ERIC Number: EJ796664
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2008
Pages: 13
Abstractor: Author
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1750-9467
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Available Date: N/A
The Impact of the Picture Exchange Communication System on Requesting and Speech Development in Preschoolers with Autism Spectrum Disorders and Similar Characteristics
Ganz, Jennifer B.; Simpson, Richard L.; Corbin-Newsome, Jawanda
Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, v2 n1 p157-169 Jan-Mar 2008
By definition children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) experience difficulty understanding and using language. Accordingly, visual and picture-based strategies such as the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) show promise in ameliorating speech and language deficits. This study reports the results of a multiple baseline across participants investigating the implementation of the PECS with three preschool children with characteristics of ASD. The first four phases of PECS were taught to the participants: basic picture exchange, increasing distance use of PECS, discriminating among a variety of pictures, and communicating in sentences composed of pictures. Relative to the impact of PECS's implementation in providing the participants with a functional communication system, word approximations, and intelligible word and phrase use, results indicated that two of the three participants mastered PECS. However, participants did not significantly increase in use of word approximations and intelligible words.
Descriptors: Sentences, Autism, Preschool Children, Speech Skills, Pervasive Developmental Disorders, Communication Problems, Language Impairments, Communication Skills, Program Effectiveness, Visual Stimuli, Visual Discrimination, Nonverbal Communication, Augmentative and Alternative Communication
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Preschool Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A