Total communication PECS?

Question

Some professionals feel that you cannot include a PECS system in a total communication plan. It has to be sign OR pecs-you cannot use both. I have seen it done (combined) successfully as part of total communication intervention. It is true that some children cannot use 2 systems-but some can.

My question specifically relates to children with developmental delays such as autism not children who are only hard of hearing.

What has been your experience-have you used both successfully or has it been harmful.

For example a child is able to signbasic wants and needs-but them uses a picture board to choose the specific item-

signs eat-presented with pictures of 3 food choices

FYI-if you don't understand the question because you are not familir with the terms-you probably can't answer--

any websites on the issue would be appreciated...

Answer 1

I wonder if the professionals you mention are referring to the PECS system in its entirety or if they just mean using pictures as visual aides.

Total communication is a plan which calls for the use of any means available to the communicator, including pictures. This is technically very different from the PECS system because PECS is a complex expressive communication system for individuals who otherwise cannot be expected to communicate with sign or vocalizations regardless of the amount of therapy (due to physical limits). It is designed to communicate very abstract thoughts and concepts, not just basic wants and needs. It is used as a way to express the language the person understands which can possibly be similar to the language base of a non-delayed individual.

So for someone who has a developmental delay such as Autism, their delay impacts their receptive language as well as their expressive language. These individuals wouldn't typically be using a PECS system. In such a case, using only PECS is inappropriate and would limit their expressive capabilities since they are physically capable of sign or vocalization.

On the other hand, an individual with Cerebral palsy, most likely doesn't have the motor control to consistently produce a distinct sign or vocalization. PECS is a perfectly viable option on its own since total communication is not practical.

This is not to say that PECS symbols cannot be used in total communication. PECS symbols are used as visual cues in total communication all the time. With the child in your example, they wouldn't really be using a PECS system to communicate but is actually using PECS symbols (or any other visual representation) as visual cues and would still be considered total communication. So, technically, PECS and total communication cannot be used together by their very definition.

I hope I have helped you in the least bit. Feel free to email me at [e-mail] for clarification or anything else. I don't have any specific websites to offer as reference but general searches on the topic may help to clarify what is indicated by the two terms.

Answer 2

I recently attended a course on PECS for the first time and was amazed at the scope of the system.  I've heard many varied opinions about signing versus PECS and whether they can be used together or not, but in my experience they seem to work just fine as a combination.  I  have 2 ASD boys, one of which was non verbal until 3 and non intelligable until 5.  I dearly wish we had PECS back then.

Answer 3

We used both at the same time. It was very successful, and I believe that most autistic kids can use both. It takes persistence, and kind of assigning sign to some functions and pecs to others at first.

PECS really mimics natural language development, training to begin with one word, associating that one picture to an object, and then building to additional vocabulary and sentence structure. Sign language does the same thing, and in my mind helps to generalize the idea of communication. Sign can be faster, and more portable, and as you say, great for general wants and needs.

Both have led to verbal language in my nonverbal daughter. She still needs prompting, but we are removing prompts now. Yay!

Here's a general website about communication in devdels

http://ici.umn.edu/products/impact/193/o...

Answer 4

My experince is with autism.  I think the important thing is getting the communication across and whatever way is easiest for the individual.  Sometimes our child can verbalize what he needs to say.  Sometimes he needs to write it (we bring a small magna-doodle everywhere).  Somethings like a daily schedule are always PECS and sometimes back and forth communication is a mixture of all.  A lot has to do with the situation also.  Obviously, overstimulating places and situations can cause an abrupt loss of speech and he may rely on some signing or writing to communicate.    He is most verbal in the least stressful environments like home and his classroom and his teachers have adapted wonderfully for his needs.  So, yes it can work.  If you limit their ability to communicate, I would think more problems would arise.

BTW, Writing With Symbols is an awesome program.  The speech feature has really been a help.