Using the Picture Exchange Communication System With Students With Visual Impairment

• Published in: Exceptional children Vol. 80; no. 4; pp. 474 - 488
• Main Authors: Ivy, Sarah E., Hatton, Deborah D., Hooper, Jonathan D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01.07.2014; Council for Exceptional Children; Sage Publications, Inc; SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
• Subjects: Augmentative and Alternative Communication; Autism; Children; Communication Strategies; Communications systems; Educational aspects; Educational research; Generalization; Instructional Effectiveness; Interpersonal communication in children; Intervention; Learning; Maintenance; Males; Multiple Disabilities; Pictorial Stimuli; Researchers; Severe Disabilities; Skills; Students; Studies; Teaching; Teaching Methods; United States (Southeast); Visual aids; Visual impairment; Visual Impairments; Visually disabled children; United States
• ISSN: 0014-4029; 2163-5560
• DOI: 10.1177/0014402914527239

Students with visual impairment (VI) were taught to request using the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) and tangible symbols. Participants were four males with additional disabilities, 5 to 11 years old, who had little to no functional vision. A functional relation between PECS Phase 1 and requesting was established using a multiple baseline single subject design. All students learned to request independently within 7 to 14 sessions in Phase 1. Students maintained requesting above criterion for 1 to 5 months. All students generalized requesting to a new communication partner (CP); however, only two students reached criterion during generalization sessions. Two students learned to seek out a CP 5 feet away to request; however, no functional relation was established for Phase 2. More research is needed to establish PECS as an evidence-based practice for children with VI.