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Using the Picture Exchange Communication System to Increase the Social Communication of Two Individuals with Severe Developmental Disabilities

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of the PECS with Peers protocol developed by Garfinkle and Schwartz (1994), which uses The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) as a means of increasing social communication between individuals with disabilities and their peers. Two females with severe communication delays and developmental disabilities served as participants and one male with developmental disabilities and one female without disabilities acted as their peers. A multiple baseline across behaviors (i.e., greetings, requests, and responses) design was used to assess the effectiveness of PECS on social communication as well as to examine whether using PECS led to increases in the participants’ verbal communication. Both participants increased their social interactions using PECS with their peer and also demonstrated a general preference for verbal communication. Social validity questionnaires indicated that teachers and parents found the social communication skills to be important and that this intervention was helpful.

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Acknowledgements

This study was completed by the second author in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Arts in special education.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Ohio State University, A348 PAES Building, 305 W 17th Avenue, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA

    Helen I. Cannella-Malone & Christopher A. Tullis

  2. Clinical Research Consultants, Inc., Cincinnati, OH, USA

    Jodi L. Fant

Authors
  1. Helen I. Cannella-Malone
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  2. Jodi L. Fant
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  3. Christopher A. Tullis
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Correspondence to Helen I. Cannella-Malone.

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Cannella-Malone, H.I., Fant, J.L. & Tullis, C.A. Using the Picture Exchange Communication System to Increase the Social Communication of Two Individuals with Severe Developmental Disabilities. J Dev Phys Disabil 22, 149–163 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10882-009-9174-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10882-009-9174-4

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