture-exchange-communication-system-pecs/