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Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS)-  Low-Tech

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Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS)-  Low-Tech

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PECS teaching functional communication skills by allowing students to pass pictures back and forth to communicate what they want to share with someone. This would be ideal for a non-verbal student to share that he or she is hungry or needs to use the restroom.

For implementation, following the steps below.

1. discuss picture cards with the student

2. practice with the student

3. student will give picture card to a classmate or teacher to request something they need or to tell them something

Evaluation: Monitor the frequency and accuracy of the card system. Assist the student in developing this process where struggles may arise. Determine if negative manifestations of language deficits decrease and note if independence appears to increase.

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Join the hundreds of thousands of educators who have utilized Pyramid's services and products to become better teachers and ignite the potential of every student. Pyramid offers and provides products, resources, and everything in between.

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Pyramid is the sole source for PECS, the evidenced-based functional communication system, and the Pyramid Approach to Education.

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Join the hundreds of thousands of educators who have utilized Pyramid's services and products to become better teachers and ignite the potential of every student. Pyramid offers and provides products, resources, and everything in between.

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Social stories prepare students for uncommon or unfamiliar situations and provides them with responses that would be appropriate for the situation. For example, if a student is nervous about having a substitute teacher, you can discuss the steps of meeting a new teacher and provide some scaffolded conversation starters through social stories.

Implementation steps:

1. Write a story about a social situation the student will likely encounter. Keep details brief using simple words. Add visuals for extra scaffolding.

2. Read the story and describe the conversations in detail. Do this several times.

To evaluate the effectiveness of social stories, monitor the student in a social setting and observe how he or she applies the social story to the interaction.

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To write a Social Story is to assume an invitation into the mind of a child, adolescent or adult with autism… Let’s be careful in there. Welcome to CarolGraySocialStories.com…I am glad you stopped by.

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Eye-Gaze technology helps non-verbal students with motor skill disabilities to use their eyes to communicate with others. If a non-verbal, impaired student needs to use the restroom, his eyes can gaze at the toilet on the screen which can be set up in many different ways to alert others of what he needs.

Implementation of this device is slightly detailed. First, it is important to know what the student may need to communicate. Once that has been established, the device will need to be calibrated to the student's eye movements. Next, teach the student to focus on specific areas of the screen. Finally, introduce more complex words and tasks as the student becomes increasingly comfortable with the device.

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Speech-generating devices encourage more advanced communication by creating a safe avenue for a student with communication deficits.

A student with underdeveloped communication skills could simply press a button to request help.

Implemention

1. Research multiple options or provide an assessment to choose the most effective device for the student. https://www.communicationcommunity.com/aac-assessment-tools/ may be a helpful resource when choosing the correct AAC device.

2. Program the SGD with personalized phrases and appropriate vocabulary.

3. Spend time teaching the student how to communicate with the device.

Evaluation and Monitoring- regularly observe the student in various settings using the device to determine adjustments that need made. Vocabulary and personal phrases will likely change over time.

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Tobii Dynavox US: Assistive technology for communication

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Communication apps, speech generating devices, eye trackers and eye gaze/eye-controlled devices for people with disabilities and special needs who require AAC.

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For students with more challenging communication struggles and especially for younger children, communication boards are a simple method of assistive communication. If a student wants something specific or wants to draw attention to something they can point to a picture on the board. If a student doesn't have their pencil, they could point to the pencil on the board, to alert the teacher that they do not have a pencil.

Implementation

1. The board should be covered in pictures and words with frequent vocabulary that is used by the student or that the student could need in their day-to-day activities.

2. Teach the child how to use the board.

3. Intentionally give the student opportunities to practice using the board.

Evaluations of this tool would include observations of the student using the tool and noting how often the student avoids frustration by the ease of the board. During these observations, the teacher should note vocabulary that may need added to the board as the child's vocabulary should gradually grow.

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Gestalt Language Processing is getting a lot of buzz in the field of AAC. AssistiveWare Support Team member and part-time AAC user Lily Konyn dives deeper into what it means and, most importantly, how it might influence our AAC tools and supports.

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We build AAC apps and share best practices to help you communicate with the world.