“The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) is a tried-and-tested approach that uses pictures to develop communication skills. It’s appropriate for children and adults with a wide range of learning, speech and communication difficulties, including autism. Easy to access, affordable to implement and scientifically supported as one of the most effective communication interventions, PECS is an opportunity to open the door to spontaneous communication.”
(Pecs-unitedkingdom.com, n.d.)
The PEC’s system was created and developed in the USA in 1985 by Andy Bondy and first introduced to pre-school students but since then has been introduced to both children and adults world wide transforming the overall interaction and communication of people with disabilities. One of the key as aspects of PEC systems is the ability for communication to happen spontaneously and individually enhancing the said persons freedom of speech.
This being said the PEC system allows teachers, parents and carers to set out the timetable of the day so routine is explained step by step allowing students to understand what is happening at all times. Students in mainstream schools follow a time table that can be changed and adapted by room and teacher changes on a day to day basis. It can be crucial for SEN students to understand what is happening during the school day at all times as changes to routine can cause a child to go into crisis, thus enhancing the importance of the PEC system and how much it has helped and developed the lives of people with disabilities causing less stress and confusion since 1985.There are seven phases that need to be taught with the PECs system and depending on an individuals disability these six phases might not be fully accessible for everyone that uses the PEC system.
The diagram above provided by Pyramid Educational consults shows the Seven phases in which Students with the access of the PEC system would start to use in day to day life with the guidance of teacher, parent or carer. However just because one person can use and understand all phases of the PEC system does not mean that every user will have the same understanding, it isn’t about how quickly a student can pick up how to use the system its giving them the ability to identify and communicate in the most basic form that’s catered to them as individuals.
Technology within SEN 