PECS

PECS is a type of augmentative and alternative communication that uses visual symbols to teach the learner to communicate with parents, carers, teachers and peers. The aim is to teach intentional, functional communication and to allow users to communicate their wants and needs. The PECS approach occurs in six phrases.  

• Phase 1 – Teaches the user ‘How to communicate’ 
• Phase 2 – Teaches ‘Distance and persistence’ 
• Phase 3 – Teaches ‘Picture Discrimination’ (although some users develop in Phases 1 & 2) 
• Phase 4 – Teaches the user to build a ‘Sentence structure’ 
• The later stages include using ‘wait’ and ‘no’ with users and teaches attributes and additional vocabulary.