ERIC Number: EJ754204
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2006-Jun
Pages: 8
Abstractor: Author
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1547-0350
EISSN: N/A
The Picture Exchange Communication System: Effects on Manding and Speech Development for School-Aged Children with Autism
Tincani, Matt; Crozier, Shannon; Alazett, Shannon
Education and Training in Developmental Disabilities, v41 n2 p177-184 Jun 2006
We examined the effects of the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS; Frost & Bondy, 2002) on the manding (requesting) and speech development of school-aged children with autism. In study 1, two participants, Damian and Bob, were taught PECS within a delayed multiple baseline design. Both participants demonstrated increased levels of manding after implementation of PECS. Only Damian demonstrated any measurable speech during study 1. His speech development occurred primarily during phase IV of PECS. Because of the correlation between Phase IV and increased speech for Damian, study 2 was conducted to establish a functional relationship between phase IV procedures and speech development for an additional participant. Carl received phase IV training procedures in two conditions, administered in an ABAB design. In condition A, no reinforcement was provided for vocalization; in condition B, reinforcement was provided for vocalization after a delay of 3- to 5-s. The vocal reinforcement procedures in phase B differentially increased Carl's level of speech. Results are discussed in terms of research on augmentative and alternative communication and speech development for children with autism. (Contains 3 figures.)
Descriptors: Reinforcement, Augmentative and Alternative Communication, Autism, Preadolescents, Pictorial Stimuli, Research Design, Communication Skills
Division on Developmental Disabilities, Council for Exceptional Children. DDD, PO Box 3512, Fayetteville, AR 72702. Tel: 479-575-3326; Fax: 479-575-6676; Web site: http://www.dddcec.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A