For many children with autism and communication challenges, the world can be a frustrating place. The inability to express their needs and wants can lead to isolation and hinder social interaction. The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) offers a beacon of hope.

What is PECS Communication?

The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) uses pictures or symbols to convey messages and communicate needs. Users exchange picture cards for desired items or actions and then build sentences. PECS helps with functional communication and can be a stepping stone to spoken language.

This system was developed in 1984 by Dr. Andrew Bondy and Lori Frost, a speech-language pathologist, specifically to help nonverbal or limited communication-skilled children with autism. Their goal was to create a system that allowed these children to initiate communication and express their needs.

PECS addressed a critical need at the time by providing a structured and easy-to-learn approach to communication. Before PECS, many children with ASD lacked effective ways to express themselves, leading to frustration and social isolation.

The success of PECS paved the way for further development in the Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) field. It demonstrated the potential of using visual supports and exchange systems to empower individuals with limited speech.

How Does PECS Work?

Imagine a child who wants a juice box. Traditionally, they might rely on crying, pointing, or waiting for someone to guess their desire. PECS empowers the child to take control by giving them tools to communicate their need. In this example, PECS provides a picture card representing the juice box. The child then approaches a communication partner (parent, teacher, etc.) and exchanges the picture card for the actual juice box.

The PECS system teaches users to initiate communication and express their needs to a communication partner. Children using PECS often carry a communication book designed to hold individual picture cards they use to communicate.

These cards can depict anything from desired objects (juice box, toy) to actions (play, go outside) and even core vocabulary words like “I,” “want,” and “you.”

The book might have pockets, sleeves, or Velcro fasteners to organize and make the picture cards easily accessible.

The book can also include a “communication strip” where users can place the pictures to form sentences and communicate their needs.

The communication book itself isn’t interactive. It simply stores the picture cards. The core exchange process of PECS involves the user giving the chosen picture card to their communication partner to express a need or want.

One popular option for communication books is this binder with 150+ picture cards. You can find it here on Amazon.

PECS is a multi-phase program, gradually increasing complexity as the learner progresses. Here’s a simplified look at the stages:

What are the Six Stages of PECS?

Phase 1: Exchange – Phase 1 aims to teach the user to exchange a picture card for a desired item. The communication partner presents a highly desired item to the user, which correlates to a picture card. The communication partner can prompt the child to communicate by holding onto the desired item. Then, the user learns to exchange the picture card for the desired item from their communication partner. The successful exchange motivates the child to continue using PECS.
Phase 2: Distance and Persistence – In this phase, the user will learn to travel to the communication book and the communication partner to exchange the picture card for the item they want. First, the user goes to the communication book, pulls the picture, goes to the communication partner, gets their attention, and hands the picture to the communication partner. The communication partner gradually reduces prompting and creates physical distance from the user, encouraging them to initiate the exchange independently.
Phase 3: Picture Discrimination – This phase focuses on picture discrimination. Phase 3A teaches the user to discriminate between an item they want and an item they don’t want. Phase 3B teaches discrimination between two items the user wants. The goal of Phase 3 is to teach users to choose between two or more pictures to ask for a desired item. Phase 1 taught the user to exchange the picture card for a desired item. In Phase 3, the user learns to discriminate from several card options and select the card they want.

In Phase 3A, the communication partner selects two pictures of two items, one representing what the user wants and one representing what the user doesn’t want. Then, the communication partner creates distance from the user. From there, the user must move towards the communication partner and choose the correct picture/symbol from the two pictures. The preferred picture is the correct picture.

For Phase 3B, the user repeats the process of 3A, but this time, they discriminate between two items they do want. As the user can discriminate between two or more pictures, the communication partner adds pictures to increase the number of discriminations the learner must make.
Phase 4: Sentence Structure – The user learns sentence structure in this next phase. The user learns to use a communication strip (a.k.a sentence strip) where they can place the “I want” picture card followed by the picture of the desired item. The communication partner places the “I want” symbol on the left side of the communication strip and waits for the user to take a picture from the communication book. Then, the communication partner guides the user to place the picture card next to the “I want” symbol on the communication strip.
Phase 5: Responding to “What do you want?” – In Phase 5, the user learns to answer ” What do you want?” This phase focuses on teaching the user “responsive requesting.” The goal is for the user to initiate communication and answer the question.
Phase 6: Commenting – The user learns to comment in this last phase. The user is encouraged to comment on questions such as “What do you see? What do you hear? What is it?” using different sentence starters, such as “I see,” “I hear,” and ” I feel.” The user also learns to add adjectives, verbs, and prepositions to expand their sentences. Phase 6 teaches users to use language to label or name things. The goal is for the user to use spontaneous (un-prompted) commenting.

Benefits of PECS

PECS’ structured approach and visual nature make it particularly accessible for individuals with limited language processing skills.

Here’s how PECS can empower users:

Empowering Communication: PECS allows individuals to initiate communication and express their needs, fostering independence and reducing frustration. They can finally take control and say what they want, leading to a greater sense of agency.
Improved Socialization: PECS enables communication, opening doors for social interaction. Users can engage in conversations, make requests, and build relationships with others.
Stepping Stone for Development: PECS helps users develop spoken language and more complex communication skills as they progress through the phases, introducing them to core vocabulary and sentence building.
Easy to Learn: The visual format makes PECS readily understandable for individuals with varying learning styles.
Increased Independence: Users can make choices, participate in activities, and express their wants and needs effectively, leading to greater independence.
Reduced Frustration: The ability to communicate clearly can significantly minimize frustration for the user and their communication partners.
Expanded Vocabulary: PECS exposes users to new words and concepts through picture cards as they progress through the phases.

Disadvantages of PECS?

It’s important to acknowledge that PECS is not a one-size-fits-all solution, and other AAC methods have emerged that may be more appropriate for some children.

Here are some potential drawbacks of PECS:

Focus on Requesting: The initial phases primarily focus on requesting desired objects, which might not naturally encourage broader language development.
Limited Expression: PECS relies on pictures, which might not be suitable for expressing complex ideas or emotions.
Portability Limitations: Carrying a communication binder with picture cards can take time and effort, especially for older children.

The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) is a valuable tool for enhancing communication in children with disabilities, particularly those who are nonverbal. Many parents also recommend these portable picture behavior cards from Amazon for children with communication and behavioral challenges.

With proper training, resources, and ongoing support, PECS can open new doors for children with autism, improving their socialization, independence, and overall quality of life. Talk to your child’s ABA therapist or pediatrician to see if PECS can help your child.