The generalisation effects of picture exchange communication system (pecs) training for children with autism and language delay

The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) has been widely used in intervention programs to develop functional communication for children who have no or little vocal communication. Studies have shown that PECS training is effective in developing communication and social interaction (Carr & Felce, 2006; Ganz, Simpson, & Corbin-Newsome, 2007) for children with autism. However, most research on the effectiveness of PECS has been limited in several ways. Firstly, few studies have evaluated the entire PECS program; secondly, little research has been carried out on generalisation of PECS skills across different settings and individuals. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the generalisation effects of the PECS program on communication and social play for two children with autism and one child with language delay. The study considered the entire PECS program across a variety of settings and individuals (e.g., home, inclusive kindergarten, siblings, parents, and teachers). The study used a single subject changing criterion design to evaluate the effect of PECS intervention on communication and social play behaviours for the participants. All three participants acquired functional communication and mastered PECS training over periods of between nine and 20 weeks. The two children with autism and the child with language delay increased significantly in spoken communication (e.g., intelligible vocalization and new spoken words). The study demonstrated that incorporating motivating operations is critical to the successful use of PECS by children with autism.