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Clinical Archives of Communication Disorders, 5, 31-41.Abstract: Purpose: We investigated the effects of behavioral skills training package with parents to use picture exchange communication system (PECS) with their children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to develop communication skills. Methods: Two parents and their children with ASD (one child per family) participated in this study. A multiple baseline design was used during the parents' training, and a changing criterion design was used during parents' implementation of PECS with children. Results: Results indicated that both parents implemented PECS intervention with their children with high procedural integrity and required minimal feedback through Bug-in-Ear at the end of the intervention. Moreover, both children acquired independent picture exchanges with their parents who implemented PECS training and generalized and maintained the skills. Conclusions: The findings suggest that when parents receive appropriate training and feed-back, they can train their children to use PECS to independently request desired items or activities. The current study extends existing research on PECS by teaching parents as the primary PECS trainers to implement the strategy with their children. 

Augmentative and Alternative Communication, https://doi.org/10.1080/07434618.2020.1813196.ABSTRACT: A considerable number of studies have demonstrated that augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) is effective in increasing speech production in some children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Thus, this study aimed to (a) investigate the effects of a Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) Phase IV protocol on the acquisition of spontaneous augmented requests, (b) evaluate the impact of progressive time delay and synthetic speech output on the development of vocal requests, and (c) determine the participants' preferences for each modality after reaching mastery. A multiple-baseline design across four children with ASD was used to measure the acquisition of augmented and vocal requests during the transition from low-tech to high-tech AAC systems. During a natural condition (i.e., playtime), a modified PECS Phase IV protocol was applied to teach the participants to request by producing multisymbol messages (e.g., I WANT þ names of a preferred item) using an iPad as well as vocalizations. After mastery, the participants' preference for using the modified PECS Phase IV app or the communication book was assessed by comparing the response allocations. The preliminary results suggest that the modified PECS protocol can be used to transition from a low to high-tech communication modality.

The Picture Exchange Communication System [PECS®) was first described in autism research literature in the early 1990s. Since that time, there have been almost 200 publications about the PECS protocol from countries around the world. The manualized PECS protocol has six key phases beginning with simple requests involving single icons, and building toward commenting, responding to other people's communication, and increased message length through picture combinations.1 We developed the protocol with very young children with autism spectrum disorder [ASDJ, but there are now publications involving adolescents and adults, as well as individuals with a wide variety of learning needs.

Functional communication skills are essential for all learners and must be promoted within all environments, including the home. During this time of home confinement, many families will need to look at opportunities for their children to use existing functional communication skills or even to acquire new skills. This article describes a set of 9 critical communication skills and provides a variety of examples of how families can improve the use of these important skills. Some of these involve speaker (expressive) skills, whereas others involve listener (receptive) skills.

PECS training for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Intellectual Disabilities has been extensively evaluated. In contrast, there is a dearth of literature on outcomes of PECS training for adults lacking functional communication skills. A literature search produced five empirical studies involving PECS training with 18 adults. The participants involved presented with a wider range of intellectual and physical challenges than those typically found in child-related research. Where noted, severity of diagnoses ranged from mild to profound and included participants with single, dual and triple diagnoses, the majority with dual diagnoses. Each of the studies shows results in line with child-related research. While the amount of research is limited, the outcomes of these few studies are profound in their implications for adults with a variety of intellectual disabilities and physical challenges. Implications for both children and adults are considered.

Communication deficits are one of the core symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). As such, individuals diagnosed with ASD are often taught to communicate using augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems. One of the most commonly used AAC systems is the Picture Exchange Communication System® (PECS®). Despite the prevalent use of PECS within clinical and educational settings, there exists little empirical information about the use of PECS in community settings, such as summer camps. The present preliminary investigation explored the nature of participants’ PECS use in a community setting using various sources of data from multiple respondents. Fidelity of PECS implementation was also examined. Twenty-two children and youth, the majority of whom scored substantially below average on standardized measures of cognitive and adaptive abilities and in the “severe” range of ASD symptomatology, were taught to use PECS within a therapeutic summer camp. Overall, results indicate that participants were reported to use PECS to request a diverse array of reinforcing items, across a variety of activities and environments. Increased PECS use and appropriate communicative behavior was observed, as well as reductions in contextually inappropriate behavior. Results were reported by parents to generalize to the home environment. Further, PECS was implemented with adequate fidelity by community implementors. Implications for communication training within community settings are discussed.

Communication deficits are one of the core symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). As such, individuals diagnosed with ASD are often taught to communicate using augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems. One of the most commonly used AAC systems is the Picture Exchange Communication System® (PECS®). Despite the prevalent use of PECS within clinical and educational settings, there exists little empirical information about the use of PECS in community settings, such as summer camps. The present preliminary investigation explored the nature of participants’ PECS use in a community setting using various sources of data from multiple respondents. Fidelity of PECS implementation was also examined. Twenty-two children and youth, the majority of whom scored substantially below average on standardized measures of cognitive and adaptive abilities and in the “severe” range of ASD symptomatology, were taught to use PECS within a therapeutic summer camp. Overall, results indicate that participants were reported to use PECS to request a diverse array of reinforcing items, across a variety of activities and environments. Increased PECS use and appropriate communicative behavior was observed, as well as reductions in contextually inappropriate behavior. Results were reported by parents to generalize to the home environment. Further, PECS was implemented with adequate fidelity by community implementors. Implications for communication training within community settings are discussed.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the impact of the implementation of the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) on the comprehension of instructions by children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

The purpose of this study was to analyze the impact of the implementation of the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) on the comprehension of instructions by children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Research indicates that the Picture Exchange Communication System® (PECS®) is an evidence‐based communication approach for children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, little is known about PECS‐related parent training, treatment fidelity, or generalization and maintenance of skills. The purpose of the current study was to explore strategies to help parents support their child's PECS use at home. One child with ASD and both his parents participated. Researchers used behavioral skills training to teach target PECS skills and applied general case training strategies to actively program for generalization. A multiple baseline design across skills was used to monitor the primary parent trainee's fidelity during training sessions and a multiple probe design was embedded to monitor both parents' treatment fidelity in the natural environment with their child. The parent trainee demonstrated target PECS skills within the training setting. However, parents did not reliably demonstrate all target PECS skills in the generalization setting during follow‐up. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: journal abstract)

Research indicates that the Picture Exchange Communication System® (PECS®) is an evidence‐based communication approach for children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, little is known about PECS‐related parent training, treatment fidelity, or generalization and maintenance of skills. The purpose of the current study was to explore strategies to help parents support their child's PECS use at home. One child with ASD and both his parents participated. Researchers used behavioral skills training to teach target PECS skills and applied general case training strategies to actively program for generalization. A multiple baseline design across skills was used to monitor the primary parent trainee's fidelity during training sessions and a multiple probe design was embedded to monitor both parents' treatment fidelity in the natural environment with their child. The parent trainee demonstrated target PECS skills within the training setting. However, parents did not reliably demonstrate all target PECS skills in the generalization setting during follow‐up. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: journal abstract).