THE PICTURE EXCHANGE COMMUNICATION SYSTEM: AN APPROACH TO OPTIMIZE COMMUNICATION ABILITY OF THE AUTISTIC CHILDREN

Abstract

The communication barrier is a disorder condition that is often found among the autistic
children. Therefore we need an approach to optimize the communication ability of the
autistic children. PECS is very effective to help the autistic children to communicate and
to control their emotions. PECS can be used as a starting point to build the interactions
during the instruction both between autistic students and their teachers, and between thier
classmates and the environment more effectively.
The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) is a unique alternative
communication intervention method for individuals with autism. It is an approach to
practice communication ability using non-verbal symbols. PECS is primarily an attempt to
stimulate the children’s communication ability spontaneously. The use of visual language
instead of verbal language is an initial mediation effort towards the communication process
appears to be more complicated. The process of visual communication in turn triggers
verbal expressions. PECS can be considered as efforts to provide visual stimuli. The
process can be done in several phases. In the first phase the children are introduced to the
non-verbal symbols. The different phases show the ability levels and the children’s
development.
To apply PECS , it is required to use a behavior modification. By using the behavior
modification, it will be covered up the children desire. The objects desired will enforce the
children to communicate through the pictures exchange, in which in the final phase the use
of PECS approach makes the children motivated to speak.
Keywords: communication, autistic children, PECS