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The Effects of PECS Teaching to Phase III on the Communicative Interactions between Children with Autism and their Teachers

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Abstract

The study investigated the impact of mastery of the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) to Phase III, on the communications of children with autism. Children aged between 3 and 7 years, formed a PECS intervention group and a non-intervention control group. The intervention group received 15 h of PECS teaching over 5 weeks. Three 2-h classroom observations recorded communications between the children and their teachers. These occurred: 6 weeks before teaching; during the week immediately prior to teaching; during the week immediately following teaching. For the control group, two 2-h observations were separated by a 5-week interval without PECS teaching. Communicative initiations and dyadic interactions increased significantly between the children and teachers in the PECS group but not for the control group.

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Acknowledgment

This study was funded through a grant provided by the Healthcare Foundation (formerly PPP Foundation).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Welsh Centre for Learning Disabilities, Division of Psychology, Cardiff University School of Medicine, Neuadd Meirionnydd, Heath Park, Cardiff, CF14 4YS, S Wales, UK

    Deborah Carr & Janet Felce

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  1. Deborah Carr
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  2. Janet Felce
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Correspondence to Deborah Carr.

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Carr, D., Felce, J. The Effects of PECS Teaching to Phase III on the Communicative Interactions between Children with Autism and their Teachers. J Autism Dev Disord 37, 724–737 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-006-0203-1

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