Picture Exchange Communication???

Question

I am working with an Autistic Child and want to introduce PEC's. What program is used to make the pictures? (I heard it was border maker, but wasn't sure if that was correct) Where do I find this program as well?

Answer 1

You could always use Adobe Photoshop.

Answer 2

In my experience it is better if you can take actual pictures of the items to be requested, particularly if you are working with a low functioning child. Some children have a lot of trouble understanding that the picture is representative of something. If that is a problem, start with pictures of the actual items and laminate them.

You may also want to say the word when you are training him or her to the PECS system because some children spontaneously begin to talk when they realize they can communicate.

You probably should read up on errorless learning techniques before you start with the system. Your teaching has to be excellent and these techniques are proven.

Also, remember that one of the first errors that autistic kids make is to NOT look at what they are doing. Make sure you first prompt is something along the lines to "Look at this." Gently turn the child's head to what you are doing and then reinforce the looking behavior. "Good  looking!" Do this before doing anything else.

Answer 3

Boardmaker is a great program, but it's expensive and not all school districts are willing to make the purchase (and it's too expensive for most special ed teachers' personal budget).  The advice on using real pictures is great and is especially useful with lower-functioning individuals who need a concrete picture (a.k.a. they won't understand that a picture of a white toilet on say, a red background means bathroom if the toilet they're using isn't white with a red wall behind it...).  

Even if you decide to purchase Boardmaker, you need pictures to use before then, so here's some sites for premade picture cards using Boardmaker and other picture programs, as well as some sites containing other PECS/autism communication-related info and autism/PECS links:

http://www.mayer-johnson.com/  (this is the Boardmaker site)

http://www.do2learn.com/

http://www.angelfire.com/pa5/as/index.ht...   (this site has the most incredible list of autism-related links!!!)

http://room5ideas.com

http://trainland.tripod.com/communicatio...

http://trainland.tripod.com/links.htm

http://www.tinsnips.org/

http://www.childrenwithspecialneeds.com/...

http://speech.jppss.k12.la.us/  (click on AAC link)

http://www.lburkhart.com/pics.html

http://www.handsinautism.org/

http://www.autismchatboard.com/home

http://www.iidc.indiana.edu/irca/IRCAart...

http://www.teacch.com/welcome.html

http://www.buildingblox.net/taskideaspg1...

http://www.preschoolfun.com/pages/teacch...

http://www.angelfire.com/pa5/as/boardmak...

http://www.fcps.edu/ss/its/howtos/board/...

http://www.speakingofspeech.com/generic1...

Hope some of those help - I gave you all the links from my autism bookmarks!!  When school starts again, I'd be happy to email you some of the communication boards (in PDF format so you can use them now) that I have saved on my classroom computer!  Just send me an email and let me know if you're interested and an email address you'd like me to mail the boards to!  Good luck!

Answer 4

PECS pictures can be printed on BoardMaker. It is available through Mayer-Johnson at  http://www.mayer-johnson.com/

You can sometimes find cheaper versions on ebay, but if the program has been loaded on a computer before, it may not load onto your computer. Before starting with PECS, I would recommend taking a training session for PECS. You can find a list of trainings at   http://www.pecs.com/workshop.php?worksho...

I work with several students with autism, and having the training really helped me to know what I was doing. My school district paid for it though, so I didn't have to worry about the cost.

Answer 5

Boardmaker is good, but if you look at www.trainland.tripod.com they have a great variety of line drawings that are appropriate.

Real pictures can be helpful, esp when you are first learning PECS and need to make immediate associations or have a lower functioning child. The trouble with them is making them perfectly anonymous so that the child doesn't associate with a minute detail in the picture (ie the grain of the table that the item is on, the blanket that is on the bed rather than the bed itself, or a colored background)

PECS was a lifesaver for our daughter. Once she became comfortable with it, we used it to jump off into sign language and then verbal communication. Good luck with your pecs training.

Answer 6

I am a parent of an autistic child take actual pictures. Yes I now there is time and money effort but there is the ability to show differant types of things also you can get what you need to do catagories... I at first bought cards off of ebay bad idea way to small.... My best advise is to by people wyou know memory cards and ask them to take pictures of things they see like bathrooms and toasters things like that. It will save you time. Not only time but it also gets other people thinking about it....

Answer 7

BoardMaker is the program for the pecs system.  You must take classes to learn to use the system.  The school system introudced pecs to my child without the proper training and did it wrong for three years.  When she went to an out of district summer program, they were trained in pecs.  She did faboulous.  You want to know how to use the system otherwise it is a waste of the childs time.  Good luck it is a great progam.  PS Boardmaker is $400.00 and can't be burned to disc.